Chapter 378: I Have No Interest in the Grammys or the Oscars (4k)

Fans in first-tier cities chase stars, those in second-tier cities chase songs; fans in third-tier small county towns mourn, while those in fourth and fifth-tier small towns reminisce.

If one must use a single sentence to describe Zhou Yi's current status in the piracy world, that summary hits the mark perfectly.

Especially in some backward towns, Zhou Yi has almost become a synonym for "dying young," "heaven envying talent," and "Champion of the Music World."

"If Zhou Yi hadn't contracted a terminal illness, with the abilities he has shown, he would surely become a legitimate global pop music Guo Tianwang in the future."

"Zhou Yi was like a limited-time cheat code sent by heaven to save the Mandarin music scene; now that limited-time cheat code has expired and is being forcibly reclaimed by the heavens."

"So Zhou Yi was the bug in Legend, and now he's been patched?"

"..."

If one had to choose a game that best represents those few years at the start of the millennium, Legend was undoubtedly the undisputed number one.

From the bustling internet cafes in big cities down to the black-market internet cafes in county towns, the gaming craze led by Legend made Chen Tianqiao, who managed the game, the center of attention.

In October 2002, after a series of cheat code scandals and bug fixes, the newly launched version 1.60, "Legend of the Fiery Eagle," is currently at its peak popularity, and the rumors of Zhou Yi repeatedly dying have been mocked by some small-town youths as "Legend bug" and "Legend cheat."

The news they compiled and polished gradually spread to the outside world via the internet through idle chatter while playing games.

Zhou Yi was numb from seeing it all.

Leaving aside whether it's piracy or not, why has he suddenly received the treatment of Ding Xiang Hua?

Why does this generation of netizens love assigning tragedies to people so much?

It's self-inflicted tragedy, right? They say they don't want tragedy, don't want tragedy, but when they actually inflict it on themselves, each one gets more enthusiastic than the last, wishing for terminal illness, car accidents, amputation, and coma all at once.

Tragedy mixed with pickles, serving as a side dish for rice here?

No wonder the three staples of Korean dramas will become so popular in the future.

Thinking that the person subjected to this treatment isn't just himself, Zhou Yi, unable to resist, simply gave up and lay flat. After all, rumors of a dead girlfriend weren't just for Ding Sanshi's Ding Xiang Hua; in the future, there would be an even heavier-weight Xu Shan Gao.

You can't stop it; you can only rely on appearing on TV programs to make these rumors collapse on their own.

"I understand the logic, but why did I die before you?"

Sun Yanzi, who also learned of this from Chen Ze Shan, furrowed her brows. She was lying diagonally on the sofa in the hotel suite wearing a bathrobe, cracking melon seeds in her mouth, and speaking indistinctly: "Clearly, you also died in 'Between the Rainbows'."

"Is that the main point?"

From the phone, Zhou Yi's voice, caught between laughter and helplessness, came through.

Sun Yanzi immediately turned her head to glance sideways at the mobile phone she had placed on the coffee table. Her pale, tender feet, without socks, were planted on the sofa cushion. While chewing melon seed kernels, her legs swung back and forth aimlessly: "Of course it is."

"No choice. Your 'Between the Rainbows' wasn't as popular as my 'Fairy Tale', so naturally, you died first."

"Aren't they all your songs? Are you so biased?"

"Is it possible that you just sang terribly?"

"Ah, yes, yes, yes, you're right about everything."

Regarding Zhou Yi's behavior of belittling his own singing, Sun Yanzi not only had no thought of being offended or angry but could even directly accept it: "Even if I'm lousy, I'm still your teacher. Do you know how to respect your teacher?"

"Dead scumbag, going to Hong Kong to trick another young girl again. If this were ancient times, I, as your teacher, could directly cane you."

"I respect you, how could I not? Even if you buy papayas, I'll pretend not to see it."

?

Sun Yanzi, who was laughing just a second ago, went crazy the next second, attempting a carp kick—well, she didn't kick up, but instead shook herself up thoroughly: "Cough, what are you talking about?? Why would I buy that kind of thing?!"

"Hiss, hiss." Rubbing her back, Sun Yanzi snatched the mobile phone from the coffee table: "Don't slander me, or I'll have my father send you a lawyer's letter!"

Zhou Yi at the other end of the phone chuckled lightly: "Likewise. I'll hang up first; I have to go meet Jet Li and Zhang Yimou later."

"What do you want to see them for? With your acting skills, would they even ask you to act in a movie?"

"I don't know."

Hong Kong, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Zhou Yi's suite.

Zhou Yi, with his head tilted to hold the phone between his ear and shoulder, looked at himself in the full-length mirror, adjusting his tie with both hands: "Qian Jiang told me. I guess it might be related to the soundtrack for 'Hero'. Zhang Ziyi mentioned it to me before."

