~~A High Pedestal~~
NEW YORK MUSIC GOSSIP DAILY
Written by chief editor Callie Greene
Madison Strong shook tables yet again after her long-awaited single, cursing, was dropped just last night, racking up almost four million streams in under twenty-four hours, and has already reached number six on the billboard 200 and is quickly climbing up. Unsurprisingly, the world had received the phenomenal heartbreaking piece ridiculously well, and Madison has been given the flowers she's due from her fans.
Cursing is yet another song released from her highly anticipated album REALISM and I can say for sure that I am absolutely pumped and ready to listen to her second studio album, especially after the gold that was her multi-platinum album Queendom Come. Madison has confirmed that she plans on going in a different direction for REALISM than her previous album, and from what we've heard as of late, we can definitely see what she means and we're all excited to know more!
In an interview with the artist, Madison admitted to cursing being one of her more personal projects, as a callback to a darker time in her life and a reminder of the fact that things will always get better. We love to see personal growth, Madison, and we here at NYMG are manifesting further greatness for your flourishing career!
Cursing had also been the debut of darling artist, Lia Garcia, who featured on the moving piece completely taking the world in a chokehold with her powerful vocals and beautiful harmonies. She and Madison's vocals are totally unmatched and I'm sure the rest of the world would agree if cursing's reception is any indication anyway.
Lia Garcia is a newly signed artist to world-renown record Label Soul Fusion, by music producer and CEO, Malcolm Waters. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that Lia's future in her career and with the Label is cemented in her drive and passion for music. After talking to her at Madison's single release party, it was clear that Lia is as talented and authentic as they come, with big aspirations. It's hard not to fall in love with her, and if you haven't taken a peek at her social media, particularly her Insta Live on Saturday where she took music requests from her viewers with her mysterious male cameraman to play the piano and sing for them as promotion for cursing, I would suggest you do just that. Listening to her voice, as raw and honest as it is, does not do nearly as much justice as hearing her talk about what she loves.
Cursing is available on all streaming platforms and if you haven't heard it yet, what are you even doing?
It's been real, y'all!
"Cursing has almost ten million streams in just two days. The highest Madison has ever sold in her career, and she's already on the billboard chart top ten," Malcolm announced over the rumbling quarreling of the board of directors, silencing them sharply. Aaliyah couldn't help but notice the dirty looks shot her way the moment she stepped into the conference room, no matter how much she wanted to ignore them. It was even more frustrating every time her eyes locked with Madison on the other end of the table, who was openly glaring at her as though she was trying to open up the floor beneath her and let her fall through it six feet under. By this point, she wished she just did, "That's no coincidence, and I'm sure all of you are intelligent enough to see that too. Aaliyah had only promoted Madison's career further."
"After almost destroying it," Madison's manager, Oliver, pointed out with a knowing look not even glancing at Aaliyah. There was a rumble of agreement, making Aaliyah feel increasingly uncomfortable. She looked over her shoulder expecting to see Blair sitting in her chair behind her with a supportive smile, but she wasn't. Her heart sank as she remembered that she was downstairs in her car with Jacks. Malcolm had insisted that she stay downstairs for this meeting, and though she did argue relentlessly, Malcolm wouldn't budge saying that it was better that she didn't stay to incite any more trouble.
Aaliyah was starting to regret that she didn't argue more with her. "Mr. Pearson, with all due respect I'm sure that, that is a gross exaggeration," Malcolm said shooting Aaliyah a sympathetic look, "And she had already made it clear that she didn't know she was a ghostwriter. It was an honest mistake that I take full responsibility for. I should have ensured she got a hold of the updated contract."
"The thing about hindsight, Malcolm, is that it doesn't absolve us from any consequences. Madison's career was jeopardized, along with the reputation of this label. These are mistakes that we cannot afford to make," said a stout middle-aged man with a greying beard and sharp eyes, "That is bad PR we don't need over our head right now."
