JULY 23rd, 2009
"Quincy, Lionel, Michael," Athena said as she opened a door to a room where all of them were sitting inside, "We need to have a meeting about We Are The World 25," she said before walking away.
Quincy, Lionel, and Michael exchanged curious glances, wondering what had prompted the sudden meeting. They followed Athena into the other room, finding her standing by a table covered in papers and notes related to the 'We Are The World 25' project.
Athena took a deep breath before turning to face them, her expression serious, "As you all know, 'We Are The World' is an iconic song that brought people together—us included—for a cause greater than themselves. With the 25th anniversary approaching, we have an opportunity to make a significant impact once again."
Michael's eyes lit up with enthusiasm at the mention of the legendary song. He had been a part of the original recording and knew firsthand the power it held, "What do you have in mind, baby?" he asked, eager to hear her plans.
Athena gestured to the papers on the table, "It's not necessarily what I have in mind but what LL Cool J, Will.i.am., Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, and Swizz Beatz have in mind."
The men exchanged surprised glances, intrigued by the names Athena had mentioned.
Quincy leaned forward, his interest piqued, "What's their plan?"
"Well.....they want to add a rap to the song," Athena said with a raised eyebrow.
"A rap?" Lionel said with wide eyes.
"There was no rapping on the original!" Michael exclaimed.
"Oh, God! Now I have to deal with rappers? Ugh!" Quincy groaned.
Athena chuckled softly at their reactions, knowing that introducing rap to such a classic song would be met with resistance. However, in her mind, she knew that these men—mostly Lionel and Michael—should get the final say, as they were the two who originally wrote the song.
"Yeah. Yeah, I know," Athena paused, "Which is why I haven't given them an answer yet," she continued, "Being that Michael and Lionel are the ones who originally wrote the song in 1985, I figured it was best to leave this decision up to them."
Michael wrapped his arms around Athena from behind, his hands resting on her stomach almost as if trying to feel the baby inside her despite her not being that far along, "How's our baby?" he whispered in her ear.
"Well, my feet hurt, but the baby is fine," Athena shrugged.
Michael heard Athena's attempt at humor, but he also sensed the underlying tiredness and discomfort in her voice. With a loving smile, he sat down in one of the chairs and motioned for Athena to take a seat on his lap.
"Michael! The boys are here," Athena quietly protested.
Michael just chuckled and wrapped his arms around Athena, pulling her closer, "We've been married since 1992, baby. I think you forget sometimes that they've seen us together in all kinds of compromising positions," he teased with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, "Plus, they both have kids of their own. They know that pregnant women sit on their husbands' laps for comfort sometimes," he added as he gently guided her onto his lap.
Quincy, Lionel, and Athena shared a laugh at Michael's words, the tension from the earlier discussion melting away in the warmth of their bond.
"Well, I for one am curious to hear this rap idea," Lionel spoke up, breaking the moment of levity.
Michael nodded in agreement, his hands gently rubbing Athena's back in a soothing motion, "What does it sound like?"
"Well, I don't know what it sounds like, but they did send me a copy of what they wrote," Athena said as she grabbed a paper and put it closer to the group so they could see it.
As Lionel and Quincy read it, Michael was playing with Athena's hair, "Baby, where's your ring?" he whispered in her ear.
"Hm?" Athena muttered, looking down at her left hand as she was suddenly reminded that her ring wasn't there, "Oh, I took it off. I didn't want it to slide off and hit someone in the face."
"Baby, you're not supposed to take it off," Michael reached out for her hand, his brow furrowed in concern, "It's been there seventeen years, Athena. Seventeen years and counting. Dancer or not, it's supposed to stay on your finger," he murmured softly, intertwining their fingers together as if to emphasize his point, "Where is it?"
"Uh....in my bag," Athena said, using her head to gesture to the floor next to them.
Michael reached down and unzipped her backpack purse. Being her husband, he was practically the only one who was allowed to rummage through her belongings without permission.
Once he pulled the rings out, he slipped them back onto her finger, just like he did on their wedding day, "There, now all is right with the world," he declared with mock seriousness.
Athena giggled at his antics before snapping back into business mode, "So this rap they want to put in here, the one Lionel and Quincy are looking so intently at, what do we think?"
Lionel and Quincy exchanged a thoughtful look before Lionel spoke up, "It's definitely.....interesting. Adds a new flavor to the song, for sure."
Quincy nodded in agreement, "I can see where they're going with this. It could attract a younger audience and breathe new life into the message of unity and charity."
Michael listened intently to their thoughts, his fingers absentmindedly tracing small circles on Athena's back as he considered the proposed rap verse. After a moment of reflection, he finally spoke up, "Can I see it?"
