Chapter 242: Sorrow and Strength

At 8 PM, the event began on schedule.

Martin was the fourth performer of the evening.

A flame ignited within me.

Its warmth pulled me from the darkness.

I finally saw you clearly.

Keep betraying me, then leave your entire unguarded self in my heart.

Watch me as I remove you, piece by piece, from my memory...

Adele's songs always evoke something special.

She doesn't sing pop songs, but her music always becomes popular.

And her song Rolling in the Deep was Adele's breakout hit, one of her most globally recognized works.

Released in 2011, the single swept the global music scene like a whirlwind. It was this song's worldwide success that solidified Adele as one of the top female singers in the world.

Martin's rendition of this song was different from Adele's; he didn't try to mimic her powerful high notes but expressed it with a clearer, purer voice.

With the guitar's melody, strong rhythm, and vast vocal range, the song—completely different in style from today's pop—refreshed the audience both live and on television.

The song's range from B♭3 to D5 was a challenge even for Adele, known for her powerful vocals, but for Martin, it was effortless.

As he sang, he also wove a collective magic into his voice.

He infused the song with the anger, vengeance, heartbreak, and self-reflection, completely embedding these emotions into the audience's minds.

He drew them into the terror and shock during the disaster, followed by the anger and thirst for revenge after it.

Ivanka stayed at the venue while her father went on his date.

Martin's performance of Rolling in the Deep deeply touched her heart. What kind of passionate man could create such a passionate song?

As her relationship with Martin deepened, she would eventually understand that while Martin's "passion" was as deep as the ocean, it was also as vast as the ocean!

The NBC cameraman, broadcasting the event live, shifted the camera towards the audience.

In the shot were faces stained with tears.

This made the NBC crew wipe their eyes in awe. Martin's songs always had a magical ability to stir the audience's emotions.

In the depth of despair, think of me.

In the depth of your despair, I will no longer share it with you.

The pain your love left me with reminds me of us.

It makes me feel that we were just one step away from having everything.

The pain your love left me with has made it impossible for me to breathe.

The climax of this part of the lyrics pushed the audience's emotions to a peak.

Silent tears turned into sobs.

Thousands wept, thousands grieved—what an atmosphere it was!

The other singers and celebrities at the event were left speechless.

Michael Jackson proudly said, "That's my brother!"

On stage, Martin's voice echoed.

"I dedicate this song to those we've lost."

"But the living must continue living."

"Next song: Burn It All Down. I hope it will bring hope and strength to you all."

Backstage!

"Wow, another new song."

"So wasteful to sing a new song at an event like this, and such a good song at that! It should be used to top the charts!"

"Maybe to Martin, these songs are just flowing out of his head, so he doesn't care whether it's 'wasted' or not!"

"Dammit, I envy geniuses!"

"So do I! Every time I can't even come up with one usable melody in a month, I just want to kidnap Martin, lock him in my little dark room, and make him write songs for me every day..."

Hahaha, this comment from a fellow singer sparked laughter.

One person joked, "Robbie, instead of kidnapping Martin, why not hurry up and marry him off to your daughter? That way, you can have him write songs for you as your father-in-law!"

Another added, "But that'll take too long. Doesn't Robbie have a younger sister? Just make Martin her brother-in-law!"

"She's 5'3" but weighs 160 pounds. It's hard to imagine Martin going for her!"

...

Amid the backstage chatter, the intro to Burn It All Down began.

The song was ahead of its time, with a mix of electronic instruments and intense beats. As the intro hit, the backstage fell silent. Many were visibly stunned—could music really be arranged like this? Amazing!

Then, Martin's breathtaking high notes and ever-ascending lyrics burst forth, igniting everyone's blood from the very first second.

"If you need me."

"I will crush these high walls."

"I will become unstoppable!"

"Stay tuned, and see who becomes the new king."

...

The audience unconsciously waved their arms, their hearts pounding and blood boiling. The previous sorrow vanished, and all they wanted was to shout along with the beat and the song...

"Unbelievable! Martin's live performance is so powerful! One moment he has you feeling sorrowful, the next, he makes you want to party! Is this guy even human?"

"He's really amazing!"

In the audience, Ivanka waved and shouted along to the music, as did everyone around her.

But no matter how loud the shouting got, it couldn't drown out Martin's clear high notes, soaring above like an eagle watching over the crowd.

After finishing the song, Martin raised his fist triumphantly, "Tell me, do you feel the power?"

"We do!"

"Goodbye then!"

With his clean and sharp farewell, the crowd began chanting his name again.

"Martin! Martin! Martin!"

"Martin! Martin! Martin!"

"Martin! Martin! Martin!"

The roar was deafening!