"I agree with Trevor," Uriah added, his narrowed eyes on Aaliyah as he spoke making her feel two feet tall, "It was already enough that you signed on another artist whilst we're having a financial downfall, slip-ups like these are exactly why we all agreed that your pity project is putting us all in jeopardy. She's still a child—"
"Xavier Adams was fifteen years old when we signed him, and we still have yet to regret it. Madison is the same age as Aaliyah—"
"With twice as much experience and professional training," Uriah snapped back in a cool voice, sitting back in his seat, "Madison is absolutely low risk. You decided on a whim to sign on a completely inexperienced seventeen-year-old child without thinking about how this would impact the company. Your judgment might have been off, with this one, Malcolm."
Aaliyah could hardly breathe, the thick tension in the room almost impossible to cut through choking her. She felt as though the world was closing in on her, the room spinning. She hadn't felt this alone at this moment since she was back in San Diego locked in her attic room, her dream nothing but smoke and mirrors.
But she was here. It wasn't smoke and mirrors, this was no illusion. This was real life, and maybe it wasn't perfect, but it was all she had.
"Aaliyah is right here, Uriah. Feel free to address her when you want to speak so badly about her." She looked over to Malcolm with surprise at his hard voice. He was peering at Uriah with dark narrowed eyes. "And maybe you've forgotten Uriah, but this is my company. You may own fifteen percent, and the rest of my shareholders may own some as well, but I still have the majority. And I built this company alongside Lionel from nothing but my will and my vision without any of you." He said looking around the room with cold scolding eyes like he was the principal of a high school, "There is no one here in this room that has more invested in the success of this label than me. There is no one here who has its best interests closer to heart than I. You all need to remember that before you question my motives again."
The silence that followed pressed against Aaliyah's skin like she was in a pressure cooker. Malcolm was kind and gentle and seemingly unbothered by most things. But he was also the CEO of a huge international record label that he built on his own. A layer of hard steel is necessary to have survived all his struggles to lead a thriving and growing company like the one he has today. And Aaliyah didn't think she ever really saw that until now. A certain authoritative air around him made everyone yield against their better judgment. Malcolm didn't always seem it, but he was a force to be reckoned with.
Uriah was the first to break the silence. He cleared his throat sitting up in his seat looking at Malcolm in a much more respectful approach as just the sound of his voice had humbled him greatly. "Duly noted Malcolm," He said in a low voice, "But, I do suppose we keep Aaliyah from having interviews or answer any questions regarding Madison's single or her upcoming album. There is just too much at stake."
Another long silence and everyone was looking to Malcolm for his judgment. "For now, I agree," He said and it was like all the breath had escaped Aaliyah's lungs, finally letting herself relax. "This meeting is adjourned." And then with that, he got up and stalked out the room. Aaliyah wasn't going to let herself stay for any longer with a room full of sharks who wanted so bad to tear her apart with no backup so she got up, slinging her bag over her shoulder, and hurried out the room after Malcolm.
Malcolm heard her coming and stopped turning around once they were out of sight from the rest of the board members and Madison. He seemed exhausted, though she figured he was trying not to see so, with his apologetic smile. Aaliyah couldn't help but feel as though everything was her fault, he wouldn't have been in this situation if she didn't screw up, and now it was like the whole board was against him. "I'm sorry for all of this Aaliyah," He started, with a sigh, "This is not the best situation."
Aaliyah shook her head, not understanding why Malcolm felt the need to apologize to her. "There's no need to be sorry," She said trying for a smile, "It could be worse. I could have actually ruined Madison's career." Malcolm almost laughed, and Aaliyah took that as a win, "And I should have been more careful. And at least now there's almost no chance of me messing anything up now."
Malcolm's smile fell slightly. "I guess we have Xavier to thank for that then. But you didn't deliberately mess anything up," He said shaking his head, "And you're doing your best. You've been so amazing with everything, even with your interviews, one slip-up shouldn't define your entire career."
