Dreams .... Do Come True

Bella Donna

"Let's face it," Stevie sighs.

"This album won't be the kind of best selling album that Bella Donna was. No one's into this real music that I, as well as so many others performers sing, anymore.. It's totally and very sad, but also very tragically true! No matter how much we publicize this album, it's not going to get half of the recognition, I believe, that it deserves," Stevie darts her eyes at everyone in the room.

"So, why have a huge tour to promote some album that's not going to be very successful?!" Stevie said, as she feels a huge lump in her throat; as her heart broke to say all of those words.

Stevie had initially wanted to tour and to promote the hell out of '24 Karat Gold: The Vault', but that was before she had gotten pregnant, and her priorities in life had changed.

She believed that she wasn't as big of an artist as she was then in the 90s.

So, in her opinion, her sales on this latest album wouldn't likely skyrocket to number one, nor be half as monstrous as 'Bella Donna'— Stevie's debut album as a solo artist— was back in the early 2000s.

"Stevie, I think that you're selling yourself a little short here," One of the label head guys said.

As another said that she was still very big to fans and has a legion of younger fans that are just beginning to buy her songs and albums; That this new album has a lot of potential to become a Gold record. Which, internally, had made Stevie really happy.

"Yeah, Stevie. If you look at how big your latest album, 'In Your Dreams,' made it, and look at how many albums it had sold worldwide.. And how much praise you got for it. A world tour for '24 Karat Gold', wouldn't be so far fetched," Another said.

"So, are you insinuating that this album would be riding the coattail of my latest album?" Stevie questions, a little bit irritated— Since she feels as though that no one is listening to anything that she is bringing to the table; and are just stomping on every idea that Stevie has.

"I can't wait to have my own record label, and to be my own boss," Stevie thinks to herself, as she's watching everyone negotiate the release of her new album— as well as making forthcoming plans for the tour.

**********

"I know, but that really wasn't my old material," Stevie stated, as she's referring to one of her past albums.

"This... I feel won't get any attention.. That it deserves... This new album is— Very special to me.. With every song on this record, it defines whom I was at the time... What I was going through at the time that I wrote that particular song, or what I was feeling about something, or— Someone," Stevie said, as she bites her lip, thinking about Lindsey.

"I had really poured my heart into these songs... And, as sad as it is for me to say to you all, here— No one wants to hear your feelings anymore. The feeling is all gone.. It's sad with what kind of state that all music is in right now. With no feeling or emotion," Stevie bites down at her bottom lip, then blows a rasberry in utter frustration.

"And, sh!t! It's all auto tuned. There's no substance to it, whatsoever," Stevie said, as she slowly shakes her head in disbelief that music is just not the same as it once was.

"I mean, there are a lot of great performers out there that give themselves to their work, and you can truly tell when you are listening to the lyrics... That they really dedicate themselves... But so many of it has changed.. As I had said previously, and I may sound like a broken record—" Stevie takes a deep breath.