With Anna Reed officially signed, the energy in the studio shifted. There was a palpable excitement in the air—everyone could feel that something special was happening. Anna's debut album was shaping up to be a raw, emotional masterpiece, and the more they worked on it, the more Jason and Max realized that they had captured lightning in a bottle.
But with that excitement came pressure. They couldn't afford to mess this up, especially now that people were starting to pay attention. Harper Morrison's success had already brought a bit of a spotlight onto the label, and now, with Anna's growing buzz, they were on the verge of something bigger than either of them had anticipated.
A few weeks into the recording process, Jason and Max gathered with Anna in the studio's lounge to discuss the next steps. They had already finished recording several tracks, and it was time to start thinking about the album's release strategy.
"So," Max began, leaning forward with his trademark grin, "I think we're at the point where we should start teasing some of these tracks. Build up some anticipation."
Anna looked uncertain, her fingers nervously tapping on the arm of her chair. "I don't know. Do you think we're ready for that?"
Jason nodded thoughtfully. "I think Max is right. We've got a solid collection of songs already, and the album's coming together beautifully. But we can't just drop it out of nowhere. We need to build some hype—get people excited about what's coming."
Anna hesitated. "I've never really been good with promotion. I mean, I'm not great at social media and all that stuff."
Jason smiled reassuringly. "That's okay. We'll take care of most of the marketing side of things. What we need from you is just to stay true to your music. You've got fans out there who are waiting to hear more from you, and this first single is how we show them what you've been working on."
Max leaned back in his chair. "Besides, we're not going to overdo it. No big flashy campaigns or anything. We'll keep it real, just like your music. A simple teaser, maybe a stripped-down video of you playing one of the tracks live—something that feels authentic."
Anna seemed to relax a little at that. "Okay. That sounds better. I just don't want this to become... fake, you know? Like I'm trying to sell something."
"We won't let that happen," Jason said firmly. "You'll be in control every step of the way."
The next day, they set up the studio to film a simple acoustic version of one of Anna's tracks. Jason and Max kept things minimal—no fancy lighting or flashy effects, just Anna, her guitar, and a single microphone. The goal was to capture the rawness of her performance, to show the world exactly what made her music special.
As Anna started playing, Jason watched from behind the camera. Her voice filled the room, each note carrying the weight of her emotions. There was something almost hypnotic about the way she played, as if she was sharing a part of herself that was too vulnerable for words alone.
Max, who was handling the recording, gave Jason a thumbs-up from the sound booth. Everything was going smoothly.
When the song ended, Jason walked over, giving Anna an encouraging smile. "That was perfect."
Anna, still looking a little nervous, glanced at the camera. "You think people will like it?"
Jason nodded. "They're going to love it. Trust me."
A week later, they released the video as a teaser for Anna's upcoming single. They kept the rollout simple—Jason reached out to a few indie music blogs, and they posted the video on Anna's growing social media profiles. Word of mouth did the rest.
Within hours, the video began to gain traction. Fans of Anna's coffee shop performances shared the video, praising the rawness of her voice and the authenticity of the production. Music blogs picked it up, calling her "the next voice to watch in the indie scene." The response was overwhelmingly positive, and Jason could feel the momentum building.
Max burst into the studio the next morning, holding his phone in the air. "Dude, have you seen the numbers on this video? It's blowing up!"
Jason pulled out his own phone, checking the stats. The video had already garnered thousands of views, with hundreds of comments from people praising Anna's talent.
"Holy shit," Jason muttered under his breath. "It's happening."
Anna, who had just walked into the studio, looked stunned when Max showed her the numbers. "I can't believe this," she whispered. "People are actually listening."
Jason smiled. "Told you they'd love it."
With the release of the teaser video, the buzz around Anna's album grew. Jason and Max worked tirelessly to keep the momentum going without overwhelming Anna. They planned the release of her first single, carefully choosing a date that would give them enough time to build anticipation while ensuring that they didn't rush the process.
Meanwhile, the attention wasn't just coming from fans. Other labels had started to notice the rising star that Anna was becoming, and Jason's phone rang more than once with offers for collaboration—or, more accurately, buyouts. Larger labels, like Zenith Records, wanted a piece of what they were building. They offered bigger budgets, wider distribution, and promises of success that came with heavy strings attached.
Jason refused every offer.
Max supported him fully. "We've come too far to hand this over to a big corporate label. They'll kill everything we've worked for."
"I know," Jason said, staring at one of the emails from a major label exec. "But the more attention we get, the more they're going to come after us."
Max leaned back, his usual smile turning into something more serious. "Good. Let them come. We'll keep doing things our way."
When the day of Anna's first single release finally arrived, the team was buzzing with excitement. They decided to host a small, intimate release party at the studio, inviting some of the bloggers and local musicians who had supported Anna from the start.
Anna was nervous, as expected, but she hid it well. She wore a simple black dress, her guitar slung over her shoulder as she prepared to perform live for the attendees.
Jason walked over to her before the party started. "You ready?"
Anna nodded, though there was a flicker of anxiety in her eyes. "I think so. It's just... a lot."
"I know," Jason said softly. "But you've got this. These people are here because they love your music. Just do what you always do."
Anna smiled, the nerves easing a little. "Thanks, Jason. I'll try not to freak out."
When the time came for her to perform, the room fell silent. The lights dimmed, and Anna took her place at the microphone. She started playing the single they had released, and just like every other time, her voice filled the room with a quiet power that left everyone spellbound.
As she sang, Jason looked around the room. He could see the expressions on people's faces, the way they were connecting with her music. This was why they had worked so hard—to create moments like this, where the music spoke for itself.
When the performance ended, the room erupted in applause, and Jason could see the relief wash over Anna. She had done it. And judging by the response, this was only the beginning.
Later that night, after the party had ended and the studio was quiet again, Jason sat alone, reflecting on how far they had come. The label had started as a dream, a way to escape the toxicity of the industry and do something meaningful. And now, here they were—helping artists like Anna make music that mattered.
Max joined him, holding two beers. "To success," he said, handing one to Jason.
Jason smiled, clinking bottles with him. "To doing it our way."
They sat in silence for a moment, both of them knowing that the road ahead was still long. But for the first time in a while, Jason felt a sense of calm. They were on the right path, and with artists like Anna leading the way, the future looked bright.
"We've got something special here," Max said quietly.
Jason nodded. "Yeah, we do."
And deep down, he knew that this was only the beginning.