The drop

Kai stood behind his battered DJ controller, eyes focused on the glowing waveform on his laptop screen. His fingers hovered over the buttons, waiting for the right moment. The beat was about to drop, the moment he lived for, the moment the crowd would either explode or leave the dancefloor. But tonight, there wasn't much of a crowd—just a handful of people scattered across the small underground club. The neon lights flickered, the speakers crackled, and he could hear a glass clinking in the back.

It had been like this for months. Playing empty venues, submitting track after track to record labels, hoping for a single callback. He'd been making music for years, pouring every ounce of energy into perfecting his sound, chasing the dream that had fueled him since he first saw his idol, Echo, perform at a festival. He remembered watching the thousands of people lose themselves in the music, how Echo commanded the stage like a king. That was the dream: to make people feel like that, to move a crowd with nothing but sound.

But reality was less glamorous. The day job at the music store barely paid rent. The late nights spent producing left him drained but still far from where he needed to be. And the rejections—God, the rejections. Every "We're not looking for new talent right now" email felt like a weight added to the mountain he was already climbing.

Tonight was just another small-time gig, one of the dozens he'd played in the last year. No major label scouts here, no influencers filming the scene. Just him, the beats, and a few people nodding their heads.

As the bass dropped, Kai closed his eyes and let the music flow. Even if it was just for a handful of people, he played like he was in front of a crowd of thousands. He couldn't afford to hold back. He crafted his set with care, blending his own tracks with the hottest sounds of the moment. He imagined this was his big moment, and for a second, he felt it—the rush of connection between artist and audience.

But when the set ended, there was no roaring applause, no life-changing moment. Just the same old shuffle of people leaving, barely noticing him. He started packing up his gear, shoulders heavy with disappointment.

"Hey."

Kai looked up to see a guy about his age, scruffy hair, and a hoodie with Echo's logo on it. "You Kai?"

"Yeah," he replied, thinking it was just another local fan.

The guy smiled and pulled a card from his pocket. "I'm a rep from Nova Records. I heard your set. You've got something, man. We're putting together a lineup for an opening slot at this year's festival. Think you might be interested?"

For a second, Kai couldn't speak. It was the moment he'd been dreaming of, the break he'd thought might never come. "You're serious?"

"Dead serious. Echo's headlining, and we're scouting for fresh talent. I'll call you tomorrow, yeah?"

The rep walked away, leaving Kai clutching the card. As the empty club lights dimmed, his heart raced. This was it—the start of something bigger. All those long nights, empty venues, and quiet struggles had led him to this moment.

He looked at his gear one more time and smiled. The journey was just beginning.