Craig Kallman was the president of Atlantic Records.
He'd entered the music industry way back in the 1980s, starting out at Columbia. In '86, he went solo and founded his own label, Big Beat Records. Soon after, he discovered acts like The Jomanda Group and Tara Kemp.
The Jomanda Group was impressive — their 1991 hit "Got a Love for You" hit #1 on Billboard's Dance Chart, and later even made it into Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Tara Kemp wasn't weak either — her 1991 single "Hold You Tight" peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Big Beat Records performed so well that Warner eventually bought them out. After the acquisition, Kallman entered Atlantic Records as an executive and went on to discover a whole roster of stars — like Sean Paul, for instance.
With such a track record, Kallman officially became the president of Atlantic Records last year. So when The Voice started making waves this year, Barry Meyer naturally handed him the reins as the show's music director — meaning he'd oversee artist signings.
Yeah… let's just say, within Warner's inner circle, "Warner Music" itself wasn't considered that big a deal. For those who still honored the late Steve Ross's legacy, Atlantic Records was the real heir to the empire. As long as Ross's old guard remained, they'd keep "the founder's law unbroken" — because that was how you kept the royal favor.
While collaborating with Disney on The Voice, Kallman's top picks among contestants were Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, and Lana Del Rey.
And now? Isabella had taken all three.
"So we have to give up dual contracts on all three of them?"
Kallman stared at Nathan Bailey, who had come to deliver the news.
Nathan nodded.
"Yeah."
"No room for negotiation?"
Kallman tried to push back, but Nathan simply shook his head.
"This world had Isabella first, and then it had The Voice."
"Okay."
Kallman got the message.
After his acceptance, Nathan returned to the office. When he reported Isabella's selections to Barry Meyer, who was flipping through Warner's summer box office report, Meyer looked up.
"Craig's picks — Isabella took them all?"
"Yes."
"She actually watched their performances?"
"No. She never even asked us for the tapes."
"Then how did she pick them?"
"Uh…" Nathan hesitated. "Apparently, by intuition."
"Intuition?"
"Yeah. From the time I gave her the files to when she sent me the final list — it wasn't even two hours. I asked her how she decided so fast, and she said… she only looked at two things on each résumé: the photo and the notes. If someone looked nice, she'd mark them 'okay.' And if that person happened to be one of her hardcore fans, then she'd double okay them."
"…"
Meyer froze, mouth slightly open.
This slapdash selection process left him speechless.
Sure, Warner and Isabella were partners, but come on — even family keeps accounts clear. Back when they'd discussed The Voice's rights and profits, Meyer had insisted Isabella do the initial selection for the national competition precisely because he'd wanted a bigger slice of the pie. Deep down, he never wanted to share too much.
But now?
A divine act of "gut feeling"? What the hell.
Rubbing his temple, Meyer sighed, then chuckled.
"If I recall correctly, that actress she signed — Margot Robbie — she's also one of her fans, right?"
"Yes."
"Well, that girl doesn't seem to be doing all that great right now. Guess even Craig's instincts can fail sometimes."
"Uh… you're probably right…"
Nathan forced a nod, struggling to keep a straight face.
When your boss starts coping with "astrology-level logic," you really have no defense. To comfort himself over losing potential stars, Meyer had just implied that Margot Robbie was mediocre. What was Nathan supposed to say to that?
Meyer could tell his comment was ridiculous, but hey, that's gallows humor. They couldn't steal Isabella's artists anyway. So?
"Alright, enough about things we can't change. The contracts are signed, and since all their records will still release under Warner, if Isabella wants them, she can have them."
"By the way, where is she?"
"She picked her singers this fast… don't tell me she's gone on vacation?"
In Meyer's mind, Isabella's 150-contestant list should've taken her two or three days to study — at least.
After all, picking singers isn't like hiring office clerks. You don't know what they sound like or how they perform on stage without hearing them.
But if Isabella could pick just from résumés… maybe she'd rushed the work just to get it over with.
