Chapter 1058

Nippon Television (NTV) was very lively today.

Because the recording of "The Voice of Neon" started today, in addition to the production team of several dozen people, the 55 contestants and their friends and family—over two hundred people—occupied the studio and the waiting rooms.

Yes, over two hundred people... In this era, Japan still pursued the idea that having many children was a blessing; having two children per family was the standard, and having three, four, or five was also common.

The waiting room was noisy, with contestants' families chatting, asking questions, and scouting for information, while the production staff could only barely maintain order, waiting for their numbers to be called for recording.

In the studio, it was much quieter, with only the sound of staff communicating. Even the extras filling the audience seats displayed a kind of "professional" quality, quietly waiting for instructions from the floor director...

"Fujiwara-san..." the floor director, Sora Kamimura, said to the producer. "There are too many family members of the contestants outside... It's the first day today, and it's impossible for us to film all the contestants!"

"Daijobu~"

Kazuhisa Fujiwara nodded to show he understood.

"We just need to film some footage of the crowded, popular scenes at the beginning of 'The Voice of Neon.' Once that's filmed, let the top twenty contestants stay, and let the others disperse... we can just film them tomorrow."

In "The Voice of Neon," the blind auditions by the mentors only lasted a minute or two, but there was a massive amount of other interactive content, such as the cheers of the live audience, the mentors' comments after turning around, the "scheming" between them to compete for contestants, and even the scripted advertisements...

In short, by the time it was edited, having seven or eight contestants per episode was normal; ten contestants was already considered a lot.

There were twelve episodes in total; the first 7 episodes would finish selecting the contestants, and the following episodes would be the mentors leading their teams to compete against each other!

"Sawada-san, Yoshida-san, Nakajima-san, and Nishijo-san..."

Since the opening was a chorus by the mentors, Kazuhisa Fujiwara communicated with the mentors.

"We are about to start recording. Is everyone ready?"

Kenji Sawada had his curly hair loose and was wearing a leather jacket, exuding the uninhibited temperament of a wanderer. Takuro Yoshida was dressed in normal variety-show attire. Miyuki Nakajima, as the only female mentor, wore exquisite makeup. Hideki Nishijo, who was originally an idol, wore a Stars and Stripes stage costume and looked even more spirited, as if he were already on stage.

"Hai, we are ready."

"Then please listen to the director's instructions and go on stage to perform!"

"Hai~" X4~

"Minasan... please be quiet!"

The floor director, Sora Kamimura, shouted into the walkie-talkie to the set. Under the coordination of the various staff members, the set gradually quieted down.

"Stage check," "Lighting check," "Sound check"...

Replies came from the various staff members in the headsets, and then Sora Kamimura used hand signals to inform the host on set that they could begin!

"Minasan, good evening!"

The host was the experienced Tamori, whose sunglasses matched the style of the studio very well.

"Welcome to 'The Voice of Neon'! Tonight, we will select the voice that best represents Neon from the vast sea of people..."

"First, let's welcome our mentors for today!"

Mist sprayed out on stage instantly. Amidst music filled with a strong rhythm, the four mentors walked slowly onto the stage and stood in their positions.

And they struck strange poses...

Kenji Sawada had his feet together and hands raised high like a 'Y'; Takuro Yoshida had his arms spread flat with his forearms hooked downward toward his head, presenting an 'M' shape; Miyuki Nakajima had one hand to the right, with her body bent to the right like a 'C'; and finally, Hideki Nishijo had his hands in a pointed shape upward with his legs spread, presenting an 'A' shape~

As the passionate and lively musical melody rang out, the cheers from the audience were endless. This classic song, "YMCA," which had swept across all of Neon, was presented on stage under the performance of the four mentors!

This song was a classic track that had come from the West and was also one of Hideki Nishijo's famous songs. However, in the current Neon music scene, it was already under the significant influence of Western music, so everyone's acceptance level was high.

"

It's fun to stay at the YMCA!

It's fun to stay at the YMCA!

"

Under the interpretation of the four mentors with different styles, the atmosphere of the entire studio reached its peak from the very beginning!

In the end, amidst the fireworks sprayed from the stage, the mentors' opening show finally concluded.

Tamori spoke at the right moment to introduce them:

"The mentors for this year's 'The Voice of Neon' include the Rock King, Kenji Sawada!"

Kenji Sawada raised his hand to signal, and the audience on set cheered very enthusiastically under the direction...

"The Father of Folk... Takuro Yoshida!"

"Oh oh oh~" "Ho ho ho~" "Clap clap clap..."

