From Skid Row to Superstardom: An Idol System Novel-Chapter 355: Is This Your Prince (3)?

As Ari led the production team to sit down, they began questioning him about his progress so far.

And when Ari simply showed the notes from the team discussion, the direction they wanted for the stage performance and costumes, and talked about what type of song he was trying to create with the references he was considering, the reaction was lackluster.

Although the information was well put together and conveyed simply and clearly, without any snippets to listen to, the production team’s disappointment was tangible.

— Production Team: [So you have nothing.]

— Ari: [I wouldn’t say anything. It’s a current work in progress, and I’m trying to organize my thoughts and the tools I want to use since I’m a novice at song creation.]

— Production Team: [But there’s nothing to listen to right now that you’ve created? Not even a tiny 10-second snippet?]

— Ari: [No.]

— Production Team: [So that means you have nothing?]

— Ari: [Sure, I have nothing] (shrug)

And of course, the chat blew up, especially seeing Ari’s seemingly lackluster response to the production team’s questions.

Especially when compared to the previous two contestant producers who had a lot more to show.

└ He’s so useless! In 24 hours, William had most of his song completed, while this one was flipping around, acting like a freak show act. Go join the circus or a haunted house and leave the competition for the serious kids!

└ Bruh, I knew he was a fraud. Look at his expression, he doesn’t even care. I feel so bad for his teammates.

└└ shadows under his eyes for what? He knows he’s out of his league, so he’s just wasting time!

└ Who cares if you can take notes and give a presentation! We don’t need a secretary, we need a music producer!

└ If he doesn’t have anything made, isn’t he just wasting everybody’s time? The judges need to pressure him to deliver something soon, or it’s the rest of his teammates who will suffer.

└ They can’t! Remember, it’s a performance following his vision

└└ Well, his vision is sh*t!

Once again, as if they were in tune with the comments, the production team continued questioning Ari strictly.

— Production Team: [When do you think you’ll have something for us to listen to?]

— Ari: [I don’t know.]

— Production Team: [Do you think you’re going to finish on time? We’re slowly approaching the time for the midterm evaluation, and you have nothing prepared.]

— Ari: [I hope so.] (yawn)

— Production Team: [What does your team say about your slow progress?]

— Ari: [That I should work hard and make something amazing that reflects everyone’s opinion.] (blinks sleepily)

— Production Team: [Do you think you can achieve that?]

— Ari: [That’s the plan.] (shrug)

— Production Team: [Are you aware that the other contestant producers are far ahead of you? One person is almost done with the song.]

— Ari: [I’m happy for them.] (two thumbs up)

It was the driest of all responses to serious questions that Jamie had looked down at Ari questioningly.

"Did you really respond like that?"

Ari: ಠ_ಠ

"Do you think I’m crazy for bad edits? Of course not. They cut out the whole spiel I gave and spliced a bunch of things together. Two of those clips aren’t even from the first interview."

"Phew."

Even though Jamie was naturally relieved, those watching from home couldn’t question Ari and made their displeasure known.

└ Is anyone else just pissed off hearing his responses? The other kids are working hard, and he’s just casual.

└ Evil group project final boss right here. The type of person who wants to be in charge and the face of the group, but then does no work, and doesn’t care how it affects everyone else!

└└ I feel so bad for Daniel and the others. Aren’t they going to suffer under this team leader?

└ Why are the other contestants hyping him up when he clearly has no idea what he’s doing? He literally has a tab open, searching how to do something in ProTools. His team is doomed!

— Production Team: [Got it.]

— Production Team: [We’ll be back tomorrow.]

— Ari: [Bye] (flops down on the table and starts sleeping.)

[48 hours later]

— Production Team: [How’s your progress?]

— Producer William: [The song is completely finished, and I have started choreographing and plan to be done by the end of the day.]

— Producer Jamie: [The melody for the chorus and bridge is partially done, so I’m adding other things to make the instrumental fuller and chatting with Jelissa about some stuff. Do you want to listen?]

— Ari: [I looked at hymns today with Carlos, did some choir rehearsals with the team, played some instruments, Levi taught us how to storyboard our stage performance, and I’ve been stuck searching out the sounds I wanted to use.]

— Production Team: [But no song?]

