20demayo Chapter 100 Signing a Record Deal
Chapter 100 Signing a Record Deal
Lin Zhou sat in a leather office chair, an unlit Marlboro between his fingers, his eyes scanning the files of the top ten Miss Hong Kong contestants page by page.
Secretary Chen Man tiptoed in with a freshly brewed cup of tea. Seeing him engrossed in the tea, she placed the cup on the corner of the table and whispered, "Mr. Lin, this is all the information on the top ten Miss Hong Kong contestants this year. Their place of origin, age, family background, and hobbies are all clearly listed. Please check if there's anything missing."
Lin Zhou didn't even look up, just grunted in response, his gaze continuing to linger on the pages. The photos of the top ten beauties were pasted on the title page of the file; each one had bright eyes and white teeth, a slender figure, and exuded the unique vibrancy and youthful innocence of 1970s Hong Kong.
His gaze swept over the information of the champion, runner-up, and third place winners, his face remaining calm until he turned to the page for fourth place, at which point his fingertips suddenly stopped.
"Zhao Yazhi..." Lin Zhou murmured the name, raising his eyebrows slightly and a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
He stared at the girl in the photo, her eyes gentle and her temperament elegant. Images from the depths of his memory surged up instantly: a simple white ancient dress, holding a whisk, her eyes filled with compassion and tenderness. She was none other than Bai Suzhen from the later popular TV series "The Legend of the White Snake".
At that time, she was just a young beauty who had just won fourth place in the Miss Hong Kong pageant, and she was groping her way forward in the world of fame and fortune in Hong Kong, full of aspirations for acting and fame.
Lin Zhou couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head. It was truly a case of "searching high and low without finding it, only to have it come to you effortlessly."
His gaze continued to sweep downwards, and when he saw the champion's information, the smile on his lips deepened.
The Miss Hong Kong winner's resume included her place of origin, age, and a section on family relationships. Although it wasn't explicitly stated, Lin Zhou knew perfectly well—wasn't this the mother of Xie Tingfeng, the cool and handsome young man from later generations? (It's just a coincidence of names, not the actual person).
Unexpectedly, this future "star mom" was once a stunningly beautiful Miss Hong Kong winner in her youth.
Lin Zhou slammed the documents in his hand onto the table, leaned back in his chair, exhaled a breath of stale air, and a shrewd glint flashed in his eyes.
He looked up at Secretary Chen standing to the side and said with certainty, "Secretary Chen, arrange for people to contact these ten Miss Hong Kongs now. Tell them that Zhonghua Records is interested in signing them and invites them to the company for a detailed discussion. As for the treatment, they will definitely not be disappointed."
Upon hearing this, Chen Man immediately replied, "Okay, President Lin, I'll go and instruct the public relations department to make contact right away. However..." She hesitated for a moment, then added, "The top three are currently riding high, and I've heard that several large companies have already approached them. I'm afraid they might not be willing to consider our newly established record company."
"It's alright, it's never a bad thing to give it a try." Lin Zhou waved his hand, his tone nonchalant. "Whether it works out or not, we'll talk about it first."
Chen Man nodded, turned around and quickly left.
For the next three days, the public relations department was extremely busy, contacting each of the ten Miss Hong Kong contestants one by one. The feedback quickly reached Lin Zhou's office.
Secretary Chen Man walked in with a contact report, her face showing a hint of helplessness: "President Lin, just as I expected, the top three are all very determined."
The champion has already signed an entertainment contract with Shaw Brothers and is determined to develop in the film and television industry, and has not considered singing at all.
The runner-up and second runner-up were also scouted by TVB and are preparing to sign artist contracts to become actresses. They felt that singing was just a side job and there was no need to sign with a record company, especially since our Zhonghua Records was a relatively unknown new company.
Lin Zhou wasn't surprised. He had long anticipated that these three most popular Miss Hong Kong contestants were only interested in the glitz and glamour of the film industry and might not be interested in his fledgling record company. He said calmly, "What about the remaining seven?"
"The remaining seven are all interested!" Chen Man's tone instantly became cheerful, and her face showed a hint of joy. "The fourth-ranked Zhao Yazhi, as well as the beauties ranked fifth to tenth, have all expressed their willingness to come to the company for a talk."
Most of them come from ordinary families with no special backgrounds, and they didn't get many good opportunities after the beauty pageant. They were all very interested when they heard that Zhonghua Records had a top-notch recording studio and a professional team.
"Okay." Upon hearing this, Lin Zhou's eyes flashed with satisfaction. "Tell them to come to Zhonghua Records' recording studio for a face-to-face meeting at 10 a.m. tomorrow. I will meet with them in person."
The next morning, the sun was shining brightly. Outside the recording studio of Zhonghua Records, seven girls dressed in a fresh and elegant manner stood together somewhat awkwardly, talking to each other in hushed tones.