"The genius singer-songwriter... Miyuki Nakajima!"

"Miyuki Miyuki Miyuki!" "..."

"And of course, Hideki Nishijo, who stands at the pinnacle of idols!"

"Sugoi sugoi..." "Hideki-san is the coolest!" "I love you the most!"

Every mentor could be said to be a veteran celebrity in the entertainment industry, and all were in their prime... even Hideki Nishijo, who had been on a downward slope, had returned to the peak of his popularity after a comeback through the TV drama "Love Generation."

Tamori guided the four mentors to their positions. Four huge chairs stood facing away from the stage in the front, with slightly raised backrests that half-enclosed the people inside, ensuring they couldn't see the scene behind them from their peripheral vision.

"Minasan... the selection for 'The Voice of Neon' adopts a blind audition method... the mentors will make their choices entirely by listening to the contestants' singing... after pressing the button, the chair will turn, which represents that the mentor has chosen this contestant to join their team..."

"When multiple mentors choose the same contestant, the right of choice returns to the contestant, and they will choose their own mentor..."

After briefly describing the rules of "The Voice of Neon," Tamori guided the mentors to meet the audience, interact, and say some polite remarks...

Then, the first contestant entered very rhythmically...

The contestants' families watched the live performance from the side of the stage, and there was also a camera dedicated to filming them. The reactions of the family members—whether anticipation or encouragement, or even the joy of being selected and the disappointment of being rejected—were all important components of the program.

"The first contestant to enter... please come on stage to perform!"

Tamori waved his hand, leaving the stage to the contestant who was going on...

And then, a rendition of the currently hottest song, "I Want to Shout That I Love You," was sung out by the contestant!

As the singing began, the powerful voice instantly conquered the audience on set and also conquered one of the mentors... Kenji Sawada was a rock singer and valued the power of a voice the most. After the contestant finished the first line, he pressed the button!

As the chair turned, fireworks sprayed from the stage, the lights on the steps leading to Kenji Sawada were lit, and the cheers from the audience erupted suddenly...

Kenji Sawada turned around to see the contestant, and a smile appeared on his face!

The number Sachiko Kamachi drew was five.

She and her family were waiting in the nearby waiting area. The movements on the recording set naturally reached the waiting area, making the remaining contestants even more nervous.

And the news that the first contestant had been selected suddenly flooded in from the side of the stage, and they also saw the scene of the contestant's family cheering and jumping for joy.

Sure enough, the first contestant of any talent show would always be selected!

This was no longer a hidden rule, but a consensus for everyone... the show always had to get off to a good start, right!

Even though it was a recording today, Sachiko Kamachi, who was about to go on stage, was still wearing a T-shirt and jeans... although it highlighted her long legs, she still had a refined and youthful appearance, without the demeanor of a mature woman...

"Onee-san..." Minako Kamachi was even more nervous than Sachiko Kamachi, but she still racked her brains to try to comfort her sister. "Daijobu, it's inevitable that the first one passes; the ones left over are the opportunities!"

"You sing so well, you'll definitely pass too!"

"Those mentors will definitely have a discerning eye!"

"..."

Sachiko Kamachi patted her nervous sister's back and smiled:

"I know... no problem!"

The song she was going to sing today was a rock song from a few years ago by Ann Lewis, "Roppongi Shinju"... although she looked refined, Sachiko Kamachi liked to sing rock, which even her family was surprised by.

The time in the waiting area seemed particularly long, but fortunately, her number was quite early, and it was finally her turn to go on stage.

"Next, let's invite the next contestant to the stage... contestant number 5 from Kanagawa!"

Tamori on stage read out the number, and the staff at the side of the stage opened the curtain for her, guiding her to walk toward the center of the stage...

The lights in the studio dimmed, and the band on both sides was ready~

As the strong drum beat rang out, Kenji Sawada immediately recognized the song. As someone who also played rock, he was naturally familiar with the song by Neon Rock Queen Ann Lewis.

"It's 'Roppongi Shinju'~" Kenji Sawada said to the camera. Although he was facing away from the stage, he also raised his hand and began to keep the beat. "My favorite!"

The mentors beside him also laughed... it looked like this contestant was a rock fan again!

It couldn't be helped; rock music was very popular in recent years, and rock singers were springing up everywhere. Bands that couldn't play rock didn't dare to say loudly that they were playing music~

"

Dakedo kokoro nante (But feelings, you see)

Otenki de kawaru no sa (Change with the weather)

"

As soon as the singing came out, several mentors were stunned. They had originally thought it must be a weathered male singer, or if it were a female singer, it should have been a rough, gravelly voice—that was what counted as rock.

