"Wow."
The exclamation escaped uncontrollably, their minds momentarily blank, completely immersed in the starry sea painted by the singing. The control of emotions – the ebb and flow, the twists and turns – was simply masterful. The rhythm and melody danced effortlessly within the dazzling steps, as if… it wasn't Ronan singing along to the melody, but the melody itself was dancing to Ronan's lead. It was an indescribable experience.
"Wow!"
Cliff's first reaction was to turn his head towards Maxim, his jaw dropped in astonishment. Then, he saw the amazement deep within Maxim's eyes, more honest than words and more real than any action, fully conveying the shock Maxim felt at that moment. The two men looked at each other, speechless.
Both Cliff and Maxim vaguely remembered the first time they met Ronan. Time had blurred some of the details and the overall picture, leaving only a hazy concept. However, they both remembered Ronan's singing voice. Ollie had even exaggerated, saying, "That's a voice kissed by God."
At the time, Cliff hadn't taken it seriously, and neither had Maxim. Such an exaggerated statement was just a friend's praise and affirmation. But undeniably, Ronan's timbre was truly special. It might not sound particularly distinctive at first listen, but it was incredibly comfortable to hear. The clear and smooth texture always gave the melody an extra layer of unique quality. This was talent, and it was also the foundation for becoming a lead singer.
Time flew by.
Through the ups and downs, the stumbles and recoveries of the past few years, their youthful ambitions had been worn away, replaced by the instability and unease of a wandering existence. They seemed to have long forgotten the reason they loved music in the first place, and why Ronan had become their lead singer. Even the rollercoaster of the past few months felt distant.
Until this moment.
And! Compared to the Ronan's singing voice they remembered, this "updated version" was even more skilled, more natural, and more moving. The vicissitudes of seven years had settled deep within his soul, expressed through the vibrations of his vocal cords and the performance of his singing. His storytelling ability effortlessly touched the softest parts of their hearts.
Was this really the Ronan they knew? The guy who could get so excited over a bucket of fried chicken that his voice would change, who would roll around on his bed wanting a hot dog at midnight, and who would get so grumpy when he was hungry that he could kill with his eyes?
It didn't seem quite right… did it?
Maxim was completely immersed in Ronan's singing, with only one thought in his mind: Good. So good. Really good.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Ollie stared intently at Ronan in the recording booth, genuinely applauding non-stop to express his admiration. Without needing words, the emotion surging and boiling within his bright eyes was palpable. A smile crept onto his lips, blooming fully, as he felt an urge to worship.
One listen was all it took to know the difference. The more professional you were, the more you could understand how advanced Ronan's singing was. His emotions were completely infused into the melody. Previously, Ronan had asked Cliff to inject emotion into his playing, from heavy to light, from release to restraint, from stagnant to continuous. Now, Ronan's singing was exactly the same.
Every word perfectly matched the rhythm and melody, blending together seamlessly. The singing completely released the emotions hidden within the notes, achieving far more than just a simple addition. The intense chemical reaction perfectly illustrated the captivating charm of music.
More importantly, this was just the verse. They hadn't even reached the chorus yet. That meant there were no high notes, no fancy vocal tricks – just simple, unadorned singing used to interpret the melody. But the subtle details hidden within injected the melody with incredible color.
Having endured the torment of the entire afternoon, Cliff had a renewed understanding of Ronan—
The blank period since their last time in the recording studio had been far too long. In the long days and nights they spent together, they had been trapped in a haze of confusion and hardship, unable to see the future. They had forgotten just how outstanding a singer Ronan was.
From fighting for an encore at the "Noon" bar, to attracting the Shining Band and getting the chance to perform at the full moon party, then to busking all the way on the road, and finally to the opening act opportunity for Bruno's concert – all of it was because of Ronan's singing. They had completely forgotten that.
His gaze returned to Ronan, and Cliff fell silent, feeling a sudden impact, even stronger than when he himself was recording.
"Maxim?" Ronan's voice came through the headphones, asking Maxim for his thoughts.
Recording studio work is rarely done in one go. This is fundamentally different from live performances. Usually, they record a section, then slowly review and meticulously refine it. Once they confirm it's perfect, they move on to the next section. Occasionally, they might not be satisfied, so to adjust their state, they might record the next section first and then come back to re-record the previous section after everything else is done.
So, after the first verse was recorded, Ronan paused, waiting for feedback. But Maxim didn't speak for a long time, so he had to ask.
Actually, Ronan was still a little nervous. Because he was wearing headphones, he couldn't hear his own singing clearly, so his self-assessment might not be accurate. Also, at this point, was he still a performer, or did he need to accept objective feedback to improve better?
"Good." The first word popped into Maxim's mind reflexively. He paused for a moment and then added, "Good, I don't have any suggestions for changes."
"..." Ronan didn't speak, but just looked at Maxim, his eyes conveying his meaning: Are you sure?
"Yes, yes... yes, I'm sure." Maxim nodded repeatedly. After a moment of being stunned, he finally came back to his senses. "You know what you're doing and what you should do. You already have a blueprint in your mind, just like painting. You use your singing to draw out the emotions. It's not difficult for you. The only challenge is to bring it out when you're recording, and you've already done that."
Singing is actually the same as painting – lines and frameworks, colors and ideas. Some people have no idea what they're doing and just sing with all their might, resulting in a mess. Others have a clear three-dimensional framework in their minds, and what they slowly sketch out is a masterpiece.
Talent is sometimes just that.
"Your performance just now was excellent. I can't find any flaws. Emotion, rhythm, pitch, timbre, power – everything was perfect. Just continue with that feeling," Maxim judged from his perspective. This was his honest opinion.
(End of this chapter)