Aaliyah wanted to say that everyone seems to want to make it so, but she doubted that was what Malcolm wanted to hear. She sighed running a hand through her hair. "I do have to ask though, Malcolm," She started with a sigh, "Why do you have so much faith in me? Everyone seems to think you're crazy for signing me since I'm so young and inexperienced or whatever, and now this. And I don't know if I can really blame them now."
Malcolm put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently, smiling down at her like she was his daughter. Aaliyah had seen this face every time he would look at Blair or Jenny, it was a look she had always imagined her father would one day look at her if she ever met him. "If you asked me months before I wouldn't have been able to give you a straight answer," He said with shrug, "But in all my years in this industry, I had seen even the most dedicated artists be corrupted by the little entanglements that come with stardom like money or fame or power. It was why I was glad when I realized that my daughters didn't want anything to do with the music industry. It's a tough business to let your music thrive when everything else wanted to suffocate it. But when I heard your music that first time, it was like hearing pure and cold determination to let your voice be heard to the world, it was hearing someone who was driven by nothing other than their music. And that was a sound I hadn't heard since Xavier Adams. Aaliyah, to me, you are a semblance of what music should be about, and I won't stop till everyone sees you the same way."
Aaliyah's eyes started to burn with the threat of tears, but she couldn't take her eyes away from Malcolm's. Not with awe, but with guilt. Malcolm spoke with so much certainty in who she was, so much faith invested into an illusion she unknowingly cast over herself. He thought she was perfect, Blair thought she was the missing piece to her fractured family, Jacks thought she was amazing. But she wasn't. Life wouldn't let her be. She was too broken to be anyone's saving grace. She wished people knew that instead of putting her on such a high pedestal. It made her terrified of making a mistake.
Aaliyah didn't reply. She didn't know what she could say to that. Malcolm had only smiled again letting go of her arm. "Now, I'm sure that you have school starting soon, I wouldn't want to make you late." She nodded tightly, and watched as he pressed the elevator button in front of them and she watched as it opened, "I'll see you later today." And with that he was off down the hallway, his back straight, ready to shoulder whatever burdens came his way.
Before the elevator doors closed, someone slid in through the gap before it closed completely, making her jump back against the railing behind her yelping in surprise.
The scarily tall boy turned when he heard her, and Aaliyah thought she recognized him, his honey-brown eyes strikingly familiar. He was prettier up close, Aaliyah realized, and more real. She noticed a small birthmark at the corner of his mouth, faint freckles splattered across his cheekbones, and soft stubble along his jaw.
Maddox blinked at her as though he recognized her as well and then he pulled a polite smile. "You're that girl Malcolm signed a month ago, right? Aaliyah Garcia," He started, and Aaliyah nodded slowly, trying to decide if she was allowed to talk to him, "You sounded amazing on Madison's track by the way. You're more talented than I expected."
Aaliyah cocked a brow at him. "What? Did you think I'd sound like a chorus of shrieking cats?" She retorted, unable to keep her sarcasm in check.
Maddox seemed to be pleased by it though, and his smile widened and he extended a hand for her to shake. "Maddox," He said and Aaliyah eyed his hand for a moment before hesitantly taking it, "That's my name I mean, in case you didn't know. You probably didn't, and I realize I'm talking a little too much. I apologize, pretty girls make me nervous."
Aaliyah tried not to laugh or blush. She had been complimented in her time since she'd been here especially, but only Chris flirted with this much lack of shame. She settled with an amused smile, just glad she wasn't the awkward one. "I know," She replied, "Your name, I mean, not that you're talking too much."
"Really?" He said tilting his head to the side a little, and Aaliyah pressed her lips together with a shrug taking her hand out of his grip. A look of realization dawned on his face and he grimaced. "So I guess that means you already have an opinion of me then."
Aaliyah shrugged as the elevator stopped and opened up onto the reception floor. "I try not to make reservations about people before I know them," She said stepping out walking back out into the main room.
