The drop

Breaking Point

    Chapter 4:

Kai's track with Echo dropped a month later, and as expected, it made waves. The song exploded across streaming platforms, racking up plays, getting featured on playlists, and generating a buzz he'd never imagined. His social media was on fire, offers for gigs were rolling in, and industry insiders who had once ignored him were suddenly taking notice.

But as the hype around the collaboration grew, so did the expectations. The music world wanted more. More tracks, more shows, more everything. Kai was drowning in the attention that once seemed like a dream.

Sitting in his apartment, Kai scrolled through hundreds of messages on his phone. Promoters, managers, fans—it seemed like everyone wanted a piece of him. His inbox was filled with offers, deadlines, and reminders about his upcoming EP with Nova Records. He was already behind. Every time he sat down to work on it, his mind was blank, the creative spark that had fueled him now smothered by the relentless pressure to deliver.

The doorbell rang, snapping him out of his thoughts. It was Jordan.

"Yo, man. Just checking in on you. You good?" Jordan asked, stepping inside and glancing around at the cluttered apartment. Empty coffee cups and notebooks were scattered everywhere, a clear sign that Kai had been spending more time stressing than actually producing.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Kai replied, though his voice lacked conviction. He knew Jordan could see right through him.

Jordan sat on the couch, leaning forward. "You've been quiet lately. Label's asking about the EP. You still on track?"

Kai hesitated. "I... I don't know. I've been trying to get something going, but nothing feels right."

Jordan studied him for a moment, then nodded. "It happens, man. But this is the next step. The hype from the Echo collab isn't going to last forever. You've got to capitalize on it. What's holding you back?"

Kai ran a hand through his hair, frustration bubbling to the surface. "I don't know if I can do it, man. I got lucky with that track. Echo did most of the heavy lifting. What if everything I put out after this falls flat?"

Jordan frowned. "Kai, you didn't get lucky. Echo saw something in you, and so does everyone else. But yeah, it's going to be tough. That's the game. If you want this, you've got to push through the pressure."

Kai slumped back, the weight of everything crashing down on him. "I feel like I'm burning out. Every time I sit down to create, nothing comes out. I can't think straight. And now there's so much riding on this EP..."

Jordan sighed. "Look, you've been grinding non-stop since the festival. Maybe you need a break. Step back, clear your head."

"I don't have time for a break," Kai shot back. "The EP is due in a month. The label's already on my case."

Jordan stood up, pacing the room. "You're not going to make it if you keep going like this. What good is an EP if it's rushed and half-baked? Nova signed you because of what you can create, not because you can churn out tracks on a deadline."

Kai stayed silent, the truth of Jordan's words hitting him hard. He had been so focused on trying to meet expectations that he'd forgotten why he started making music in the first place.

"Maybe you're right," Kai muttered. "I just... I don't want to blow this chance."

"You're not going to blow it," Jordan said firmly. "Take a few days. Go somewhere. Don't even think about music. Just reset. Trust me."

Kai sighed, reluctant but exhausted enough to consider it. "Alright. I'll try."

     A Few Days Later

Kai found himself on a quiet beach far from the city, the sound of crashing waves filling his ears. He hadn't realized how much he needed the escape until he arrived. The noise in his head, the deadlines, the constant pressure—it all seemed to fade away as he stood there, watching the sunset.

For the first time in months, he wasn't thinking about his next track, his next show, or what anyone else expected from him. It was just him and the ocean. He spent the days walking along the shore, sketching ideas in a notebook, but not forcing anything. Slowly, the fog in his mind lifted.

On the third day, as he sat on the sand with his notebook, a melody came to him. Soft at first, but unmistakable. It wasn't anything like what he'd been working on before—it was calmer, more introspective, like the waves that had been keeping him company. He began sketching out the notes, humming to himself, and before he knew it, he had the skeleton of a track.

By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, Kai felt something he hadn't felt in a long time: excitement. The kind that came from creating something genuine, not something shaped by expectation or pressure.

    One Week Later

Back in the city, Kai sat at his desk, his fingers flying over the controller as the track took shape. The break had done more for him than he could have imagined. The music was flowing again, not because he had to meet a deadline, but because he wanted to. The pressure wasn't gone—it never would be—but it was different now. He was in control.

He spent the next few days in a creative frenzy, building out the rest of his EP. It wasn't just the introspective track he'd started on the beach. He mixed in some of the darker, more experimental sounds he'd been known for, blending his influences with a new, more personal edge.

When the EP was finally done, Kai sent it off to Nova with a nervous energy. This wasn't just about meeting expectations; this was him, his sound, evolving.

A few days later, Jordan called.

"Nova's listened to the EP," he said, his tone unreadable.

Kai held his breath.

"They love it, man. Said it's some of the freshest stuff they've heard from anyone new in a long time."

Kai exhaled, a grin spreading across his face. The weight that had been pressing down on him for so long finally began to lift.

"See? I told you," Jordan continued. "You just needed to trust yourself. You've got this."

Kai leaned back in his chair, staring at the waveform on his screen. He wasn't at the top yet, but he'd climbed higher than he'd ever thought possible. And now, he knew—no matter how steep the path got, he was ready for the next drop.