Unexpectedly, what they heard was the clear and gentle singing of a young girl... it even carried a hint of warmth...

What Takuro Yoshida thought was, how great it would be if this voice sang folk songs! It would definitely bring warmth to everyone!

Miyuki Nakajima, on the other hand, believed that such a singer had great plasticity, and her voice was very recognizable; whether singing pop or old songs, it would be unforgettable!

Amidst the melody of the music, Kenji Sawada was the first to press the button. When he turned around and saw Sachiko Kamachi's refined face on stage, he even showed a very surprised expression. A young girl singing rock was especially evocative!

Hideki Nishijo was the second to press the button, simply feeling that this female singer had great potential. However, after turning around and seeing the contestant singing, he was also very surprised...

Next, Takuro Yoshida and Miyuki Nakajima pressed the buttons one after another. All four chairs turned, all four step lights lit up, and the entire stage was illuminated.

The set of "The Voice of Neon" let out an exclamation. It was the first time they had encountered a contestant for whom all four mentors turned around!!!

The Kamachi family, who had been watching from the side of the stage, were jumping and bouncing even more; they were clearly extremely excited!

"Ya~~~ that's truly amazing!"

When the music stopped, Tamori quickly began to explain.

"It's the first time all four mentors have turned around!"

He handed the microphone to Sachiko Kamachi, who was a bit nervous on stage:

"Kamachi-san, do you have any thoughts?"

"Very... very grateful!"

Sachiko Kamachi nervously gripped the microphone, not knowing what to say for a moment, and bowed directly to the four mentors.

"Eh?" Tamori didn't catch this move for a moment. "Why are you bowing now? You haven't chosen a mentor yet!"

"Ah?"

Sachiko Kamachi looked at the host in confusion...

Tamori explained:

"Now that all four mentors have turned for you, the choice is in your hands. You can choose to join any mentor's team!"

"This... is that okay?"

"Of course!" Tamori said with a smile. "But first, let's hear what the mentors have to say! It's like looking for a job; you have to listen to the salary and benefits the boss offers, right?!"

"Ah... hai!"

Tamori signaled that the mentors could speak. Kenji Sawada naturally jumped up first:

"Kamachi-san, I was the first one to turn for you!!! You like rock too, right? Then coming to my team is definitely no problem! Let's defeat the other teams together!"

"I think Kamachi-san's vocal conditions are more suitable for singing folk songs!" Takuro Yoshida interjected. "Come to my team, and I will definitely be able to bring out the best in Kamachi-san's vocal conditions!"

Miyuki Nakajima took a different approach:

"Kamachi-san's voice is refreshing. Perhaps I can specially craft a song based on your voice..."

This was the advantage of a singer-songwriter... writing a song just for you! Was this temptation big or not?!

The remaining Hideki Nishijo couldn't find a good reason for the contestant to choose him for a moment...

After thinking for a while, he said sincerely:

"Kamachi-san, I have a national tour in the second half of this year, 18 cities, 22 concerts... If you choose me as your mentor, I will definitely do my best to help you develop in the entertainment industry!"

The other three mentors all turned their heads to look at Hideki Nishijo... their eyes revealed disbelief...

I didn't expect you, a guy with thick eyebrows and big eyes, to play so dirty!!!

Sure enough, the more honest-looking a guy is, the less you can trust him! He's the worst!

Kenji Sawada immediately increased his offer:

"Who doesn't have a national tour... I even have concerts abroad! Kamachi-san... choose me, go to the origin of rock, and experience the most primitive form of rock!"

Takuro Yoshida and Miyuki Nakajima also began to increase their chips. One said that their roots in the music industry were deep and their connections were immeasurable; the other said they would tailor-make a debut album...

Facing an excellent seed of a singer, the four mentors were more unwilling to lose than the others, and the conditions they proposed became better and better, giving the audience on set a good show!

Even the host on stage, Tamori, was happily fanning the flames everywhere:

"Sawada-sensei said he wants to leave the lead vocals to contestant Kamachi... Nakajima-sensei said she can provide songs long-term?"

"Chotto matte... Nishijo-sensei said you can sing together on the tour!"

"Yoshida-san, you can't lose... is there anything else to move contestant Kamachi?"

If he were holding a hammer, it would be like auctioning off Sachiko Kamachi...

The producer, Kazuhisa Fujiwara, who was off-stage, had a smile on his face, feeling that the ratings for the first episode would definitely explode!