Chapter 89 - Journalism of Celebrity Sources

(cont'd)

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[Tom] Welcome back. In the first half of the show, we talked about how what were supposed to be all – American country songs and artists crossed the cultural walls of the west and leap over to very distant and remote lands.

[Charlie] In the second half, we learned about the story of how a young man crossed his own cultural wall and brought his own all – American songs to the heart of America.

[Charlie] What's your take on this, Tom?

[Tom] I'm not really sure. It's that music is universal? Yeah. I'm going with that.

[Charlie] I think so as well. It's not new that music from abroad become hits here in America. But, a foreigner, from a country that has a vastly different culture than the west, to write country music? An all American music? That is just special, and shall I say, unprecedented?

[Tom] Unprecedented? I agree. Do you know anything else about Isaac?

[Charlie] Not really. Because of the time difference during the interview, Isaac had to go to bed. Since then, Isaac no longer accepted any interviews.

[Tom]Hmm. Have you asked him if he will come back to Nashville, or if he will still write country songs in the future?

[Charlie] Well, let Isaac do the talking.

(Isaac) I'll come back, eventually, I just don't know when. Country songs? Sure. I don't have to be in Nashville to write country songs. Also, I'm working on something with Strawberry Front for their future albums.

[Tom] Well, at least that's great to hear.

[Charlie] He just released so many songs in under a year, so I think he won't be releasing any more songs any time soon.

[Tom]How about labels that want to sign him? Are there any?

[Charlie] Oh. There are. MANY in fact are looking for Isaac. Not only labels or entertainment companies are looking to sign him, but other musicians or their representatives are also hunting down Isaac for songs.

[Tom] With Isaac being so in demand in Nashville, it's rather a lucrative opportunity for him. [Charlie] I agree. I'd love to hear more from him in the future.

[Tom] Anyway, that's our story tonight.

[Charlie] Next week, we'll talk about why only humans among all of the species on earth, has the sense of music.

[Tom] We'll talk about how birds, dogs, and apes interpret music compared to us humans.

[Charlie] I'm Charlie hunt.

[Tom] And I'm Tom Klein. Thank you for watching this week's Music Lab.

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*Tap* I pressed the spacebar to pause the video player on my computer. If I can see my face on a mirror right now, I would probably see my face barely suppressing my glee. I just finished watching the latest episode of Music Lab.

I just saw a good record of Isaac Yawat, or Yawat, as I first knew of the musician, became popular in Nashville first, than in his home country of Teungeb. I could not help but feel proud both as a fellow countryman, and as a fan.

I have actually never heard of Music Lab; much more saw any episode of it. But thanks to my friend Chala, I was able to grab the DVR-ed episode about Yawat.

Since December, I actually found out about the connection between Chala and Yawat. While scrolling my Facebook feed one day, I saw a photo posted by Chala. In the photo is Chala, smiling happily with a family of five I have never seen before.

I know all of Chala's friends and his parents, so I got curious about the family's identity. My curiosity was fueled more by how happy Chala looked in the photo; I have never seen him smile that sweetly.

While I looked closer to the faces of the family members, I could not help but find what I figured to be the oldest child in the family, look very familiar. After squeezing my brain for a few moments, I then realized that it was Yawat, the same young musician I saw perform at Monna Park last October.

The same Yawat whose songs I listen to every day. The same Yawat who I never saw again in person since him and his band busked at Monna Park. I actually would not have recognized him had he not wear huge aviator sunglasses in Chala's photo. Every time I saw Yawat, either in real life, or on the internet, he always wore a pair of aviator sunglasses while performing.

After finding out that Chala and Yawat know each other, I immediately tried to contact Chala. As his Teungeb phone is unavailable, and I did not have his American phone number, I had to send messages over and over again through Facebook Messenger and on his wall.

I basically begged Chala to send me any news about Yawat's activities in Nashville. Chala was not able to fight the power of a fan girl in me, so in the end, he relented and became my free correspondent.