Maddox caught up with her, glancing at her curiously. "I guess that's good then," He said and then looked back, "I saw that you were in a meeting just now. Did they tear you apart like the money-hungry sharks they are?"
"Isn't your father one of those money-hungry sharks?"
Maddox raised his hands in defense his smile impish. "I tell no lies."
Aaliyah raised a brow, waving back kindly to Emma, who she had learned to get along with over the last month. "Anyway, I think I'd rather not think about that," She answered heading over to the glass doors that led out in the street. Aaliyah started to feel anxious, she could see Blair's car parked down the street, and she didn't want her to see Maddox by her side. She needed to get rid of him.
"How about I get you to tell me all about it over coffee later?"
Aaliyah's heart stopped in her chest for a moment when she realized what he was doing and she stopped when she stepped into the street, the sound of the City at full blast now. She pursed her lips, glancing over to Blair's Jag with Jacks in the front seat and she looked over at Maddox with a smile. "Thank you for the offer, Maddox," She started, feeling bad that she couldn't quite hate the boy that broke Blair's heart, smiling at her almost hopefully, "But I think I'm good." And with that, she hurried down the street to the car.
School was absolutely insane.
In homeroom, everyone took it upon themselves to swarm around her and Jacks' table and shower her with compliments and try to convince her to sing for them so they can record it, even some of her teachers were interested. Aaliyah had been at Buchanan for weeks, she was kind of aware of the buzz she generated because of her association with Madison and her promotion of Madison's single on her social media, she hadn't been subject to this type of attention before. She couldn't lie and say she didn't appreciate it, because she most definitely did. Being loved like this was a feeling she hadn't felt before, and it was a warm sensation, but it did get a little overwhelming when a random Senior approached her in the hall or at the lunch hall asking for them to autograph their basketball Jersey because it might be worth millions one day.
She was glad that her friends hadn't changed all that much. Christian had been out of it being hungover from the night before. To celebrate getting into nationals, Light 'Em Up, except for Jacks went out to celebrate and it clearly got a little out of hand. He had dark rings under his red eyes, his bleached outgrown curls sticking out wildly. He had sunglasses for the first half of the day when she met him in her advanced Algebra class, but they were confiscated by their teacher Mr. Samuels. Solana only told her she liked the song before returning back to her homework.
"If I'm being honest, I think you're getting more clout than Madison is, and it's her song," Blair said gleefully digging into her fat-free cottage cheese.
Jacks nodded with a matching grin his hair flopping into his face, and Aaliyah couldn't help but laugh at how adorable he looked. "I mean that could easily just be because I'm new. Madison has a whole album released already—"
Blair grabbed Aaliyah's hand, excitedly. "That just means that you're so much fresher than Madison," She argued, "I'm taking that as a win."
"For you, or for me?" Aaliyah asked warily shooting her a look. Now that Aaliyah knew her past with Madison, she couldn't help but feel a little more uncomfortable with her extreme, yet completely justified, hatred for her. Before Aaliyah had just assumed she didn't like her on a surface level, she didn't know how she felt about being in the middle of something that went a lot deeper than that.
Blair snorted, not noticing her look or pretending that she didn't. "For me, of course."
Now she was back in the Red Room with Xavier. He was lying on the sofa with his controller between his fingers moving rapidly across the buttons and the cursors staring up at the TV as he played NBA 2K20, his eyes solely focused on the screen. His headphones over his cornrows, whilst she went on about her ideas for her new song whilst spinning around in her chair throwing a tennis ball she stole from her gym class, only half-wondering if he was even listening to a word she was saying. "I've been thinking a lot about this since Saturday, and playing around on the piano to figure out the chords, and I thought that a C to G# to F minor back to a C chord would be nice. I was also coming up with some lyrics for the hook too—" Aaliyah glowered at him, almost certain now that he wasn't listening to anything she said, "Xavier," She snapped loudly, throwing her tennis ball at him.