"Eh? You're going to sing for a movie too?"

Hearing this, Sun Yanzi immediately got excited, grinning: "I just received a notification from Chen Ze Shan today, asking if I want to sing the theme song for a movie."

"Really? Is that true?"

"Of course it's true. I just don't know what movie it is yet, only that it's about love. The budget seems to be over twenty million Hong Kong dollars. You know, it's invested by Warner Bros. Pictures, and Chen Ze Shan helped me get this opportunity to sing the movie theme song."

"Cutting corners, huh? Then it's fine."

"Get lost!"

Sun Yanzi scolded playfully, humming: "It's just that you have to go out now. Otherwise, I'd definitely make you know what skill is; I could sing a whole concert for you right through the phone."

"Then I suggest you go sign an endorsement contract with the operator first, to avoid making a phone bill that could apply for a Guinness World Record."

Walking out of the suite, Zhou Yi put on the sunglasses handed to him by his assistant: "I top the radio charts, you have an astronomical phone bill; both are world records. We both have a bright future."

"Hmph, don't say it, there really is. Someone from China Mobile contacted Chen Ze Shan. You don't have that, hehe."

"Is it possible that the first person China Mobile contacted was me?"

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

"Let me tell you another piece of news; Watching Xiao Yaxuan also had someone from China Mobile come to negotiate."

"..."

Sun Yanzi, defeated in the confrontation once again, sat cross-legged on the sofa after the call was hung up. Her left hand's five fingers kept spinning the small Nokia body; her right hand supported her cheek, with her index finger constantly tapping one side of her face, her cheeks puffed out with anger—

Obviously summarizing the experience of this failure and writing it down in her little notebook in her heart.

"What's wrong? Did Yanzi have a conflict with you?"

Qian Jiang, waiting for Zhou Yi outside the van, smiled and opened the car door for him, teasing him after he got in and closed the door.

"She was showing off to me, but I suppressed her with a single move. She's probably beating me up several times in her heart right now to vent."

Zhou Yi took the water, took a sip, and asked: "What's the situation with 'Hero'?"

"Zhang Yimou has a connection with Gan Guoliang, the head of Xincheng Radio Station. He organized a gathering with him, and Jet Li is also there. They probably want to persuade you together, since you rejected Zhang Ziyi's invitation last time."

"So persistent?"

"They want to sell more copyright fees, so they must boost their leverage as much as possible. You are likely one of them, after all, the score and the film complement each other."

"How much?"

"Three million RMB, plus subsequent royalty share income. They won't buy out."

Qian Jiang held up three fingers.

"So willing to spend?"

Zhou Yi was truly surprised this time: "Aren't they afraid Tan Dun will feel psychologically unbalanced after finding out?"

Tan Dun, a famous American-Chinese composer in the industry. One of the elite who studied abroad on public funds back then, finished studying, and then immigrated on the spot, joining American citizenship.

In 2001, he won the Best Original Score at the 73rd Academy Awards for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and at this year's 44th Grammy Awards, he was nominated four times and won once, taking home the Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.

Just a few months ago, he publicly tore up his relationship and traded insults with people from the Musicians Association on a TV program over a clash of musical philosophies.

Judging by star power, Tan Dun, who has won various foreign awards, already holds a high enough status domestically, but even so, his price in the domestic market barely broke the top limit of one million RMB, hovering between 1.2 million and 1.5 million.

The situation abroad is different, so a forced comparison isn't possible, but domestically, the three million offered by the producers of Hero can be called a sky-high price, a condition that has broken the ceiling of the domestic film and television market.

"Your commercial value is right here. Can Tan Dun do something like helping Xincheng Radio climb to the number one spot?"

Qian Jiang shook his head: "Winning the Grammys and Oscars are just leftover pork awards with little commercial value. Adding his name to stir up hype? Unrealistic. You are the one with the commercial value to stir up hype."

"How about it? Any thoughts? My suggestion is to take it, but the price should still be negotiable."

"Converting to US dollars is definitely unrealistic. Your theme song for Pirates of the Caribbean was two million US dollars plus subsequent royalty shares. For Hero, I estimate around five million RMB is the limit the producers can accept."

"Three million feels a bit off for me; five million is something I could consider."

Zhou Yi, who hadn't expected the producers to offer so much, immediately gave his bottom line.

Five million for a single movie promotional theme song; he estimated that even if he took on more commissions in the coming years, he probably wouldn't get that number again. Hero, after all, had the right timing, location, and human harmony, belonging to the type where they went all out.

"Alright, then be careful at the dinner gathering later, don't agree immediately."

Qian Jiang nodded and gave one final instruction.

After arriving at the private club, Zhou Yi, led by a dedicated staff member into the private room, also met the man who in the future would single-handedly turn the title "National Master" from derogatory to complimentary, only to later lose his late-year integrity and turn "National Master" back to derogatory—

Zhang Yimou.

