The Rockstar & The Balladeer : A SandAyan Story

Chapter 8: The Key 🗝

Looking straight at me but with a totally impassive face whereas I couldn't help the big smile on my face. Ayan momentarily paused looking at my face when he saw the smile but was tapped by Thua, bringing him back to the present.

We were discussing the song line ups, album cover, the promotion plans and basically everything that an artist needs to become popular. Ayan clearly had a vision for my career path but before he voices his opinion, he always lets me speak first after each presentation.

A few wide eyed stares were thrown my way but no one said a word about the obvious difference in our interaction with the way Ayan deals with his other artists. Mostly agreeing to my song choices except for two. He said we have got to remove Crescent Eyes and Secrets from this album. Ironically both those songs I wrote for him, so I couldn't help but ask.

"With all due respect Mr. President, do you mind telling me why you want those two songs removed? I love those songs and they are very important to me," I eyed him curiously and a little indignantly because they were for him. Did he not like them? How can he throw those songs away?

A series of shocked gasps could be heard across the room, everyone probably questioning my sanity for speaking up to the most powerful man in the company. Ayan looked at me for a tad too long. I was beginning to regret asking. Mentally prepared myself to be told to shut up and just do as I am told.

Instead, Ayan drank from his coffee cup before answering. "All songs in this album are about heartbreak, trying to forget and move on. It basically created a theme for your album. Dark, angsty, broken rockstar. I assume all these songs are personal and the time you wrote them you were going through each emotion. Crescent Eyes and Secrets are the exact contrast to the rest. It's about the joy and hope of falling in love again, the journey to recovering and it's obviously written for someone else, not the one you were singing about for all those other songs. Don't get me wrong, these two songs are great. In fact, I think Crescent Eyes is my favorite. But if you want them released, I suggest you wait to put them in your next album. Won't it be better for you to create Unchaste and be able to hand them to that person, knowing you moved on from them by putting everything down into your melody and lyrics? If you include Crescent Eyes and Secrets in there, he'd think they were about him." He pointed out but there was no anger.

Ironically, I think it's Ayan's way of telling me he knows I wrote the last two songs for him and he doesn't want to be in the same album as the one I made for Boeing. He is making sense, but the next album could take two years. I don't want to waste the songs I wrote for Ayan.

The meeting room had gone so quiet after Ayan's explanation. No one even dared to breathe in case it pissed Ayan off, who had put his chin on his clasped hands on the table, looking at me challengingly.

"What happens if I don't agree to take them off the list?" I asked him directly, also looking him in the eyes.

"Normally, I'd tell you I don't give a fucking damn what you want. I'm the one who will sign off everything. But for your guts newbie, I'll make an exception just this one time. I'll let you decide if you want to keep them or wait for your next album. Which I'm pretty sure would be 100 percent about this new person. I already have an idea what that album would look like in contrast to Unchaste's dark theme. I think Rebirth would be a good album title," he actually smiled and the room was quieter. The reason no longer being fear, but absolute wonder at the rare beautiful smile on their boss' face.

"You're right, your vision seems better than mine and I have one hundred percent trust in your expertise and experience. I'll follow your suggestion Mr. President," I assured him. Feeling lighter than ever, knowing I am in great hands and Ayan knows what he is doing. The way he's already planning for the next album, while we are still working on the first.