The Main Act (H.S) - discontinued

Studio Time & Meetings

makin hits, as she always does (via Lacey's instagram)

//

september

"How many songs do you have completely done?"

"Eight," I tell Lacey as we walk into the studio. "Hopefully. My label has turned some away."

I take a drink of my coffee as Lacey pulls the door open. "I thought you said that you were fighting them on that though?"

I sigh and shrug my shoulders lightly. It's been a hell of a month when it comes to working on this third album. I've been in so many meetings that I feel like I'm in business, not the music industry. The label really wants to define my sound for me, not with me. Every time I talked with some of the team, I felt like storming out.

"I'm still trying. I've given up on some of the songs though. They don't fit what I've been doing recently, and I'm hoping what I'm recording today does fit. We'll see though."

"Have you gotten any advice from Harry at all? I feel like he's probably an expert at telling people that he's gonna do everything his way and that they can't change that."

"Uh," I take a deep breath as I set all of my stuff down. She sits down on the couch while I turn on all of the computers. "Actually, I haven't really told him at all. He's in the UK right now, and I really don't want to bother him with all of my problems while he's working. From his perspective, all of my studio sessions are going great."

Lacey frowns. "Ava, I can't tell you how to run your marriage, but I know that's not good. You can't just lie to him."

"I haven't. I just haven't told him anything."

Right as she's about to say something, the two producers I've been working with recently shuffle into the room. We were wrapping up about three or four tracks today, and hopefully wrapping up the last of the album. Hopefully.

I put my hair up in a bun as they start to get everything set up. "What's up first?"

"Uh, I think Like a Champion is on the list first. So lets go with that."

I do some really quick recordings for finishing touches before getting comfy next to Lacey. I listen as they stack the recordings over the music. Whenever all of the finished recordings were coming together for a track my heart started beating faster out of excitement and happiness. I think it's my favorite step of finishing a song.

I'm in the studio for about three hours, until I have to take the most recent update of the songs I have to a meeting with my label. Lacey heads home while I nervously take my songs to them. She made me promise to tell Harry about what was going on, which also made me nervous. He's not going to take it well, so I'm hoping I can at least hold off until he's home. I wish I knew when that would be. His tour is a month away and I feel so distanced from him.

I check in at the front of the building and somebody escorts me to the right room. My mom is already there, so I go over and sit by her. She'd been coming down to LA so much recently that my dad and her had considered moving, but for now they're staying in San Fransisco.

Everybody greets me and I hand over the CD of all of the songs without saying much. They play through them, everybody in the room staying silent. As the last song ends, they all glance at each other. Some of them had made a few notes on the paper in front of them. My nerves were about to make me burst.

"Well, you've gotten closer to the mark than the last few trips. But you're not there yet."

I sigh and my mother grabs my hand. It was her silent way of telling me not to say anything I'll regret. "What changes would you like me to make this time?"