Athena passed the paper to Michael, who read through the rap verse carefully. As he finished, a thoughtful expression settled on his face.
"I think it has potential, maybe it could appeal to a younger audience—people who are into rap," Michael mused, "But we would have to make sure it stays in line with the message, the essence of the original. Otherwise, what's the point of rerecording it?"
Athena nodded in agreement with Michael's assessment, knowing that maintaining the integrity of the original song was paramount. She glanced at Quincy and Lionel, silently seeking their input as well.
Quincy spoke up first, his voice measured yet supportive, "I agree with Michael. If we can find a way to blend the rap seamlessly while preserving the essence of 'We Are The World,' it could truly resonate with a wide audience."
Lionel added his thoughts, "It's all about balance. We want to honor the legacy of the song while also embracing new sounds that speak to today's generation."
"What do you think, baby?" Michael asked, his hand gently rubbing Athena's stomach.
"Well, it's not really my.....I mean, I don't deserve an opinion on it," Athena said with a small shrug, "You three were the original writers and producer of the song. Michael and Lionel wrote it, Quincy produced it. 'We Are The World' is your baby. It should be your call."
"Athena, I remember when we were having the production meeting for 'We Are The World'," Lionel said as he sat down, "You're just as much a part of this as we are and you deserve just as much of a say as we do—there was a whole argument over who were gonna have on the song: Athena Tyler or Madonna. Quincy and I really wanted you on that song and we won the argument!"
Athena's eyes widened in surprise at Lionel's revelation. She had always known that Quincy and Lionel had championed for her inclusion in 'We Are The World,' but hearing the story recounted now, after all these years, filled her with a deep sense of gratitude.
"Really?" she asked, her voice laced with emotion.
Lionel nodded, a soft smile gracing his features, "Yes, really. We believed in you then, just as we believe in you now."
Quincy nodded in agreement, "I remember this like it was yesterday," he said before they were pulled into a flashback on the day of.....
January 26th, 1985.
Quincy, Michael, and Lionel had been sitting in the production meeting, figuring out the wheres, the whens, and the whos—when Quincy spoke up.
"We have to figure out who we want on the song," he said, "It's essential to the project and going along with that, we have to think of where this recording is taking place."
Lionel gave a thoughtful expression, "Well, I heard that Wendy Rees wants Madonna on the song."
"Madonna?" Quincy scrunched his face up as if in disbelief, "Madonna is great and all but.....I don't know. Athena Tyler has the pipes for this. She'd be my choice."
Lionel nodded in agreement, "I've met her a couple times at charity fundraisers. Aside from being a popstar, she's quite the philanthropist."
Michael, who at the time didn't really know who Athena was, spoke up, "Uh....who's Athena Tyler?"
Quincy and Lionel exchanged surprised looks, as if it were inconceivable for someone not to know who Athena was.
"Michael!" Lionel exclaimed, "How could you not know Athena Tyler?!"
Quincy jumped in, "Michael, how in the—you know what? I'm getting the computer!"
As Quincy went to get the computer, Lionel explained to Michael who Athena was, "She's about eighteen or nineteen years old, she's got brown eyes, black hair like a raven, she's in a girl group with her sisters called Sorelle like you were in the Jackson 5. She's also basically the lead singer, like you were. And I think I heard she's planning on leaving the band."
Wendy Rees walked into the room, setting down her work bag, "Okay, did we get Madonna?"
"Actually, Wendy," Quincy said as he set down his laptop, "We were just discussing Athena Tyler instead of Madonna."
"What?" Wendy raised an eyebrow, "Oh, come on! Madonna! 'Material Girl' was a hit!"
"Oh, come on, Wendy!" Lionel rolled his eyes, "Madonna is a bit of a.....well, let's just say she's not....Athena Tyler."
Wendy scoffed, "I bet Athena Tyler is some unknown singer. Everyone knows Madonna! She's a global star."
Melody McCarthy, who was another producer working on We Are The World, walked in, "Athena Tyler? No, she's an icon!"
Quincy, always calm and collected, interjected, "Wendy, Athena Tyler has more fame than Madonna and she's only eighteen."
"I doubt that," Wendy scoffed, "Come on, Michael. You must agree with me, right?"
"Wendy!" Lionel huffed, "The world calls Athena Tyler the Queen of Pop! She has that title for a reason."
"I work with Athena in Sorelle," Melody argued, "She's the most talented artist I've ever seen. She's like a female Michael Jackson!" she added as she motioned to Michael who was watching the exchange with a keen eye and open ears.