Zhao Yazhi stood in the crowd, wearing a white dress, with her long hair flowing over her shoulders, her gentle eyes and brows making her stand out.
At 10:00 sharp, Lin Zhou appeared at the entrance of the recording studio. He was wearing a well-tailored black suit, his posture was upright, and his young face had a gentle smile, showing no airs of a big company boss.
"Ladies, welcome to Zhonghua Records." He extended his hand and shook hands with each of the girls. "Come in and take a look at our recording studio, so you'll have a better understanding of what it's like."
The girls followed him into the recording studio and were immediately captivated by the equipment inside.
The space, spanning several hundred square meters, is filled with soundproofing cotton covering the walls. The central recording studio is spacious and bright, with rows of top-of-the-line mixing consoles, microphones, and monitor speakers imported from the United States and Japan, all gleaming with a metallic sheen.
The adjacent rest area is fully equipped with sofas, a coffee machine, and a snack shelf, exuding professionalism and comfort.
"Wow, this equipment is so advanced!" a girl couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice, her eyes full of longing.
Lin Zhou smiled and pointed to the equipment, saying, "These are the most advanced recording equipment in Hong Kong right now. From the mixing console to the post-production software, they were all imported at great expense."
"As long as you're willing to come, all this equipment, along with professional recording engineers and sound engineers, are available for your use."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the seven girls, and said sincerely, "I know that some of you may not have had professional singing training, and some of you may still be confused about your future."
But I can assure you that as long as you are willing to join Zhonghua Records, the company will hire the best vocal and physical training teachers to give you systematic training, teaching you everything from singing skills to typhoon techniques, step by step.
The girls' eyes brightened, and the awkwardness on their faces was gradually replaced by anticipation.
At this moment, Zhao Yazhi stepped forward and mustered her courage to ask, "Mr. Lin, we've all heard that record companies mostly sign fixed-salary contracts with singers, and the pay for commercial performances and endorsements is quite low. We'd like to know, what are the terms of Zhonghua Records' contracts?"
As soon as the question was asked, the other girls perked up their ears, their eyes showing a hint of nervousness.
In Hong Kong's music industry, it is common for new singers to be exploited by their record companies. Their fixed salaries are meager, and their share of the profits from recordings is pitifully small. Many singers work hard for half a year, but in the end, they can't even make ends meet.
Lin Zhou saw their nervous expressions and understood. He smiled slightly and said firmly, "Zhonghua Records doesn't use those exploitative tactics. What I'm giving you will be the fairest profit-sharing contract."
"Revenue sharing contract?" The girls looked at each other, clearly hearing about this model for the first time.
"That's right." Lin Zhou nodded and explained, "The company is responsible for your training, packaging, promotion and record production, and all costs are borne by the company."
After your album is released, after deducting costs, the remaining profits will be split 20/80 between you and the company. Furthermore, the company will only take a 10% management fee from your commercial performances and endorsement income; the rest is entirely yours.
The moment those words were spoken, the recording studio fell silent. Then, the girls' faces lit up with unbelievable joy.
A 20/80 split! Only a 10% management fee for commercial performances and endorsements! These are unheard-of and incredibly generous terms in Hong Kong's music industry!
Even established singers may not be able to get such a contract.
Zhao Yazhi's eyes shone like stars. She clutched the hem of her dress tightly, her voice trembling slightly: "Mr. Lin, what you said... is it all true?"
"Of course it's true." Lin Zhou looked at them, his tone sincere and firm. "I founded Zhonghua Records not to exploit newcomers, but to build a truly talented team of singers."
As long as you are willing to work hard and dedicate yourselves, the company will provide you with the best resources to make you famous throughout Hong Kong, and even the entire Chinese music scene!
His words, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, stirred ripples in the girls' hearts.
Looking at the young man with a determined gaze, and then at the top-of-the-line recording equipment beside them, their hesitation and unease vanished instantly.
"Mr. Lin, I'm willing to sign the contract!" Zhao Yazhi was the first to raise her hand, her eyes filled with excitement and anticipation.
"I'd like to too!"
"And me!"
The other girls chimed in, their faces beaming with joy.
Looking at their vibrant faces, Lin Zhou's smile deepened. He had decided that these seven girls, especially Zhao Yazhi, would become shining stars in the Chinese entertainment industry. And now, their path to stardom would be personally opened by him and Zhonghua Records.
"Okay." Lin Zhou clapped his hands and said loudly, "Since everyone is willing, then Chen Man, arrange for a lawyer to draft the contract tomorrow."
In addition, immediately contact the best vocal and physical education teachers in Hong Kong to conduct intensive training for the seven ladies starting next week!
Chen Man responded and turned to arrange the various matters.