Stop the World

Two

Sonny: I think the thing that I like most about music as compared to acting is that you really get the chance to perfect your craft. Like on So Random, we would rehearse but then we'd actually tape in front of a live audience so if you messed up it's not like you could really do it over. With recording an album you get as many takes as you want to make it perfect and I love that.

"We have songs but we don't have an album. And I think you need to think about what you want the album to be," Nolan, one of Sonny's main producers explained as they sat on the floor of the recording studio with sheet music spread all around them. There were only two camera men following her today and they circled around them to capture the perfect scene: a frazzled artist trying to put together a second album that would trump the first, which felt impossible to do at the moment.

Sonny had released her first album on the heels of her break up with Chad and she was sure that had contributed a lot to its success. Their falling out had been dramatic and everyone had tuned in to hear her side of the story. Yes, she blew up as an artist, her album shot to number one (making her the youngest artist to achieve a number one on billboard), and she reached a new level of fame that she didn't even know was possible, but now there were murmurs about how she wouldn't have been successful without the drama of the breakup. Sonny wanted to prove everyone wrong, and she wanted to do that without making another album about one guy.

"I don't want it to be about one guy or a breakup. I want it to really showcase who am I and I just want to prove to people that I'm so much more than my relationship and that my music is just as good when it's not about my relationship," Sonny explained, shuffling the papers around on the floor, glancing at the song titles and remembering exactly where she was when she got the inspiration for it. Sonny prided herself on writing most of her songs. Yes she got input from other people but most of the songs were handwritten by her so every single one meant something.

"I think you have a good batch of songs here. We just need to pick them. And to do that, I brought in a little help..." Nolan trailed off as he stood up and went to the door. Sonny's eyes followed him and watched as he opened the door to reveal Joe Jonas standing there. Sonny knew Joe because he had guest starred on a So Random Christmas episode. Plus she was a huge fan.

"Wow! Hi!" Sonny squealed, standing from the floor to engulf him in a hug. "Wow, long time no see! I swear I dm'd you this but the DNCE album was literally so good! I drove Chad crazy with the amount of times I played it. And wow I'm totally rambling..."

"Sonny!" He beamed. "You're good. It's good to see you." And then he was hugging her again, which took Sonny by surprise but she didn't pull away.

"You're here to help with my album?"

"Just to help with the sound. Nolan thought you could use a fresh perspective," Joe said as Sonny eagerly nodded.

"Yes! I have all of the songs but I really want a cohesive sound. Come on!" Sonny tugged on his hand as they sat down again and began to shift through the pile of songs.

"I have to pick my single but I don't think it necessarily has to go on the album. Like it can, but I don't think it needs to," Sonny said as Joe began to look through some of the songs with her.

"I like this one but I don't see the instrumental," Joe said, picking up a song that Sonny had randomly written after a red carpet event.

"Yeah we weren't sure what sound we wanted..."

"Why don't you sing and I'll play?" Joe suggested. Sonny nodded and immediately made her way to the booth.

She loved making music. It came much more natural to her than acting and she felt like she could do it for the rest of her life. It just felt so good to produce something so original, something that no one else had thought of, something that no one else could really replicate. It was hers, her message to the world, her introducing herself to the world, and she had complete control of it. That was definitely her favorite part.