The following morning, the desert was quiet, a stark contrast to the roaring energy of the night before. Tony sat at the balcony of his hotel suite, sipping a coffee and staring out at the sun rising over the distant mountains. His phone buzzed on the table next to him, notifications flooding in- fan reactions, reviews, and accolades. Coachella had been a triumph, but in the back of his mind, something else was stirring.
A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts
"It's open." Tony called.
Louie walked in, still casually dressed in a hoodie and sweats, his usual calm demeanor intact despite the chaotic energy of the festival.
"You good?" He asked sliding into the chair across from his friend.
"Yeah man, just thinking." Tony said, setting his coffee down.
Louie smirked. "You mean, how you just tore Coachella apart? It was legendary. Social media's losing its mind. You're trending everywhere."
Tony chuckled, "It was a good night, no doubt. But ... I feel like there's more I could be doing. Like, that wasn't the peak, it was just the beginning you know?"
Louie raised an eyebrow. "What're you saying?"
"Think it's time for another album." Tony leaned back, his voice steady but laced with excitement. "Not just an EP, like Nocturnal Reverie. I mean, a full album- something darker, edgier. Something that's all me."
Louie nodded slowly, letting the words sink in.
"You've been killing it lately. Makes sense to strike while the iron's hot." He says
Tony leaned forward. "That's what I'm saying! I've got ideas, man. I want to push boundaries, make something that shocks people. Something that embraces this... Image, they've been giving me. The bad boy, the rockstar, why not own it?"
Louie sat back, a thoughtful look on his face. "You're right. You've got the charisma for it. Fans already see you that way, so you might as well lean into it. But if you're gonna do this? You've gotta commit, no bullshit."
Tony's eyes lit up. "You think I can pull it off?"
"You're already pulling it off dumbass, you don't remember what happened 12 hours ago?" Louie jokes, causing Tony to laugh.
"Alright man, let's do it. But, I came to you first about this instead of going straight to the label cause I want you to produce it. The way your synths hit? It's the vibe I'm looking for with this album."
Louie takes the compliment with a shrug. "Well, when you've been doing it for so long. But alright, I'll lay down a couple beats for you. So, what's the next step?"
Tony smiled, already feeling the shift in his mindset. "Step one? A little reinvention. Time to start acting the part."
Later that day, Tony updated his social media with a black and white photo of himself from the Coachella performance, shirtless with a blunt in his hand, the caption reading: "The fire's just getting started."
Fans went wild. The shift was immediate.
Over the next few days, Tony's demeanor began to change. He carried himself with a new swagger, spoke with sharper confidence, and even started dressing more provocatively- leather jackets, and sunglasses became staples of his look. At their next studio session, he walked in late, radiating an energy that was both magnetic and untouchable.
Louie watched him closely, a mixture of pride, and caution in his eyes. Tony was stepping into his new role, and it was working. But Louie knew the line between persona and reality was thin.
As the beats for Tony's solo album began to take shape, it was clear that this was going to be something entirely different- gritty, unapologetic, and undeniably ... Tony.
YOU ARE READING
Dark Roze
General FictionFollow the journey of an R&B artist who embraces his individuality and dives into his most personal and provocative creative project yet.