As the debate over Athena Tyler versus Madonna raged on in the production meeting, Michael couldn't help but be intrigued by the discussion. He had heard of Madonna, of course, but this singer named Athena Tyler seemed to be a star in her own right.
Melody's comparison of Athena to him made Michael's curiosity peak even more. Could there really be a female artist out there who embodied the same kind of talent and presence he had strived for throughout his career? It was a bold claim, one that fueled Michael's desire to hear Athena's music for himself.
"Does anyone have any recordings of Athena Tyler's music?" Michael asked, his voice cutting through the heated discussion in the room.
Quincy nodded, a knowing smile on his face, "I do. I've been following her career for a while now. Let me play you one of her songs."
Quincy pulled out his phone and quickly found a live performance video of Athena singing one of her original songs—one she had written in Sorelle that somebody recorded her singing without her knowing. When the video ended, there was a collective exhale in the room, as if everyone had been holding their breath unconsciously.
Michael turned to Quincy, his eyes shining with newfound admiration, "She's incredible," he said simply, his voice filled with genuine awe.
Quincy smiled knowingly, "I told you she was something special. Athena Tyler is not just a singer; she's a force of nature."
Melody chimed in, her face beaming with pride, "I knew you would see it, Michael. Athena is a true artist, one of a kind."
"She's probably a one hit wonder!" Wendy argued, "I want Madonna on the song!"
"One hit wonder, my ass!" Melody exclaimed, "I'd like to see you try to out-sing my Athena!"
Wendy blinked in shock, "That's not—I'm not a singer, Melody. That's not my specialty."
"This video is about to change your damn mind," Quincy added, adamant on having Athena on the song as he pressed play.
Melody glared at Wendy before sitting next to Lionel and Quincy. Michael leaned closer to the computer, while Wendy stayed back, her arms crossed in defiance.
It was a video titled 'Madonna vs. Athena Tyler: Who Is Really the Queen?'
The first clip shown was an Athena Tyler interview, where she was asked what she thought of what was happing with the starvation in Africa—the whole reason for We Are The World.
Athena composed herself before replying, her voice steady and filled with empathy, "It's heartbreaking to see so much suffering in the world when we have the means to make a difference. We all have a responsibility to help those in need, and I believe music can unite us and inspire positive change. And it's not just happening in Africa, if it's happening in one country.....nine times out of ten, it's happening in another too. It's like a sickness that rapidly spreads from one place to another. And it breaks my heart that so many people that have the means to end the suffering just.....aren't."
As Michael, Quincy, Lionel, Melody, and a reluctant Wendy watched the video, they couldn't help but notice how softspoken Athena was, how she commanded attention without raising her voice, how she exuded a quiet strength that spoke volumes.
The screen then transitioned to Madonna in an interview where she was asked a similar question. Madonna's response was, "Well, it doesn't have anything to do with the United States, so.....why should we care?" she said with a dismissive wave of her hand, "Besides, I'm sure they're used to hardship over there."
The room fell into a heavy silence as Madonna's words hung in the air, a stark contrast to the compassionate and empathetic response Athena had given moments earlier. Wendy shifted uncomfortably in her seat, realizing the glaring difference between the two artists. Michael watched the screen intently, his expression unreadable as he processed the profound impact of their words.
Melody broke the silence, her voice laced with disappointment, "That's not the kind of mindset we need for this project. We need artists who are willing to stand up and make a difference, not turn a blind eye to suffering."
Lionel nodded in agreement, "Athena's perspective is exactly what 'We Are The World' stands for—unity, empathy, and action. We need voices like hers to inspire change."
Quincy turned to Wendy, his gaze challenging, "Do you still think Athena Tyler is just a one-hit wonder?"
Wendy hesitated, her previous certainty wavering as she watched the contrasting opinions on the screen, "Athena's probably faking empathy!"
Wendy's comment hung in the air, met with disapproving glances from everyone in the room. Quincy sighed, shaking his head at Wendy's stubbornness. But it was Michael who spoke up, his voice calm yet firm.
"Athena is not faking anything," Michael said, his tone leaving no room for argument, "Her words come from a place of genuine compassion and understanding. That kind of sincerity is rare to find in this industry."
Wendy shifted uncomfortably under Michael's gaze, suddenly feeling out of place among her more enlightened colleagues.
Melody stood up, her eyes blazing with determination, "I've worked very closely with Athena, and I can assure you, Wendy, she is as real as they come," she said, her voice unwavering, "She doesn't just sing about making a difference; she lives it every day."
The next clip was comparing Madonna vs. Athena's dancing style.