Beside him, Li Lianjie, who hadn't yet turned fierce and menacing, still showed a few traces of kindness in his smile.

"Sorry, there was traffic on the road, I'm late."

Counting the host, Gan Guoliang, the three of them combined were heading towards two hundred years old, making Zhou Yi, this twenty-one-year-old young man, somewhat out of place.

"Finally got to see you. I've been busy in the US and haven't returned before. When you went to the US, I came back to film movies, so we missed each other."

As a martial artist, Li Lianjie's eyes lit up upon seeing Zhou Yi's upright posture; he stood up, smiled, and closed the distance: "My wife has been saying how hard it is to meet you. She really likes your songs."

"It's my honor. I've also seen the movies from Sister Zhi back in the day..."

In this private room with only four people, Zhou Yi showed no signs of discomfort, instead giving an impression of handling things with ease.

He wasn't just talking nonsense; back then, Chen Long's Twin Dragons, with its peak Li Zhi, left anyone who watched it confused.

As for Li Lianjie himself, Zhou Yi had watched even more of his movies.

He hadn't actually seen many of Zhang Yimou's films; he only remembered the Olympic Games.

"I wonder if you, Zhou Yi, have any interest in awards like the Oscars and Grammys? We have a movie now, as you know, with very big ambitions."

After going around in circles and finishing the foreplay, Zhang Yimou and Li Lianjie exchanged a glance, then began to look toward the future.

The Oscars and Grammys, the awards most recognized by the domestic public, and the ones most capable of raising one's status domestically.

The domestic entertainment circle—oh no, one should say the global entertainment circle—basically views these two awards as the Wang Guan on the path to global cinema and pop music.

Tan Dun, who was responsible for part of the composition for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon last year, happened to win the Oscar and the Grammy, and is now doing the score for Hero; this alone proves the movie's ambition.

"The time is too tight; I'm afraid I can't write a good piece, Director Zhang."

Zhou Yi remained unmoved, smilingly shook his head: "You know, Pirates of the Caribbean gave me ample time before I dared to take it on. A promotional theme song takes a lot of time."

"As for the Oscars and Grammys, to be honest, I'm not really that interested, because I know I probably won't be able to win them."

Tan Dun being able to win these two awards so smoothly is inseparable from his American citizenship.

Mouzi has been striving for the Oscars for so many years, hasn't lacked nominations, but hasn't got a single trophy, not even willing to give a leftover pork award; the attitude is evident.

Don't think the Oscars and Grammys are all major awards; actually, these two are just a few major awards served up after a huge pile of pork is divided.

Especially the Grammys.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Zhang Yimou was a bit numb.

Isn't this person young and vigorous? Aren't they supposed to let themselves fly and attack others face-to-face? Why is he speaking now as impenetrable as a social old hand?

What about the Grandmaster of Tai Chi?

Where is the young person's ambition? Where is the vitality? Where is the arrogance of 'who else but me'?

You need to perk up!

You are the future of the music scene!

"I think you can try it, Zhou Yi." Li Lianjie, who came along as a persuader, also started speaking up...

……………………………………

"Try? How to try?"

Inside the headquarters of China Mobile, in the conference room.

Facing the plan submitted by subordinates, the few people sitting steadily in the middle held their pens and nodded upwards, signaling to unfold and speak.

"This is what I think: Global Pass, as our highest-end brand, we need to capture the quality customers willing to pay this money to obtain various services, especially those who need to go abroad, travel back and forth, do foreign trade, and so on."

"After joining the world, the global communication market will absolutely expand further.

"And Zhou Yi happens to be the perfect standard for global communication services, because he himself needs to fly abroad constantly.

"At the same time, his extremely rare endorsements and his high-end image, which has made a huge splash internationally, fit perfectly with our promotion and positioning for our prestigious global communication customers.

"As for the M-Zone brand, our intention is to imitate the Warner Music model and build our own 'Queen's Palace' gimmick. We will sign the several female singers who have had rumored scandals with Zhou Yi together; this will absolutely generate the highest level of buzz among young people."

As he spoke, the narrator listed three candidates: "Warner's Queen's Palace consists of Sun Yanzi, Na Ying, and Zhang Huimei, but the ages of the latter two do not fit our definition for the M-Zone brand.

"So our preliminary plan is to invite Watching Xiao Yaxuan and Zhang Shaohan to join, forming our M-Zone Queen's Palace together with Sun Yanzi. Coincidentally, all three of them have sung songs written by Zhou Yi; we can ask Zhou Yi to write a song specifically for this new Queen's Palace group.

"This song can later be combined with the pilot program for caller ringback tones. Paired with the M-Zone Queen's Palace gimmick, it will absolutely grab young people's attention immediately and drive their consumption..."

(End of this chapter)