Imagination- STAR

Chapter Eighteen

^ Artemis's outfit.

"So, what do you think?" Miss Carlotta asked as they finished watching their performance from Atlanta NextFest.

"You won a talent show. And although your sound is decent, it's not distinct." Ayanna told them.

"Excuse me?" Artemis and Alex said at the same time.

"Cranes, your father came out of the gate swinging. I can name every song on his debut album. You two don't have that, sweethearts." She told Alex and Artemis making them look at each other in disbelief.

"That's because he whored himself out and licensed every cut," Artemis told her.

"No, it's because his album was curated on the pureness of his sound." She told her making Artemis look her up and down.

"Well, have you listened to all the music?" Miss Carlotta stepped in.

"I've heard all of their music. Their lyrics are uninspired. I'm not saying that every track has to be Winehouse, Joplin, or Mary J, but until the lyrical pool they're swimming in is deeper, that's my thought." Ayanna told them more so directing it towards Alex and Artemis.

"I know you just got here, but we been here for five months and we have nothing to show for it. That's my thoughts. We have an expiration date I know that. If we don't get our studio time in, we're done. We're not just gonna let you do that." Star told her.

"You're very low on my list of priorities."

"So we may or may not be here?" Simone asked her.

"They need an image rebranding, and that Rachel Dolezal look's got to go." She said pointing at Star Artemis wanted to laugh at that joke but it wasn't the time.

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. Simone, your unique shape needs to be handled more delicately." She said to Simone.

"Carlotta?"

"I'm speaking. We need to make sure that you're not accentuating what you don't have. Alex, Artemis you're both a bit of an ice queen. Image is everything, especially when I can go out on YouTube and get the next Ed Sheeran, so warm it up. Artemis you're a pushover when it comes to your parts you let the others push your voice back when you could easily push forward." Ayanna told them.

"Look, you and I can discuss the image later. Where does that leave us for now?" Miss Carlotta asked her.

"On my label. And the last I checked, being on any label as a talent show winner is a good look. So, it's not nothing. For now. Thanks for coming in." She said dismissing them.

......

"Quit slamming doors in here." Miss Bruce yelled as Star, Artemis, and Alex angrily walked into the salon.

"This is a business. Put them dirty towels in this trash bag." Miss Bruce said to Star as she kicked off her shoes.

"Alexandra, clean the sinks out. Artemis you have a client coming in. Where's Carlotta?" Miss Bruce asked.

"At the label, trying to make the new president like us," Star told her.

"Or not hate every song Alex and I ever wrote," Artemis said as she started setting up her station.

"What you buying now?" Star asked as she looked at Alex's phone.

"None of your business."

"That's not gonna make you feel better about us," Star told her.

"It might."

"Bruce, she really tore us apart. She said I looked like Rachel Dolezal." Star said making Artemis bust out laughing as she sat down beside Alex.