Athena's movements were fluid, elegant, and filled with emotion, each step purposeful and captivating. Her dance exuded grace and power, mesmerizing the audience with her raw talent and storytelling ability through movement. In contrast, Madonna's dancing appeared forced and lacking in authenticity, as if she was simply going through the motions without truly connecting to the music or the message behind it.
And when one of the dancers would mess up, Madonna would start cursing at them, while Athena would graciously continue the show and not let the mistake disrupt her performance in the slightest. Her professionalism and kindness towards her team shone through even in the most stressful situations, earning her respect and admiration from all who worked with her.
Wendy scoffed, "Well, Athena's young. She probably just has a little more patience than Madonna."
Everyone turned to look at her with raised eyebrows as Wendy's dismissive comment hung in the air, drawing a collective disapproving gaze from the room.
The next clip showed their singing styles: the notes they could hit, how good their breath control was, their authenticity and emotion, among other things.
Athena had an endless range—she was able to sing octaves upon octaves and not run out of breath or energy. She remained the embodiment of perfection and passion in every note she sang, her voice carrying the weight of the world's sorrows and hopes with each powerful lyric. Her emotional delivery connected with listeners on a deep level, stirring their souls and inspiring them.
Madonna on the other hand, seemed to have trouble keeping up with Athena's vocal prowess. Her vocals seemed shallow and lacking in range, her voice unable to capture the depth of feeling that Athena effortlessly channeled. While Madonna's songs were catchy and fun, they lacked the raw authenticity and heart-wrenching sincerity that defined Athena's music.
"Athena probably uses autotune!" Wendy huffed, "Madonna simply has more experience."
Wendy's words were met with a collective eye roll from the rest of the group, who had grown increasingly tired of her relentless attempts to discredit Athena's talent.
Quincy leaned forward, his voice laced with exasperation, "Wendy, at some point you have to open your eyes and ears and truly listen. Athena is a once-in-a-lifetime artist, and it's time you recognized that."
Melody nodded in agreement, her patience wearing thin, "You can't deny the sheer brilliance and passion that Athena brings to everything she does. She's a true gem in a sea of mediocrity."
Lionel spoke up next, "How long has Madonna been in this industry?"
"Since 1983," Wendy answered with a smirk, thinking she had finally stumped them.
Lionel nodded, "And how long has Athena Tyler been in the industry? That girl has been doing this since 1970–when she was four years old!"
Melody nodded with a smirk, "Yeah, Athena's been in this industry way longer than Madonna."
"What?!" Wendy exclaimed, "No, she hasn't! Where's your proof?"
The next clip showed more interviews where they were asked what they thought of Michael, Quincy, Lionel, and Melody.
Athena only had positive things to say, never once putting any of them down, "Michael Jackson? Ah! Thriller!" she squealed on the screen as the interviewer played the song and Athena squealed again with a genuine smile before she started singing it.
As Michael watched her on the screen, he couldn't help but smile at her raw reaction to the sound of his song.
Once the impromptu jam session of Thriller was over, Athena answered the question, "Well, I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Michael Jackson, but I think Thriller is a masterpiece—he's one of very few artists that are genuinely authentic and he's dedicated to his craft. He's a lot like me. I've been in the industry since I was four, I think he's been in it since he was five—it can be a lot for a kid to handle. I respect how he's managed to navigate fame and still make great music while remaining a respectful and beautiful person. Quincy Jones? I think I've crossed paths with him a couple times, but we've never actually spoken to each other. He's this industry's most popular producer. I haven't heard a bad thing about him. Lionel Richie? I've met him a few times. He's very kind, wonderful voice, good songwriter. I haven't heard a bad thing about him either. And Melody, my Melody! I love her. I've been working with Melody since my career started. Sorelle has only ever had hits since she joined our team. I consider her family."
Meanwhile, Madonna had less than glowing or pleasant reviews for the group. In her interview segment, Madonna was asked about her opinion on Michael, Quincy, Lionel, and Melody.
Madonna's face twisted into a scowl at the mention of each name, and she didn't hold back in her responses, "Michael Jackson? Please, that guy thinks he's some king or something. Overrated if you ask me," Madonna sneered, rolling her eyes dismissively as the interviewer played a clip of one of Michael's iconic performances as she continued with her opinions, "Quincy Jones is just another producer trying to ride on the coattails of real artists like me. Nothing special there. Lionel Richie? Ugh, don't get me started on that has-been. And Melody? I've heard of her, but she's nothing special either. And maybe she should hit the gym, you know? She looks like a couch potato to me," she smirked, reveling in the attention her cutting words garnered.