D.M.S.R. (BOOK 1) || PRN

(3) Let The Promotion Begin

It was my first televised performance as a solo artist... ever. By the grace of god out of all the places they could book me, I made it on the MTV New Year's Eve special? I think that proved I am more than lucky. I am blessed. My song climbed the charts within three days and was charted at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 at the time. What a rush, huh? Billy Idol was on stage according to the set-list they gave me. I vividly remember because my heart was beating out of my chest and I was looking for any kind of distraction. My brown skin was a deep shade of pink as I sat calmly in front of the mirror. The stylist tinkered with my hair but she had no true idea what to do with Black hair. The only reason I didn't care was because I knew I'd be wearing a hat. Plus, I barely had a mind. I was so nervous I was singing over my lyrics to myself in the mirror. 

"Some boys take a beautiful girl and hide her away from the rest of the world.. I just— I want to be the one to walk in the sun! Girls just wanna have fun..." I sighed tapping my nails on the arm of the chair. I decided to call back home to Illinois to talk to my best friend.  Alexis answered after one ring.

"Relax, girlfriend!" I heard Alexis say along with the crack of what I figured would be a Pepsi can. (It was her favorite back then.) Alexis is my best friend and she knew without even being there with me that I was a nervous wreck.

I smacked my lips at how nonchalant she was being about all of it. "I'd be able to relax if it was me, you, and Liyah on the stage and not just me by myself." I snapped at her. "I'm losing my damn mind right now!" If she were there she'd laugh in my face. She usually did not do well with people yelling at her but this was different.

"Me and Aaliyah weren't meant to do this but you were. Chanel was meant to do this and Lyric is going to rock the fuck out of that stage!" She said my first name and that's how I knew she's serious. I smiled at her words. The stylist had just finish my hair and was spraying it to stay. I was sitting there in silence soaking in what Alexis said when there was a firm knock on the door.

"Enter!"

"Hi, Lyric. I hate to bother you before the show but these were brought here for you." A stage crew member gave an apologetic smile, placing a bouquet of violets on the vanity. I smiled in acceptance as he left before I walked over to the bouquet. There was one of those tiny cards sticking off the side except it wasn't tiny at all.

Dear Lyric,

Just a small token 2 show my appreciation. Nothing 2 extravagant. It's a rather simple thank U and good luck. Thanks for helping with the demo. You sound great on it. Good luck at Ur MTV New Years extravaganza! I hope to hear from you soon.

Your friend,
Prince

I smiled as the simple gesture because it was the sweetest thing done for me in a while. People weren't usually that nice, at least not in the music business. I can't fail to mention his hand writing was breathtaking. Just as I continued to soak in the thought of a friendship with that guy, I was summoned to go on stage.

The hot, bright lights beamed down on my forehead. For a split second, I felt as if my world was crashing down right before my eyes. Panic took over my limbs. It was too late at that point. I was on live television and had to see it through. I heard the music start and all I could do was feel it. Dance, Lyric, Dance!

I come home in the morning light. My mother says when you gonna live your life right. Oh, mother dear we're not the fortunate ones and girls they want to have fun. Oh, girls just want to have fun.

I heard the back up singers they provided me with kick in and by then I definitely putting on a show! I thought I was killing it in the moment. Looking back, I cringe harder every time I view it. The quality of the performance wasn't what stuck with me. The feeling it gave me is what I will always remember. This was obviously what I was meant to be doing in life, according to my fight or flight response. It all felt so natural. I knew I belonged up there.