Live, Laugh, Luke

Chapter 17

I'm coming because I need to find you. Is anybody there who can rescue somebody like me? Cause I'm just waiting for somebody like you. Somebody like you

Luke's POV

"Alright, so this girl."

"Freya," I blurt out.

"Freya," our A&R president amends, looking back down at the papers in front of him. "You first met her at one of your gigs when she was called onstage to play with you and later found out she was a street performer. Is that correct?"

"Yea, in Belfast," I confirm. We'd flown into Perth this morning and from the moment we stepped off the plane, we'd been in meetings and press interviews. It wasn't until now that we were finally getting to the interesting part. Ever since the other day when Freya finally agreed to sign and I was able to send her demo to our label with our recommendation, I'd been waiting for this moment. I knew she was just as anxious too, based on her attempt at subtly asking how everything was going.

"And now you want to sign her?"

"Yes." I answer, trying not to let the frustration into my voice.

"Well, we listened to the label," he says and I can feel my pulse accelerate in anticipation. "Her demo was all over the place. She can sing, I'll give you that. But without a specific genre, it might be difficult to find her an audience."

"But those are just covers," I insist. "She was just showing her versatility. She's got her song on there, and that one really fits her personality, and I think it's where her music would go."

"What do the rest of you think?" he asks, looking at the other boys.

"Well, Luke was the one that got to know her best," Ashton starts, glancing over at me. "But from what we've seen, and what we've heard, I think she shows promise. She seems pretty adventurous, and she's been supporting herself for years by just busking--so we know she loves music and knows how to make a living through it."

"Plus, your department will be able to help with the song choice and putting a cohesive album together," Calum interjects and I can't help but grin at Calum's subtle reminder to him that they actually have to do their jobs.

"Can you imagine the press with this also?" Michael asks. "If we sign someone we brought onto stage, we'd basically be saying we'll sign anyone, even a fan. Our ticket sales would rise with others hoping we'd recruit them off the stage also." I hold my breath as he nods, considering this. It was something I hadn't thought of, being so focused on the smaller picture, I'd failed to see how this could potentially affect us.

"That is something we thought of," the A&R president tells us. "Another thing we'll need to discuss before signing her is if she is going solo, or if we want to put her in a band. At the very least we'll need a backup band."

"I think she should be solo." I say instantly.

"Girls are harder to market," he tells us. "Teen girls go crazy for boy banders. Putting her in a band might increase her likelihood to succeed."

"If we do put her in a band," Michael says slowly as he thinks it over, "I think there should only be like one other singer, tops. "Get a drummer, keyboardist, whatever, but find a bassist that can sing also and they can be her harmony. We don't need a full band of singers, otherwise we might as well find an already made one." I watch as the guy jots this down on the paper with a nod of his head.

"Alright, well, if that's it, we'll email her a copy of the contract and if she agrees, we'll fly her out to LA to sign and get to work. When you guys are done with the tour you can meet her there for a press release," he says, closing his folder and looking up with a smile. I'm stunned for a moment.