From A Producer To A Global Superstar-Chapter 294: Unexpected News

Dayo sat slightly off to the side of the studio floor, one leg crossed over the other, tablet resting on his knee. The lights in the room were dimmed, not fully dark, just enough to keep focus sharp. Yura stood at the center of the open practice space, a handheld mic in her grip, shoulders relaxed but alert.

She sang.

With great precision hearing her sing one would think she has had the lyrics for more than a week which was a lie.

Dayo watched closely.

"Stop," he said calmly.

Yura froze instantly.

She turned toward him, eyes attentive, not startled.

"Don’t drag the last word," Dayo continued. "Cut it clean. You’re leaning on habit."

Dayo gave her an example of how he wanted the sound to be like.

And she was mind blowed alrhough she had search about Dayo yesterday and heard his song but all his songs were in English unlike korea that he is trying to make.

So hearing him not just speaking but singing with the right intonation and a better tone than her blew her mind away.

She nodded. "Okay."

"Again. From the pre-chorus."

The track restarted.

She adjusted immediately this time, voice tighter, breathing more deliberate. Dayo listened without interrupting, eyes narrowing slightly not in criticism, but analysis.

Halfway through, he raised a hand.

"Pause."

The music cut by the assistant producer.

"You’re thinking too much," he said. "That part isn’t about emotion yet. It’s placement. Emotion comes after control."

Yura exhaled. "I thought I needed to feel it more." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"You’ll feel it later," Dayo replied. "Right now, you need to own it."

She straightened. "Understood."

They went again.

Hours passed like that.

Sing. Stop. Adjust. Repeat.

Sometimes Dayo spoke. Sometimes he only watched. Occasionally he stood, walked closer, corrected pacing , corrected timing, corrected breathing. He never raised his voice. Never rushed her. Never praised unnecessarily.

And Yura didn’t complain once.

By the time the studio clock crept past evening, her voice was hoarse but stable, her movements sharper, her confidence quieter but stronger.

Dayo finally stood fully and checked the time.

"That’s enough for today."

Yura looked relieved but not eager to leave.

"You can go home," he added. "Shower. Eat. Rest."

She nodded quickly. "Yes."

"Don’t stress your throat tonight. Light practice only."

"I will," she said, bowing slightly out of instinct. "Thank you."

Dayo picked up his jacket. "You did well."

Her eyes widened just a bit at that.

As he walked toward the exit, Yura hesitated, then spoke. "Director Dayo?"

He turned.

"Thank you... for watching everything so closely."

Dayo replied evenly, "That’s my job."

But there was no coldness in it.

Just before he left the studio he met with Min-Jae who left the studio earlier after all he was the CEO so he couldn’t hang around always he had things to do.

The talked with him for a while.

"Bro don’t forget about calling the artist tomorrow for selection."

Min-Jae nodded. "Yeah don’t worry that has been cleared you would see them tomorrow."

"Alrighr then later bro."

He left the studio.

The hallway outside was quiet. Dayo slipped his phone from his pocket as he walked, scrolling absently before stopping and tapping a contact.

Valeria.

The call connected after a few rings.

"So now you remember I exist?" Valeria’s voice came through, half amused, half accusatory.

Dayo smiled faintly. "You didn’t call me either."

"Excuse you?" she shot back. "You disappear for months and suddenly it’s my fault?"

"You know I’ve been busy." Dayo sighed hearing Valerie complain.

"And we haven’t?" she replied. "We’re literally finishing an album here."

Dayo leaned against the wall near the elevator. "How’s it coming?"

"Smooth," Valeria said. "We’re targeting release in about two months. Promotion plan is already halfway done."

"That’s good."

A pause.

"So," she said slowly. "You didn’t call just to ask about that."

Dayo exhaled. "No I knew you had everything in place."

"I figured."

"I’ve started another project." Dayo said wanting to sound as plane as possible like it was eating breakfast.

Valeria went quiet for half a second. "Another what?"

"Album."

She scoffed. "You’re joking."

"I’m not."

"Dayo," she said carefully, "last I checked, you were filming. And how come we are talkinh about an Album. "

"That’s done."

"And you didn’t think to tell us?" Valarie said a bit hurt

" okay calm do2n valery it It wasn’t ready to be talked about yet after all i just finiahwd it not up to a week."

Valeria sighed. "Okay. Where is the album been created?"

"Korea."

Silence.

"Oh okay .....Wait ...WHAT?? KOREA?" The shock could be heard from how loud she sounded from the other side.

"I’m producing an album here," Dayo repeated calmly. "Under JD Records Korean Branch."

"You’re making a Korean album?" she asked slowly again to confirm if she wasn’t hallucinating.

"Yes."

"In Korean?"

"Yes for a thousand times Valery" Dayo laughed.

Valeria laughed once, sharp and disbelieving. "You’re insane."

Dayo shrugged, though she couldn’t see it. "You’ve said worse."

"You do realize this isn’t normal, right?" she continued. "This is a Different market entirely a Different language apart from english and most importantly a Different audience right ?."

"I know."

"And you’re still doing it."

"Yes."

Another pause this one longer.

"...That’s actually crazy," Valeria admitted. "But also very you."

"Yeah well if I don’t suprise who else would?." Dayo said calmly.

Valery laughed her hard it took a while for her to calm down.

Dayo smiled slightly. "How’s everyone back home?"

"Alice is buried in logistics. Urich losing sleep over charts. And Wayne hasnt left the studio in a two weeks now but everyone’s alive," she said. "They miss you."

"I’ll come back soon."

"You always say that."

"I mean it this time."

She hummed. "Alright. So what do you need?"

"Blake."

Valeria raised an eyebrow in her tone. "What about him?"

"I want him in Korea."

She laughed. "Good luck. He’s been on the road nonstop."

"Yeah i could see from all the shows."

"So why now?"

"I have a verse and feature for him here in one of the songs I plan releasing."

Valeria grew serious. "Hmm then its serous."

"Yes."

"...Alright," she said finally. "I’ll talk to him. Amd arrange how it wouldwork."

"Thank you."

"And Dayo?"

"Yeah."

"You really don’t slow down, do you?"

"No," he replied. "I can’t afford to."

They exchanged a few more words before ending the call.

By the time Dayo got home, the city lights outside his window were already dimming. He showered quickly, ate without much thought, and sank onto the couch, phone in hand.

Out of habit, he opened his feed.

Scroll.

Scroll.

Then his thumb stopped.

His eyes narrowed.

He scrolled back up.

The headline stared at him.

Dayo’s grip tightened.

"...What?"

The food container slipped from his hand and hit the floor.

His heart rate spiked.

"No," he muttered. "That doesn’t make sense."

The article loaded fully.

His expression was that of disbelief.

"That’s not possible," he said aloud.

The room felt suddenly smaller.

The screen glowed in his hand, the words unchanging, undeniable.

Dayo sat frozen, staring—mind racing, memories colliding, calculations already forming.

And for the first time in a long while, something snapped in his chest.

The screen dimmed.

The room stayed silent.