"Yeah," Nathan said. "She went on vacation."
"…"
Meyer rubbed his face and half-laughed. "Where?"
"Disneyland."
Well, of course.
Once the work was done, Isabella took off with her group to Disneyland.
It was a simple choice — both Catherine and young Margot wanted to go.
Catherine had always loved Disney animation. Part of why she even started drawing was because she'd always found those movies delightful. Their late father had once taken them to Disneyland Paris too, and it was one of her happiest memories.
As for Margot — well, what kid says no to Disneyland? Australia didn't have one, only Warner Movie World. So this was a dream come true.
With two votes in favor, Isabella just called, "Go, go, go!"
Once they arrived…
"Oh, Isabella, Catherine, Mrs. Haywood, Margot — welcome! I'm Matt Ouimet, but you can call me Matt. I'll be your personal guide for this visit. Wherever you want to go, whatever you want to ride — no problem. My only job is to make sure you have fun."
Matt Ouimet was the president of Disneyland.
He'd joined Disney in 1989 — knew the park like the back of his hand.
Naturally, since Disney was a partner, Isabella had called Iger beforehand. And after that call, the park president himself came to escort them.
So… no lines, no restricted zones, no "sorry, this attraction is closed."
They were basically on god mode.
"Isabella, what you see now is Main Street, U.S.A. Its design was inspired by Walt Disney's hometown, Marceline, Missouri — the whole concept dates back over a century."
"Oh — that's Sleeping Beauty Castle?"
As they strolled, Catherine pointed excitedly at the blue spires ahead.
"Yeah! That's our iconic landmark. It's also the only castle in the world personally overseen by Walt Disney himself," Ouimet said with a smile. "We can go now, but I recommend you come back at night too — the fireworks show looks best from there."
"…"
"This area is Adventureland. The Indiana Jones Adventure is my personal recommendation — the ride was designed by George Lucas himself, and the film segment was directed by Steven Spielberg."
"So… do we get costumes?"
Before starting, Margot asked eagerly, pointing to the ride's display board.
"Of course, dear!" Matt grinned, motioning to staff.
Moments later, uniforms arrived — light brown shirts, dark brown shorts, and cowboy hats.
Boom — instant Indiana Jones vibes.
Disneyland California was massive. Not quite as big as Orlando, sure, but still packed with attractions — plus an adjacent Adventure Park. It took them three days to get through everything.
And no, it wasn't just "check in, take photos, move on." With their unlimited passes, they'd replay favorite rides two or three times each.
Which, yeah, explains why it took so long.
They also bought — well, "took" — tons of merch.
Come on, was Disney really going to charge her?
"Hehe~"
"Oh, Keisha— that blue Minnie headband looks perfect on you! So cute!"
"Thanks, Margot. Yours with the Mickey ears suits you too."
"Hey hey hey! What about me? Doesn't anyone think my Donald Duck one looks cool?"
"Oh, Isabella… with that headband, you look kind of… silly," Catherine said after studying her.
Margot nodded vigorously.
Isabella shot a glare at her mom.
Vivian, wearing a Stitch headband, just nodded. "She's right. But it suits you."
The little Stitch on her head bobbed like a woodpecker, pecking at thin air — a sight that made Isabella roll her eyes so hard it was audible.
"Not talking to any of you."
Cue collective laughter.
They arrived on August 31st and left on the afternoon of September 2nd, waving goodbye to Matt Ouimet.
Since there were still ten days before The Voice began filming, Isabella took the crew to Telluride, Colorado, for a little retreat.
Anyone familiar with the Western entertainment scene knew the name "Telluride." The famous Telluride Film Festival — where Mulholland Drive, Slumdog Millionaire, and The King's Speech all premiered — took place there.
But the town wasn't just about movies. It had ski resorts, concerts, mountain biking, golf courses… basically, paradise for anyone with free time and money. Since the 1990s, it had become a go-to vacation spot for Westerners. Before that? It had been Native American land — and during the gold rush, gold dust was even found there.
