The next day, Tyler walked into the studio with a sense of purpose. The previous day's video shoot had gone well, and now it was time to put the final polish on his new single. Kai was already there, adjusting levels on the soundboard, his focus intense as always.
"Yo, Ty you're here," Kai greeted without looking up, his hands moving swiftly over the controls. "Ready to finish this track?"
"Yeah, let's do it," Tyler replied, taking a seat. The studio felt like a second home now, a place where he could channel all his thoughts and emotions into something real.
Kai glanced over at Tyler as he loaded up the project file. "You figure out your tag yet?"
Tyler had been mulling over his tag ever since Kai first mentioned it. He wanted something that would stick and resonate without giving too much away. After brainstorming late into the night, he had finally settled on something simple but impactful.
"Yeah," Tyler said, leaning forward. "I'm thinking 'Blaze'—short, sharp, and it rolls off the tongue. I want it to come in right before the beat drops, like a spark setting everything on fire and with my stage name being Ty the Phoenix and all."
Kai grinned. "I like it. 'Blaze'—it's got that heat. Alright, let's lay it down."
Tyler stepped into the booth, adjusting the headphones over his ears. The mic stood ready, and he could see Kai nodding encouragingly from the other side of the glass. Taking a deep breath, Tyler focused on the sound he wanted. He needed the tag to be more than just a name; it had to capture the essence of who he was becoming.
"Blaze," he said, his voice smooth and confident. The words echoed in the booth, and Tyler repeated them a few times, experimenting with different tones and inflections until he found the one that felt right. It was assertive, almost like a warning—Ty the Phoenix was here, and he wasn't going to be ignored.
After a few takes, Kai gave him the thumbs up. Tyler stepped out of the booth, feeling a rush of satisfaction. "How'd it sound?"
"Fire," Kai said, nodding approvingly as he replayed the tag. "That's gonna hit hard. Now, before we get back to your track, I got a favor to ask."
"What's up?" Tyler asked, intrigued.
Kai leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I've been thinkin' about my own tag too. It's time I updated it—somethin' fresh, somethin' that matches where my sound's going now. And who better to lay it down than you?"
Tyler was taken aback for a moment but then smiled. "You want me to do your tag?"
"Why not?" Kai said with a shrug. "You got the voice, and you understand the vibe I'm going for. Let's make it happen."
Tyler considered it for a moment. Kai had always been solid with him, guiding him through the recording process, and pushing him to improve. This was a way to give something back.
"What're you thinkin' for the tag?" Tyler asked.
Kai tapped his fingers on the soundboard, his mind clearly working through ideas. "Somethin' like 'Kai Beats'—but not just the words. I want it to have a bit of swagger, maybe a drawn-out sound like a countdown before the drop. You know what I'm sayin'?"
Tyler nodded. "Got it. Let's give it a shot."
He headed back into the booth, the creative wheels in his mind already turning. Kai had a distinctive style—smooth, with a laid-back vibe that always carried a punch. Tyler knew he had to capture that in the tag.
"Kaaaai Beats," Tyler drawled, stretching out the name like a slow burn before the drop. He tried a few different variations, adding a bit of echo, a subtle reverb, and playing with the timing until it felt just right. Each take brought a different flavor, and a different mood until they both landed on one that felt perfect.
When he stepped out, Kai was grinning. "That's it, man. That's the one. You nailed it."
"Glad you like it," Tyler said, taking a seat. "Now, let's get back to this track."
They spent the next few hours adding the final touches to Tyler's single. Kai worked his magic on the mix, while Tyler listened closely, suggesting tweaks here and there. They added some subtle adlibs, layered in a few background vocals, and polished the beat until it was shining. With every adjustment, the track grew stronger, more refined.
Finally, they sat back and listened to the finished product. The beat hit hard, the lyrics were tight, and the flow was smooth. Tyler's tag came in just before the drop, setting the tone, while Kai's tag added that final stamp of quality.
"This is it," Tyler said, feeling a wave of satisfaction. "We've got somethin' special here."
Kai nodded, clearly pleased with their work. "You're ready, Ty. When this drops, people are gonna take notice."
"So what you gonna name it?" Kai asked, "Hmmm..... Heart on a sleeve, what do you think about that?" "Okay, now we just have to wait till release, man this is gonna be epic. "
"I hope so", Tyler smiled as he replied.
As Tyler left the studio that day, he couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. The single was ready, the tags were set, and the path ahead was starting to clear.