### Chapter 204: Before the Awards Ceremony

In the music studio, Link was listening to Lana Del Rey's debut album, *Born to Die*, through his headphones. This album had been reworked several times and was finally completed in mid-August.

It featured twelve tracks, with the lead single being "Young and Beautiful."

The album was initially recorded in May with sixteen songs, including two written by Link for Lana, and a cover of "This Is Me" from Link's second album. However, the first version received generally poor reviews due to its eclectic mix of styles, including baroque pop, rock, and country, and the uneven quality of the tracks.

After a meeting, the production team decided to remove several country and rock songs, leaving only eight classical-themed tracks such as "Young and Beautiful," "Video Games," and "This Is Me." These songs shared a melancholic classical tone, which provided a consistent style throughout the album.

To complete the album, producer David Kahne added three new songs and Lana herself wrote one, making a total of twelve tracks. After over three months of refining and polishing, the album now maintained a cohesive style and tone.

Lana's voice had also matured since the initial recordings, becoming more consistent and emotionally resonant. This growth was evident in her performance, reflecting both her development and transformation.

"Lana, how do you feel about the album?" Link asked, removing his headphones.

Lana, dressed in a purple sleeveless dress with flowing chestnut brown hair, stood before him with a confident expression. Graham, David Kahne, and Mars were also present.

Graham, the head butler, and David Kahne, who was responsible for Lana's album production, along with Mars and his team, had worked harmoniously in the studio without much professional conflict. This was likely due to the small team size, which reduced competition for resources.

Link felt that the current setup was excellent and intended to maintain it. Even with future signings, he planned to keep the total number of artists under five.

Seeing everyone's attention on him, Link said, "Great job, Lana. I'd give this album a nine out of ten."

"Only nine?" Lana asked, slightly dissatisfied.

"A nine is already very good. I'm afraid a perfect score might make you too proud."

Link chuckled and then turned to Graham. "Have you made any progress with the film soundtrack?"

"I've sent demos of the two lead tracks to several production companies. So far, we've only received responses from two small film projects, *Remember Me* and *The Runaway Band*. However, their films are still in production and won't be released until next year, so they can't help with early promotion."

Graham shrugged.

"That's fine. The album has strong tracks, and Lana's unique vocal style should make it successful. We'll follow the usual promotional procedures—start with a single to test the waters and gauge market reaction."

Link suggested.

Typically, artists release one or two singles before the full album release to boost visibility and test the market. For new artists, this strategy helps increase their and their album's recognition, while for established stars, it helps gauge the direction of market trends.

Lana was a somewhat seasoned newcomer, having previously failed to make a strong debut. She had performed a few times with Link and contributed to recordings of *This Is Me* and *Rainbow*. After the success of *Unstoppable*, she gained some recognition and was now preparing for her album release with more maturity.

Link then asked Mars about his debut album recording.

Mars, who was both an excellent singer and top music producer, confirmed that his album was in the refining stage, striving for perfection.

Link agreed with Mars's approach. Mars's high standards and ambitions were likely why he would become a top figure in the music industry.

"Link, we should get going," Wiz Khalifa called out from the door.

Wiz, dressed in a white Dior suit with gold chains and sporting a few dreadlocks, looked somewhat quirky but stylish. After collaborating with Link on *See You Again*, Wiz's career had skyrocketed, transitioning from a mid-tier artist to a top figure in hip-hop, with appearance fees and endorsements significantly increasing.

Wiz's current challenge was that his popularity meant he was often asked to perform *See You Again*, which he found repetitive, though he had to perform it again today.

At the MTV Music Video Awards, there was a tribute segment for the late Michael Jackson, and *See You Again* was a mandatory song for the tribute, which had become a consensus among MJ fans worldwide.

Wiz was invited by MTV to perform *See You Again* with Link.

The awards ceremony was set to start at 8 PM.

Link checked the time and saw it was already 7 PM, so it was time to head out.

He bid farewell to Wiz and boarded a Rolls-Royce Phantom heading to the MTV Awards venue.

The ceremony was to be held at the Radio City Music Hall on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, near Rockefeller Center.

Before he arrived, Taylor called to ask where he was and why he hadn't arrived yet.

Link assured her he was on his way.

Taylor asked if he had changed into his outfit, insisting that if he hadn't, he needed to do so quickly as she was dressed beautifully and didn't want to be overshadowed by his attire.

Link laughed and promised he would look dashing.

At the intersection of Sixth Avenue, Link's Rolls-Royce Phantom met Taylor's car, a black Bentley State Limousine, the same model used by the Queen of England on her 50th coronation anniversary.

Link briefly parted ways with Wiz and entered Taylor's car.

Given that Link and Taylor were the most prominent couple in the music industry and both were nominated for Best Male and Female Artist at this year's MTV Awards, it was crucial they appeared together to avoid media speculation about their relationship.

Link opened the car door and saw Taylor in the back seat, wearing a silver sheer one-shoulder gown designed by Kaufman Franco. The dress revealed her fair, delicate left shoulder, while her long golden hair was styled up with a few curls framing her face. Her strawberry-colored lips, brows, and lashes were perfectly done, making her face look even more exquisite.

"Wow! How can someone be this beautiful? You must be the earthly reflection of the goddess Venus."

Link praised without reservation.

Taylor glanced at him with a hint of a smile, but kept her expression calm.

Link grinned and sat across from her. "Beautiful lady, may I kiss your hand?"

Taylor slowly extended her hand, which Link took and kissed, noticing the Chanel fragrance and a hint of sweetness from a recent dessert indulgence.

"Can I kiss your cheek?"

"Not allowed. You might ruin my makeup."

Taylor shot him a look and withdrew her hand. "Sit properly. I want to see your outfit. If it's too ugly, you'll need to get out and change."

"Impossible! With my image and figure, even a garbage bag would set trends. Besides, my Dior suit and accessories have been carefully designed. My attire will definitely be perfect."

Link leaned back with confidence.

Taylor examined him and found his suit modern and fitting his style and physique perfectly, enhancing his already handsome appearance. With his bright eyes, clean aura, and subtle smile, he looked incredibly dashing.

Taylor thought even if Link weren't a boxer or singer, she would still be attracted to his face.

"Not bad, just slightly less impressive than mine."

Taylor gestured with her fingers.

"Thanks for the compliment!"

"You two stop fooling around. Get ready; we're almost there."

Andrea reminded them.

Link and Taylor quieted down, looking out the window as the crowd on the street grew denser near Radio City Music Hall.

Thousands of fans lined the streets, cheering as each star arrived.

As Link and Taylor's car approached, a yellow fire truck entered the scene, with Green Day's members disembarking to loud cheers from the fans.

In addition to fire trucks, there were buses, carriages, and ambulances—all kinds of transportation.

This was the difference between MTV and the Grammy Awards.

The Grammys were more conservative, favoring classical music and maintaining a solemn atmosphere at their ceremonies.

MTV, on the other hand, was avant-garde and eclectic, celebrating a wide range of music styles and encouraging creative and extravagant attire, making the event feel like a grand costume party.

"Link, that's Joanne," Taylor pointed out, referring to someone in a nearby car. "Her outfit is really cool."

Lady Gaga, noticing them, gestured for them to go ahead.

Link waved for Taylor to go first, noting her position was slightly ahead.

As Taylor's car started to move, a white stretch Lincoln rushed by, cutting in front. Beyoncé, Lil Wayne, T.I., 50 Cent, and Drake exited the car, with Lil Wayne and others flashing grins and making faces at Link.

Link shook his head, giving them a thumbs-down gesture.

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**(End of Chapter)**