Xavier swore, sitting up as the ball landed between his hands, dropping the controller out of his fingers. He sat up to glare at Aaliyah. "That controller is worth more than the car you don't have," He snapped, "Do not break it."
Aaliyah matched his glare just as fiercely. "Or else what? You'll sue me for the money I don't have?"
Xavier rolled his eyes, reaching down to pick up the controller to pause the game on his TV, before looking at her. "I was listening by the way," He said, "We're not all terrible multitaskers like you. Some people can listen to others going on and on, whilst scoring a three-pointer on 2K."
Aaliyah scowled before continued she spinning around in her seat. "So what do you think then?" She demanded in a cold voice, "Of my ideas, I have more notes in my notebook, I just need to know if you think there's something here."
Xavier cocked a brow. "Why do you need me to know that?"
Aaliyah glared. "Well, we are working together, aren't we? I'm assuming, I haven't just been talking to myself for the last half hour," She replied, "And what you think counts for a lot. At least it does to me."
Xavier was quiet for a moment before he leaned back in his seat sighing. "Okay then," He replied in an uncertain voice, "Let me see your notes then."
Aaliyah hesitated for a brief second. She didn't know why, she had just been pushing him to do just that, but something about the way he looked at her just then, made her want to press a little more on it. Uncertainty wasn't something she usually associated with Xavier. She found it strange that Xavier Adams wouldn't understand why she would want his approval. It was as though he was disbelieving of his own abilities despite the fame he acquired because of it. It was weird, picturing Xavier with an inferiority complex. His music always made him seem so assured, and confident in who he was, even if he wasn't entirely proud of it.
She picked up her notebook and handed it to him and as he took it, her eyes caught an open book stacked upon scrap paper, and she cocked her head at it, picking it up to read the words. She realized it was a poem, Aaliyah's interest was instantly piqued as she read the name; Maya Angelou. She adored her poetry growing up. Aaliyah wasn't much for poetry, it always seemed too complex and metaphorical for her to wrap her head around it, but she did love Caged Bird, it spoke to how she felt, trapped and able to experience freedom through her music and the conversations she had with those that were free.
This was a different piece though; On the Pulse of Morning. She read through the first few lines intrigued.
A rock, a river, a tree,
Hosts to species long departed—
"What are you doing?" Xavier said in a cold voice, shaking her out of her thoughts. She snapped her head up from the book, meeting his hard accusatory gaze with a little surprise. Not because of the suddenness of his voice, but the slight panic in it, as though she had found something she wasn't supposed to. She wondered what he was so intent on hiding. His secret intrigue of poetry.
Aaliyah lifted the book to show him what she was reading. "Never saw you as a Maya stan."
Xavier stared at the book for a long moment before looking back to her, the corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. "I'm a rapper," He pointed out, "If I don't have at least some interest in poetry, why even bother?"
"You don't have just some interest though," She replied with a raised brow, trying to fight her laugh, "You highlighted some of the lines. You annotated the fuck out of this. You're a whole poetry nerd."
Xavier glowered. "No need to rub it in," He replied, "I like poetry, so what?"
"I'm not insulting you. You can relax," Aaliyah said, shaking her head, "I just never imagined you'd be into poetry. Though I suppose I shouldn't really be surprised. You have this weird tendency to keep surprising me."
Xavier sighed. "I try," He replied with a grimace, lifting up her own notebook, waving it in her face, "And I am officially uninterested in this conversation," He continued. Aaliyah's frown deepened and she opened her mouth to reply, but Xavier didn't give her the chance, "Your handwriting quite literally makes me want to have an aneurysm, but besides that, I'm into what you've come with, but I do want to know why you suddenly decided to drop your other songs which weren't all that terrible for something new."
Aaliyah shrugged, scowling at his comment about her handwriting. "I don't know."
