Of the twenty-four categories at the Global Chinese Music Awards, Best Producer was one of the most prestigious. After all, producers held immense weight within the music industry.
A truly top-tier producer needed both deep technical expertise and exceptional artistic vision. Most of the time, they worked behind the scenes, their names tucked away in the credits of an album sleeve, but their importance was beyond question.
The domestic pop scene had no shortage of stellar producers. Most were attached to major record labels and entertainment companies, while others operated independently. The four candidates nominated alongside Lu Chen were all highly respected industry veterans.
Lu Chen had earned his Best Producer nomination for 'Ordinary Road'.
To be honest, he hadn't held high hopes for this category.
Best Producer was an award heavily influenced by an individual's deep-rooted industry relationships and standing.
And the outcome aligned precisely with Lu Chen's expectations.
"The winner of Best Producer is..."
Presenter Tan Hong opened the envelope and announced calmly:
"Zhu Yu!"
"For his work on 'If There Is a Tomorrow'!"
Thunderous applause erupted throughout the auditorium. A middle-aged man seated just a few rows away from Lu Chen stood up, pumping his fist in celebration. He embraced his colleagues and friends before making his way onstage to accept the award.
Zhu Yu was the Music Director of Sunshine Records, a well-established domestic label. A former classmate of Flying Stone Records director Lin Zhijie, he had spent over two decades in the business and produced hundreds of albums. This was far from his first time winning Best Producer.
His capabilities were universally recognized across the industry. Beating out four competitors, including Lu Chen, came as no surprise, especially since the winning album itself was stellar.
Naturally, plenty of fans were disappointed, particularly those watching Lu Chen's stream on Whale TV.
"His first nomination and he lost! What a shame."
"Zhu Yu? Who's that? Never heard of him. How'd he win?"
"Never heard of him either."
"Come on, it's completely normal not to know producers. Most people only focus on the singer when listening to an album."
"I'm so bummed. I was actually betting on Lu Chen sweeping all six!"
"Haha, no way he sweeps six. Relax, there are still plenty of categories left."
"Doesn't matter what happens, I'm backing Lu Chen all the way!"
While a few fans vented and dropped sarcastic remarks, most accepted the result with good humor. Expecting Lu Chen to win every single nomination was unrealistic anyway, and there was no sense dwelling on a technical award that had already passed.
Besides, many fans didn't find Best Producer all that thrilling in the first place.
Several secondary awards followed, interspersed with a few live song-and-dance numbers.
CCTV was undeniably a master at producing major televised galas. They turned the awards ceremony into a polished spectacle, meticulously pacing every performance. Regardless of individual tastes in artistic concepts, the sheer star power onstage and the slick production values made for a visual treat.
For fans desperately waiting to see Lu Chen hold a trophy, however, the wait was proving agonizing.
Lu Chen's second nomination of the night was Best Lyricist, once again for 'Ordinary Road'.
Best Lyricist was another heavy hitter. While general consensus held composition to be slightly more critical than lyrics, everyone knew that brilliant penmanship could make or break a song.
Much like the production field, the Chinese pop scene was filled with legendary songwriters and lyricists.
"The winner of Best Lyricist is..."
"Li Yunfang!"
Once again, the announcement brought disappointment to fans hoping for a Lu Chen win. The trophy went to the celebrated author and lyricist Li Yunfang.
Having now lost two consecutive categories, the mood among Lu Chen's supporters grew increasingly tense.
He had been in the industry for less than two years, yet he had carved out a formidable presence in Chinese pop music entirely from scratch. His talent and massive popularity were plain for all to see, making his six Golden Melody nominations well deserved.
Still, a nomination was no guarantee of a win.
Especially at a ceremony with the stature of the Golden Melody Chart, every major trophy involved behind-the-scenes competition, industry politics, and delicate compromises.
With six nominations to his name, it was entirely possible for him to walk away empty-handed. Compared to his raw talent and public appeal, his roots and political backing in the industry were still relatively thin.
Next up was Best Composer.
Another one of Lu Chen's nominations.
Best Composer was easily one of the night's premier honors, second only to Best Male and Best Female Singer. The other four contenders were all long-established figures who commanded deep respect in the industry.
And presenting the award was none other than Hong Kong megastar Liu Gangsheng.
Because Liu Gangsheng hadn't released an album or single in 2016, he held no nominations at this inaugural ceremony.
However, as one of the most iconic figures in Chinese music, he had been invited as a guest of honor.
The Heavenly King strolled casually onto the stage, waving to the audience. Waves of cheers and applause greeted him, proving his timeless popularity on the mainland.
He accepted the envelope from the host and unsealed it with a smile.
Behind him, the album covers of all five nominees filled the giant LED screen.
Lu Chen's nominated work in this category was 'Jiangnan'.
Lu Chen had first performed the song at an August fan meeting in Hangzhou. It had quickly gone viral, becoming one of his signature tracks.
For a time, 'Jiangnan' could be heard blasting through every alleyway across the country. It took just two weeks to claim the top spot on the Original Music Chart, where it held number one for five consecutive weeks, becoming one of the most requested radio tracks nationwide.
Several prominent music critics had even penned dedicated breakdowns of the track, with the highest praise declaring that Lu Chen had pioneered a whole new subgenre.
Could Lu Chen pull off a win for Best Composer with 'Jiangnan'?
Inside the auditorium of the National Centre for the Performing Arts, thousands of eyes locked onto Liu Gangsheng at center stage. Across the country, countless more waited on edge in front of their TVs and computer screens.
Liu Gangsheng slowly pulled the card from the envelope. He glanced at the name, and a flicker of surprise crossed his face.
A second later, that surprise turned into a warm smile.
In his accented Mandarin, he announced loudly:
"The winner of Best Composer is..."
"Lu Chen, for 'Jiangnan'!"
Even though Lu Chen had mentally prepared himself for the possibility of going home empty-handed, hearing his name called still stunned him for a beat.
"Congratulations!"
It wasn't until Chen Fei'er wrapped him in a gentle embrace that he finally snapped back to reality.
The moment of glory that truly belonged to Lu Chen had finally arrived!
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(End of Chapter)
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