Chapter 66: Online Revenue Sharing

Chapter 66: Online Streaming Royalties

Lu Anzhi and Zhang Suxin exchanged glances, both offering a secret, knowing smile. Neither of them knew how much truth there was in Zhou Bo's words.

However, it didn't really matter. Whether Zhou Bo himself was reluctant to accept "Love in B.C." and used the company's disapproval as an excuse, or if it truly failed corporate review as he claimed, the end result remained unchanged.

Furthermore, by phrasing it this way, Zhou Bo had essentially given them plenty of face on the surface—even though Lu Anzhi didn't particularly care for it.

"Don't you find it a bit strenuous to sing 'One Thousand Years Later'? Come to think of it, a song like this isn't easy to nail."

Lu Anzhi asked.

To make "One Thousand Years Later" sound good, the vocal range needed to be quite high, and it couldn't be easily mastered without some solid vocal skills. In his past life, JJ Lin was known as a walking CD, and his vocal prowess went without saying. Although Lu Anzhi, blessed with the memories of his past life, hadn't quite reached the original singer's level, he could still pull off a good sixty to seventy percent of it.

Zhou Bo's vocal abilities were passable. Lu Anzhi had already witnessed them when Zhou Bo consulted him about "The Ocean." He figured that if this guy gritted his teeth and put in genuine effort, it wouldn't be a problem. While he might not reach the level of the original singer, he should at least be able to manage it without ruining the song.

Still, unsure whether the guy had enough confidence, Lu Anzhi felt it was best to ask.

Then, he heard Zhou Bo say, "It is a bit strenuous. The company recently hired a vocal coach for me to help me adjust. Don't worry, Teacher Lu, I'll definitely sing it well and won't disgrace this song! Once I adjust my state and finish recording, I'll send it over for you to listen to."

Lu Anzhi said, "Great, then keep it up."

Zhou Bo added, "And Sister Zhang, that song of yours, 'Withered Summer,' is also amazing. I'll definitely work hard to sing it well too!"

Zhang Suxin didn't say much, simply responding, "Mhm, keep it up."

Lu Anzhi always felt this guy was being a bit excessively sycophantic. Even if this fellow didn't have the airs of a top-tier celebrity, shouldn't he maintain a little bit of dignity? Lu Anzhi felt that if he and Zhang Suxin were to offer their smelly feet for Zhou Bo to hold, the guy would eagerly cradle them without a moment's hesitation.

Afterward, the person speaking on the phone changed to Zhou Bo's manager, Ma Fang. Lu Anzhi and Zhang Suxin heard Ma Fang say, "So, Suxin, Teacher Lu, for these two songs, shall we stick to the same agreement we had for 'The Ocean'?"

Zhang Suxin looked at Lu Anzhi, leaving the decision to him.

Lu Anzhi nodded and said, "Alright."

Ma Fang continued, "Suxin, Teacher Lu, both of you are immensely talented. Our company—and Zhou Bo as well—value you greatly. They specifically instructed me regarding this song acquisition to communicate well with you and maintain a long-term cooperative relationship.

"I've already discussed it with the company and Zhou Bo, and the company has agreed to make a bigger concession by raising the prices of these two songs by thirty percent. What do you think?"

Both Zhang Suxin and Lu Anzhi were slightly surprised. "Such a generous concession?"

Ma Fang said, "It's mainly because we deeply value the talents of both of you. Suxin, it goes without saying—your ability is evident to the entire music industry. And Teacher Lu, for you to consecutively produce songs like 'The Ocean,' 'One Thousand Years Later,' and 'Love in B.C.,' not only are the songs exceptional, but they all break new ground and innovate. The people at our company aren't blind; how could we not pay attention when we see someone so talented?

"Our boss even wanted to extend an olive branch to the two of you, and only gave up after knowing I'd already tried and failed. But she made sure to tell me to maintain a good cooperative relationship with you both. At the end of the day, talent is always in demand wherever you go."

Lu Anzhi thought to himself that might not necessarily be true; you simply haven't witnessed the madness of internet capital after its rise.

Ma Fang added, "However, a concession needs to have some justification. Our boss's idea is—Teacher Lu, aren't you taking all of the online streaming royalties? How about giving up a small percentage of it in exchange? After all, online streaming royalties aren't worth much anyway."

A jolt went through Lu Anzhi's heart. Had the company where Zhou Bo and Ma Fang worked already noticed the development prospects of internet platforms?

Yet, his tone remained steady and calm: "No need. Your company is quite decent—so reasonable and straightforward in doing business. We also value our cooperation with your company, and we can't let your company take a loss either, right? Let's just keep the original agreement."

Ma Fang remarked, "Teacher Lu is truly polite." However, she didn't continue pushing the matter of online streaming royalties afterward. It seemed she had indeed just wanted to use it as a nominal pretext to test the waters.

After sorting out a few more detailed matters, they hung up the phone. Ma Fang would personally visit later to sign the contracts for the two new songs, while Zhou Bo was too busy preparing for his new album to come along.

As for the songs themselves, Zhou Bo also inquired about the arrangement. "Withered Summer" required Zhou Bo's company to find someone else for the arrangement and production, while for "One Thousand Years Later," Lu Anzhi would naturally collect another fee for providing the arrangement.

After hanging up, Zhang Suxin sighed and said, "What a pity..."

Lu Anzhi asked, "What's a pity?"

Zhang Suxin said, "That song 'Love in B.C.'—it's ultimately not very easy for people to accept. Such an exceptional song, and yet..."

Lu Anzhi smiled and said, "It doesn't matter. If they don't appreciate it, we'll release it ourselves. Weren't we planning to become independent musicians anyway? Let's just start with this song."

Zhang Suxin said, "The one who wants to be an independent musician is me, not you."

Lu Anzhi said, "Can't I tag along for the ride?"

Zhang Suxin said, "You'd be better off signing with a company and making your debut. How can independent music become popular so easily?"

Lu Anzhi smiled. "Goodness me, we're right back to the previous topic, aren't we? You're planning to push me back into the fire pit again?"

Zhang Suxin retorted, "No I'm not!"

Lu Anzhi said, "If I were to become an independent musician, I'd only want to treat it as a hobby. I only plan to release songs through online platforms and have no intention of showing my face in public. I have enough money now, so why should I suffer by jumping into the fire pit you mentioned and getting caught up in office politics?"

Zhang Suxin nodded and said, "Right, me too."

Zhang Suxin's studio had already successfully opened. Once "The Ocean," "One Thousand Years Later," and "Withered Summer" were released to the public, receiving future song commissions would presumably become a bit easier. There was indeed no need to exhaust oneself.

As for Lu Anzhi, it went without saying—not only could he write songs, but he could also write novels...

Why on earth was this guy so formidable?

Zhang Suxin cast a lingering glance at Lu Anzhi.

Lu Anzhi asked, "Why are you looking at me?"

Zhang Suxin glared fiercely at Lu Anzhi. "What, am I not allowed to look?"

Lu Anzhi had no choice but to say, "Allowed, look all you want."

Zhang Suxin said, "Hmph! Not looking anymore! It'll give me styes!"

Lu Anzhi lowered his head to look at the pink lace bathrobe he was wearing, and his face darkened.