I was also able to talk with Yawat one time over Facebook Video Chat through Chala's account, which was a benefit I never expected. While talking to Yawat, I found out that Yawat went to America to work specifically on songs and perform wherever he can.

Yawat also told me of how he met Chala. Chala actually went to America to splurge after earning big from T.L.D Grimmauld's 'The Halfling'. It also just happened that Chala, while hanging out in a Nashville bar one night, met Yawat who was playing at that same bar.

Because Chala and Yawat were the only Teungebians in Nashville at the time, they could not help but be acquainted with each other. From there, Chala met Yawat's family, become friends with Yawat's parents who are also Chala's age, and spend the Christmas with them.

I could not help but feel happy for Chala, and be thankful to Yawat. From then on, I decided to draw a line to my interaction with Yawat, as a gratitude for making Chala happy.

Knowing about Yawat's achievement in Nashville though, the journalist in my blood could not help but boil. Yawat: the first Teungebian country star, the first Teungebian to write hit songs in an all-American genre, and the first musician I became a fan of in a very long time. I want to start writing articles about him immediately. I have to be the first to cover Yawat's success abroad.

Thinking about this, I immediately got up from my cubicle, took my laptop and went to my boss' office.

"Hey chief! I have a great article!" I said in excitement as I burst through my boss' door. "OPHELIA! CADALI! A closed door means knock! KNOCK! Jesus Christ, you kids nowadays are losing basic courtesy!" The chief yelled at me. Looking at him, I realized that he is not angry, but I must have startled him bad. He's in his mid-60s, healthy, but I could not help but feel bad.

"Sorry boss." I could only apologize. "Whatever. How good can an article be for you to just barge in?" After the editor took a deep breath, he finally got curious. "What if there is a Teungebian musician who has recently become popular in America?" I asked.

"Hah! Never mind! If it's another one hit wonder pop star, I don't care!" The editor said in disdain. My heart sank at this. I could not give up, however. It's personal this time around.

"Boss! It's different! He's not a pop star! Look. He's become popular recently in Nashville. He was even c-" "WAIT. Nashville, you say?" The editor suddenly cut me off and was suddenly intrigued. "Yes. Boss. Nashville. He became popular by playing country music." I explained further.

This time, the boss did not interrupt and just silently listened to my proposal. I could see too, that his eyes became brighter and brighter at every piece of information I enumerated about Yawat.

"Alright! This is incredible. This is just incredible!" The boss mumbled after I presented my proposal. He mulled over for a moment and said "Do it", giving his approval to my idea. "YES! Ahahahaha!" I squealed and giggled in delight at this. It's been a while since I wrote something I really want to write about. It's even more special because I like Yawat very much just as I like T.L.D Grimmauld.

"OPHELIA! For god's sake! You're 32! You giggling like a school girl scares me even more than when you barged in earlier!" The editor said, and like I've been poured with cold water, my excitement settled down fast, feeling almost offended at the editor's remark.

"Fine! Anyway. Thank you for approving my idea!" I just rolled my eyes and walked toward him. "Let me show you who the guy is." After a typing a few keys and clicks on my boss' computer, I finally walked out of his office. Before I closed the door behind me, I heard Yawat's voice reverberate through my boss' speakers.

"Now. Should I also get an interview with Yawat?" I said to myself. An article about Yawat will not be complete without an interview with the person himself.

After lunch, I pulled out my phone to call Chala's Roaming number. It's 1 pm here, so it must be around 7 in the morning in Nashville. I also know that Chala is an early bird so I'm sure he's up by now. *ring**ring**ring*

"Hey! How's my favorite Lit Agent?" I greeted Chala as soon as I heard him pick up. "I'm good. What's up." Chala replied, whispering. This sparked my interest. "What's up with the whispering?" I asked Chala. Before Chala answered, however, I heard something. "Honey. Who's that?" From Chala's side of the line, I heard a woman's voice.