usenovelgroup Chapter 90 Madonna's Party Invitation
Chapter 90 Madonna's Party Invitation
Inside a luxury mansion in New York, sunlight streams through huge floor-to-ceiling windows as Madonna sits on a yoga mat doing stretches. Although she is over forty, her control over her figure and physical fitness remains shockingly strict.
Years of dance training have kept her muscles toned, and the sharp edge of a pop diva in her eyes has not faded with time.
Although she spends most of the year in the UK, she occasionally returns to New York for a few days. This trip back was specifically to finalize the release plan and schedule for the album "Confessions on a Dance Floor" with Warner Bros. Records.
The Blackberry phone lying next to me suddenly started buzzing and vibrating.
Madonna ignored it until she shifted into a more relaxed position, then let out a long sigh of relief, reached for her phone, and pressed the answer button.
"I hope you bring me news that will lift my spirits, not the woes of those Warner idiots." Madonna seemed unusually cold towards the work calls she'd received recently.
On the other end of the phone was her chief agent, whose voice carried a hint of helplessness:
"Warner Music headquarters just sent us a copyright notification. They've approved Vogue's Sync License for simultaneous film and television releases, and they specifically wanted to let us know."
Madonna gave a cold laugh, the corners of her mouth curving into a mocking smile.
Normally, major record labels handle dozens of copyright licensing and commercial use cases for old songs every day. As long as the revenue sharing ratio is in line with the contract, a diva of her caliber wouldn't even bother to glance at them.
But now, hearing the word "Warner" casts a shadow over her mood.
In 2004, a copyright and share lawsuit between her independent music label Maverick Records and Warner Music Group completely severed their relationship.
Although a settlement was finally reached last summer, with Warner Music spending a huge sum to acquire all of her shares in Maverick Records, the nauseating feeling of being pressured by a coalition of financial giants and ultimately forced to hand over her own creation still lingers in her throat.
Since then, Madonna has been extremely critical and unhappy about anything Warner Music has led or handled.
"Are those fat pigs at Warner Bros. who sit in their offices counting money now going to bother me with something as trivial as this?"
Madonna changed her pose and continued her rant: "When did it become their place to just pat their butts and authorize my songs? Which lousy movie used them? Was it one of those tasteless popcorn sequels, or a poorly made teen horror film?"
"Strictly speaking, Warner Bros. was just following standard procedures. And this time, the company using Vogue isn't some nobody; it's a project controlled by Fox," the agent explained on the other end of the phone. "The movie is called 'The Devil Wears Prada.'"
Upon hearing the name, Madonna raised an eyebrow and slowed her movements.
She certainly knew about "The Devil Wears Prada."
Lauren Weisberger, a queen at the forefront of fashion, knows better than anyone the immense impact her bestselling book of the same name had on the fashion and entertainment industries. The character Miranda, a real-life counterpart to Anna Wintour, is a symbol of power in the fashion world.
"Prada?" Madonna stood up, grabbed a towel from the side and draped it over her shoulder, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
"Those guys at Fox have some eye; they know only Vogue is worthy of that sharp-tongued female boss. Who's the director? David Fincher? Or Ridley Scott?"
In her opinion, only a handful of veteran visual directors in Hollywood can master this kind of high-fashion film with its sophisticated and tiered sense of oppression.
"Neither." The agent paused, a hint of strangeness in his tone. "The director is a twenty-year-old Chinese man named Ryan Lam. Have you forgotten the war of words between the British and American media this summer?"
"I have a vague recollection. I spent most of that time in the recording studio, so I don't have a strong memory of what happened outside. Was I only twenty years old?"
Madonna is now genuinely interested.
Throughout her life, she pursued breaking conventions, embracing all things rebellious, trendy, and subversive. A twenty-year-old Eastern youth single-handedly entered Hollywood, even having the astute eye to use her songs as background music.
"It's widely rumored in the industry that this young man has a withdrawn personality. After filming the movie, he refused all invitations from production companies and sponsors, just like those high-achieving Chinese students studying abroad."
"Interesting. Young people with this kind of personality are not very common." Madonna chuckled, then her eyes flickered slightly.
Just in time, to celebrate the upcoming new music project, she plans to host a very large and private party at her private estate in Malibu.
"My party happens to be this Friday," Madonna said into the phone as she walked toward the bathroom.
"Send an invitation to his agent. Tell him to bring that Chinese guy named Ryan Lam over. Since he's going to use my song in the movie, I should see for myself whether he's worthy of my Vogue."
Without waiting for her agent's response, she promptly hung up the phone.
Madonna stood in front of the mirror, looking at her still-toned body, a playful smile curving her lips.
Inside his villa in Beverly Hills, Lin Ruiyang was lying on a chair in the backyard, a pot of brewed green tea beside him, completely relaxed.
Over the past few days, he has completely cut off contact with the outside world, and all thoughts about the movie in his mind have been slowly erased over time.
Just as I was enjoying a rare moment of peace and quiet, the roar of a car engine suddenly came from the front yard.
Immediately following was a series of heavy and hurried footsteps.
Lin Ruiyang didn't even open his eyes, but just by the hurried pace, he knew that Roger Sutherland had arrived.
"Lin! Open your eyes and see what I've brought!"
Roger pushed open the glass door to the backyard and rushed in, waving a beautifully crafted handwritten invitation in his hand.
The senior CAA agent's face was filled with surprise and disbelief, and his chest was heaving slightly from walking so fast.
Lin Ruiyang slightly opened his eyes, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said with utter helplessness, "Roger, if I remember correctly, I just told you a few days ago that I'd rather stay home alone than go to those noisy places. Are you trying to test my memory by bringing me a party invitation?"
"No, no, no, Lin, this time it's completely different!"
Roger plopped down in the chair next to him, slammed the invitation down in front of Lin Ruiyang, and then leaned closer mysteriously:
"If it were a regular business party or a party for minor Hollywood stars, I wouldn't even glance at it, but this invitation came directly from CAA, specifically inviting you by name."
Lin Ruiyang picked it up and glanced at it, somewhat surprised: "Madonna?"
"That's right! It's that pop diva, one of the most dominant women in the entire American entertainment industry!" Roger slapped his thigh excitedly.
"Even I was surprised. This level of private party is rare for a newcomer. Especially since you just came back from Paris, and strictly speaking, you're still a newcomer in Hollywood without even a finished film released. Logically speaking, you and her circles have absolutely no connection."
He didn't think his current level of fame would alarm this pop diva. After a moment's thought, he found the source in the later developments.
"Fox's legal team is quite quick. It seems that Vogue has informed them about the music copyright authorization." Lin Ruiyang said casually.
Roger nodded. "Very likely. So, are you going or not? My advice is to go."
Lin Ruiyang understood what Roger meant. Hollywood is a highly snobbish class society. Madonna's private parties are not the noisy nightclubs you see everywhere, but a salon where top resources converge.
"Alright, let's go take a look."