— Ari: [No, not yet]

[96 hours later]

— Production Team: [Any updates?]

— Producer William: [I finished the lyrics and the choreography. I’ve assigned parts, and my team has started practicing our performance for the midterm evaluation.]

— Producer Jamie: [Benjamin has started writing the lyrics, and I’ve been working with Jelissa to help tighten things up on the instrumental. I have some bad habits that she helps me correct, and I’m not sure if I’m being too ambitious vocally since our team didn’t get the two strongest vocalists. I also don’t want to make the song too plain or generic, even though the goal is for it to be catchy and easy to learn. I think it should be at a decent spot in a day or two.]

— Production Team: [Anything you can play for us?]

— Ari: [No, not yet]

[120 hours later]

— Production Team: [Anything?]

— Ari: [No, not yet. It’s coming along.]

[3 Days Before the midterm evaluations]

— Production Team: [Seriously, anything?]

— Ari: [I’m almost done.]

[2 Days Before the midterm evaluations]

— Production Team: [Seriously, anything?]

— Ari: [I’m almost done. Promise.]

Each time Ari came on screen, the chat went crazy with complaints because he was far, far behind the other contestants.

└ I’m almost done, I’m almost done??? Wallahi, this team is doomed!

└ There’s no way! He only has a minute’s worth of tracks created?

└ He’s trolling! He has to be!

└ There’s no way that my poor Carlos, who is finally stable in the top ranks, is going to be brought down because of this BUM!

└ No matter how pretty he is, each time his face appears on the screen, my blood pressure rises, and I am filled with RAGE!

└ Is it too late for the other contestants to switch teams? It’s clear he literally doesn’t know what he’s doing.

└ I feel so bad for his teammates! Are they even going to have a song to perform at the midterm evaluation?

└└ Right now, each person gets to sing for 10 seconds. (We’re cooked.)

As the chat continued to drag Ari, the scene changed to individual interviews as the production staff asked them about their confidence in the song their producer had made and the performance direction.

Jamie’s team was full of sunshine and rainbows, quite happy with everything going on, and full of praise for him and the song, about the performance, and all the fun add-ons they included.

William’s team had much the same praise for the song, saying it was amazing and made practicing easier since William had done everything quickly and by himself. All they had to do was show up and listen.

Then, when it came time to interview members of Ari’s team, the vibe completely changed.

From the previous happy atmosphere to one of-

[Doom.]

[Depression.]

[Despair.]

The captions that appeared under each of his teammates’ names were emphasized by noisy sound effects and a dark filter.

— Production Team: [How are you feeling about your leader not being done with the song?]

— Daniel: [It’s not that I don’t believe in him, but...]

—Rei: [It’s taking a long time. And I wonder if he’s overestimating his skill.]

—Carlos: [I think that it won’t be done.]

— Production Team: [So you don’t have faith in him?]

— Daniel: [No]

—Rei: [Nope]

—Carlos: [Hmm, I would say no.]

—Levi: [...(stare and shakes head.).]

"Hey, Ari, I didn’t say that! That’s definitely not the full context of what I said!" Carlos quickly interrupted in a panicked voice.

"Same."

Rei quickly added on while Ari laughed.

"I know."

After all, wasn’t it Ari that had suffered the most under the production team’s hands?

He basically treated the episode as if it were a fictional movie created by the PD, rather than real life.

As the scene transitioned to the midterm evaluations, Ari looked at Levi curiously before kicking him to get his attention.

"What?"

"They didn’t interview you about the song progress?"

"They did," Levi replied simply, then kept quiet.

And then? Finish your sentence!

"Why didn’t they include yours? Were you trashing me behind my back, and it was so bad the production team couldn’t edit it nicer?"

Levi: ಠ_ಠ

"I didn’t have any complaints. The PD got tired of me staring without answering, so she sent me away."

That’s an option?

Sitting silently and frustrating her?

I’ll have to use that next time!

Having found a new way to fight the PD, Ari continued to watch their midterm evaluations.

The first team to perform was Jamie’s team, and although only a short snippet was shown, they had done well and received more praise than criticism.

After Jamie’s team finished their performance, his team performed next, and having lived the experience, Ari just went directly to the comments to see what people were saying.