"Oh~ Isabella, this restaurant looks nice!"
After a bike ride, hungry and tired, they ducked into the town's most famous truffle restaurant. Catherine was instantly conquered by the truffle chocolates, while Vivian fell in love with the fig pastries.
Then Isabella turned to Margot.
"Margot."
"Mm?"
Still chewing her steak, the girl looked up.
"How's the food?"
"Pretty good. Tastes nice."
"How does it compare to what you had in the U.K.? Or back home in Australia?"
"Uh…" Margot paused, then grinned. "This is better."
"See? That's the truth of it." Isabella clapped her hands.
Catherine and Vivian both choked mid-bite, then just shook their heads, smiling helplessly.
She wasn't wrong though. To Isabella, of course a Brit would find foreign food amazing — they'd been suffering long enough. And Australia? Former British colony. Their recipe books weren't exactly thick either.
Especially given Australia's isolation in the southern hemisphere — with all that ocean between it and the world, how could cuisine flourish there?
After a week in Telluride, Isabella felt reborn.
Not just because the environment was beautiful —
The place had a mild continental climate, with early September highs barely hitting the low 70s Fahrenheit.
But also because it was so peaceful —
The town had only a few thousand residents, and all the facilities catered to tourists.
And in early September?
Summer was over, winter break hadn't started, students were back in class, workers back at work… peak tranquility.
Even if there were tourists in town, how many could there really be?
Exactly.
That's why, when it was finally time to leave, Isabella actually felt a little reluctant.
"Ohhh—time to work again—"
Like a rag doll, she draped herself over her sister and refused to move.
Vivian just smiled and said, "Isabella, I think you should embrace work with joy."
"Why?" Isabella blinked, totally lost as to why her mother would say such a thing.
Catherine and little Robbie both turned to Vivian with the same puzzled expression.
Vivian cleared her throat, trying to keep her smile under control, and said seriously, "It's simple. Only when you feel exhausted from work can you truly taste the sweetness of a vacation."
"So, if you want your future vacations to feel meaningful, you need to make your work busy enough first."
"…"
Isabella was stunned.
"Pfft—" Catherine and Robbie both burst out laughing.
Isabella studied her mom's face, utterly incredulous. "Mom! Are you possessed or something?"
"I'm your adorable daughter! How can you treat me like some overworked farm animal?"
"Hehehehe~"
Her daughter's protest only made Vivian happier.
Yeah, she liked Telluride too — the relaxation of vacation life had melted the "office worker" right off her. Not bragging, but as a mom, watching her daughter work nonstop was exhausting in its own way.
Exhausting to the soul.
So when she saw that Isabella wasn't fighting back this time, she lifted her handbag like a whip.
"Board the plane!"
Telluride had an airport, but flights were few — only to Denver, Dallas, Phoenix, and Houston. Not that it mattered. Disney had planes, and Isabella's group had flown in on a private jet anyway.
After a bit of turbulence, Isabella was back in California. She spent a day collapsed in her hotel, recharging her health and mana bars, and by the next morning she was fully revived and back to business — meeting with The Voice production team.
The meeting was held at ABC's filming center in Burbank.
Everyone knew Isabella's status in the industry. So the vice president of the network, the producer, and the director were all as docile as kittens around her. While she flipped through the national competition plans, host Dwayne Johnson arrived, greeted her warmly, and joined the meeting. Then…
"Oh, Isabella! We finally meet! Honestly, when I heard our country had produced another musical genius, I was thrilled… I've listened to all your songs, and my favorite is Love Story — what a masterpiece!"
"Thank you, Sir Elton. I'm so happy to meet you — I'm your fan! I grew up listening to your music."
"Really? That's an honor. By the way, which one of my songs is your favorite?"
"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."
"…You fake fan! That's John Lennon's song! I just covered it!"
"Ha ha ha~"
"…"
"Come on! Look who it is! Isn't this the music world's new diva, Isabella Haywood? Oh my God! I finally get to see the living Isabella! Can I have your autograph?"