Xavier's look was dubious, but he looked away from her lying back on the sofa, as though dropping the subject. "I saw you talking to Maddox this morning," He said, not looking at her, "You seemed pretty comfortable."
Trust me I wasn't, she thought to herself thinking back to earlier that morning. She tried not to think about him for the rest of the day, but she couldn't help but let her mind go there. She was curious about him when she learned that Maddox had cheated on Blair she had assumed that he was probably a terrible person, but he didn't seem all that bad. Well, she supposed hitting on your ex's friend wasn't exactly what a model citizen would do, but who was Aaliyah to judge, she blackmailed her foster parents to get here. She guessed that Blair didn't think he was all that bad a person either. Maybe it was part of his game.
Aaliyah frowned at him. "That was this morning. When did you see me?"
"I'm always here," He said without further explanation, and Aaliyah sighed running a hand through her hair, "Do you think you should have been talking to him?"
Aaliyah looked at him with a raised brow. "He was talking to me. Was I supposed to tell him to leave me the fuck alone whilst we were stuck in an elevator?"
Xavier looked over to her, a smirk tugged along the corner of his mouth. "I'm pretty sure you've said that to me. In the same circumstance actually."
Aaliyah made a face. "Well, you actually deserve it."
"Don't you think that Maddox deserves that too?" Xavier retorted.
Aaliyah shrugged, "Maybe from Blair, but I don't know him, and he doesn't know me," She replied and then frowned at him, "Why are you even asking me any of this? Are you just trying to be an ass again?"
"Do you think that Blair will see it that way?" Xavier asked ignoring her latter question much to her frustration.
Aaliyah shrugged exasperatedly, "Whether she does or doesn't, she knows who I am, she knows I wouldn't just be outright cruel to him, to be honest, I don't think she wants me to or she wouldn't have told me."
"But does she know who you are?" He taunted, his smirk growing, "Because I don't think anyone really knows all that much about you," Aaliyah realized he was throwing her own words back in his face.
She rolled her eyes. "How did you get Callie to take what I said off the record?" She demanded. She didn't like him putting the spotlight on her like this like he was giving her the third degree. She just wanted to work on her music.
"Callie and I go way back. It more or less just took the right motivation," He said and then he glanced at Aaliyah, his dark eyes shining, "And when I say we go way back, I mean biblically."
Aaliyah flushed darkly at his words realizing what he meant, regretting that she asked. "And here I thought you made some type of horrible sacrifice." She replied dryly, "I was about to apologize, and thank you."
"You still can," Xavier replied, throwing the ball back in the air, "It's not like I liked it."
Aaliyah didn't even know what she could say to that. She swore under her breath looking away from Xavier, who seemed completely unbothered by what he was saying. "Can we just get back to why we're here now?"
"I still don't know why you want us to drop everything we've been working on to start fresh. Like it will just take us longer to get your debut single out and Malcolm wants your album dropped by next year May."
Talk about her album sent jitters down her spine. She'd barely even started her career, it was exciting to know that not even up to a year she could be releasing her first album. It was overwhelming and exhilarating. Aaliyah sighed. "I've waited my entire life to tell those stories, I can wait. And my first single will be the first impression the world has of me, I don't want it to be one of the songs I wrote back in San Diego. I like to think that I'm not the same girl from then. And that's what I want my first song to be about, about who I am now, not who I was."
Xavier was silent for a moment his silence stretching out frustratingly slow as he stared up at the ceiling. She wondered what he was thinking about, or whether he was just trying to get on her nerves again. She was leaning more to the latter when he finally spoke, sitting up again on the sofa and standing to his feet so she had to look up to meet his gaze, "You're right," He said in a cool voice, "You're not the same girl."
Aaliyah wasn't sure if that was supposed to be a compliment or not, but she also didn't really want to ask him to elaborate, so she grinned sitting up excitedly, ideas exploding in her brain, "Does that mean we can get back to my song?"
"Sure." He said, pulling back a chair and kicking his feet back on his table, "Lay it all on me."