The studio lights dimmed, casting a soft red hue over the room. Tony sat in the booth, headphones around his neck, flipping through a worn vinyl sleeve of Purple Rain. His eyes landed on the title: Darling Nikki. A slow grin spread across his face as he leaned into the mic and tapped on the glass.
"Louie, I've been thinking," he said, his voice low but determined. "If I'm really going all in on this album? I need to push boundaries. And what better way than to cover one of the most provocative tracks ever made?"
Louie, sitting at the mixing board outside, glanced up from his phone.
"Prince? Are you sure? That's a high bar man."
Tony nodded, his grin unwavering. "Exactly, that's why it has to be done. No one's touched this track the way I want to."
Louie leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "Alright, but if you're gonna do this, you can't just imitate. You've gotta make it yours. Put your stamp on it."
Tony's expression turned serious. "I don't want to imitate. I want to reinterpret it. Make it darker, sexier, and even more haunting."
Louie smirked. "Make it a love letter to the original song, I like that. Alright then, let me play some of the guitar solo and then we'll record your lyrics."
The session began with Louie laying down a moody, electronic beat. The synths were heavier, the bass deeper, and the tempo slower, giving the song an almost hypnotic feel. Tony's vocals cut through the mix like silk, carrying an edge of raw seduction.
"I knew a girl named Nikki, I guess you could say she was a sex fiend..."
His voice dipped lower, raspier, as he played with the melody, stretching words and adding pauses that heightened the tension. The track morphed from its playful, funk-infused roots into something that felt like stepping into a shadowy, velvet-clad nightclub.
Louie watched his best friend from the control room, nodding his head to the beat. Tony's interpretation was bold, unapologetic, and intoxicating. The room buzzed with energy as Louie looped the instrumental, layering Tony's harmonies into a rich, otherworldly soundscape.
Tony stepped out of the booth after the first take, running a hand through his hair.
"What do you think?" He asked, his voice calm but his eyes eager.
Louie grinned. "It's fire. You've made it your own."
Tony's grin returned as he grabbed a water bottle.
"Good. Because this isn't just a cover. It's the blueprint for the album. I'm exploring themes like sexuality, power, and obsession. No holding back."
Louie raised an eyebrow "you sure you ready for that backlash? No everyone's gonna vibe with it."
Tony shrugged. "Fuck them, they don't have to. This album isn't for everyone. It's for the people who aren't afraid to dive into the abyss with me."
After their quick conversation, Tony had decided to invite some people over the studio. It got filled with friends of his and one new girl caught his attention while he recorded over and over. Blonde hair, blue eyes, he couldnt't take his eyes off of her.
"Louie? Imma go for a smoke break." He says to his best friend
"Take your time." Louie responded. Tony stepped out of the studio for a moment and lit the blunt he held between his lips. As he lights the tip of the blunt, he takes a drag and inhales the marijuana and blows it out from his lips. Then, the door flies open and it's the girl who he had his eye on, the moment she walked through the door. She radiated a dark vibe ... The same vibe he was looking for.
"I love how the song sounds so far." She says as she takes out a cigarette and lights it.
"It's not finished yet." Tony responds "I feel like after this though, it'll be done. What's your name? I haven't seen you around, before."
"Camille" She said "I'm a model."
"And you met Elijah through-"
"Insta, he told me that he's your friend." She admits "Plus I'm a fan of your music too." She smiles "I couldn't stop listening to Nocturne
By the time the session wrapped up, Tony's version of Darling Nikki was fully realized. Louie, the producer, played the final mix over the speakers and the room fell silent as everyone absorbed the intensity of the track. Tony's childhood friend, Elijah, broke the silence after the track ended.
"This is gonna shake people up." He says while smiling "I say, you show this to the label and I'll guarantee they'll eat this shit up."
Tony leaned against the wall, a satisfied smirk on his face.
"Good. Let them feel uncomfortable. Let them talk. That's what art is supposed to do."
Louie nodded, respecting Tony's conviction "Alright, so what's next?"
Tony looked at him, his eyes gleaming.
"Next? We double down. I want this album to be a world- something that pulls people in and doesn't let them go. This is just the start."
As they packed up for the night, Tony couldn't shake the feeling that he was onto something revolutionary. Covering Darling Nikki had solidified the direction of his album, and for the first time, he felt completely free to explore the darker, riskier corners of his artistry.
He left the studio that night after getting Camille's number. He then checked his phone and seen that he received a text from her saying:
"I love your creative process when it comes to music. Maybe we should work together sometime soon."
He texted back, saying:
"I'd like that. Maybe I could have you in a video or be on the cover for the album. When are you free?"
The three dots appeared on screen, meaning she's responding.
"I have a photoshoot tomorrow, if you wanna come, I don't mind."
He left with the confidence of an artist who knew he was about to redefine himself and maybe even the genre itself.
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.