"Of course, Miss Carey. But before I sign, can I ask you something?"
"Um… okay… go ahead."
"What do you think of Party in the U.S.A.?"
"Oh—it's going to be the greatest song of the new century! It captures the perfect American dream—"
"Really?"
"Absolutely!"
"Nothing else to add?"
"Diss me all you want, I'm still giving you a thumbs up."
"Hehehehe~"
"…"
"My God—Miss Granger! You look even prettier in real life than in the movies!"
"Thank you, Mr. Sting. You look more handsome than on tape."
"Oh~ you're the first person in years who's said that to me upon meeting me! I'm flattered."
"Really? That's surprising."
"Of course! Ask Elton and Mariah — everyone I meet only wants to talk about my hair."
"Because it looks like a bird's nest?"
"See? You get it."
"Ha ha ha ha~"
"Okay, nice to meet you. I'm even happier to join this project since I love Love Story."
"Really?"
"Of course~~ I'm a big Shakespeare fan. I once wrote a song called Nothing Like the Sun. You know what that means?"
"'My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun?'"
"Yeah~ inspiration straight from the Sonnets."
"…"
"Oh, sorry, I'm the last one here — my flight was delayed. Came straight from New Jersey."
"No worries, Mr. Springsteen, we haven't even started yet."
"Good. I hope that's true. Nice to meet you, Isabella."
"Likewise…"
With the show about to start filming, there was no way the mentors could stay hidden any longer. After sitting in the studio for a bit, Isabella finally saw the arrival of the "Four Legends."
Just like the ABC staff, none of them acted superior.
Well… fine.
Idiots don't stay famous for decades.
And anyone who isn't an idiot wouldn't dare put on airs in front of Isabella now.
Since she wasn't planning to fully immerse herself in the music industry — she still had acting projects, after all — she couldn't do the kind of endless promo runs that other singers did. She couldn't appear at concerts one night and join another's tour the next. So after a little friendly chat, she steered the discussion back to business and cued the recording schedule.
The concept of The Voice was hers to begin with, so she was more than familiar with how things worked.
But—
"I have to do an opening performance too?"
After reviewing the schedule, Isabella frowned at the document like a grandpa staring at a subway map.
"Yeah~ you've got one," said the director. "Since you're the creator of The Voice, we designed a short show for you. A lot of viewers are tuning in just for you — if you don't appear, they'll be disappointed."
"Okay, okay, I don't have a problem with that. I just want to know… I don't have to dance, right?"
"Of course not."
"Alright then, I'm good."
She exhaled in relief.
She knew plenty of fans were watching just for her, and she wanted to make them happy — but dancing? That was her personal nightmare.
Her dread was so obvious that everyone present started to look curious. Carey asked, "Isabella, you really can't dance?"
"Nope."
"Then how did you shoot the Party in the U.S.A. MV?"
Elton John adjusted his glasses. "I remember there was some choreography in that one."
"Oh, editing magic."
Isabella spread her hands like LeBron James mid-court.
"You all know the story behind that song… let's just say, I was filming Harry Potter in London at the time."
"I wrote the song at dawn, recorded it during the day, and shot the MV that night in the studio."
Since Party in the U.S.A. was the official promo song for The Voice, an MV had to exist. But because the timeline was insanely tight, the production became a purely industrial operation.
After Isabella finished the song, Meyer and Iger immediately ordered up a video plan.
The L.A. footage — city lights, street dancers, energetic crowds — was all filmed by their production crew. The few shots featuring Isabella herself, like stepping off the plane, riding in a taxi, doing a finger dance, and gazing at neon lights — those were filmed in London.
And then?
Editing magic did the rest.
Her honesty made everyone burst out laughing, and her candid attitude instantly closed the distance between them.
Once they'd finalized the schedule, filming began.
Since everyone there was an industry veteran, the shooting went smoothly.
And when you're truly focused on your work, time flies — almost before she realized it, a week had passed.