#AnilaniSilentConcert and #GermoVirtualIdol were trending, with fans outdoing each other with memes and comments.
[One video showed a fan imitating Paul on stage, arms crossed and looking bored.
"Welcome to my concert." the fan announced.
"Now, let's all sing together while I... stand here."
The fake audience erupted in wild cheering.
"Perfect!" the fan declared.
"You're all hired as my backup singers."]
The clip had gone viral in just a few hours, quickly reaching 2 million views. Comments ranged from 'Anilani: The Human Karaoke Machine' to 'Conductor of Chaos: Anilani's Silent Symphony.
[Honestly, if Anilani stayed silent for two years, no one would even notice]
[At Anilani's concert, after a year of touring, his microphone still has three bars of battery left]
[The guy on stage with his hands in his pockets—that's right, you! Did you even buy a ticket?]
He kept scrolling, finding even more outrageous posts:
[Anilani's vocal cords: Are we a joke to you?]
[Plot twist: Anilani is actually a mime artist moonlighting as a singer]
[In a hundred years, when Anilani is no longer around, we could just put his picture on stage and the concert could still go on]
[After singing all night, his voice is perfectly fine. That's the strength of a fresh newcomer. But I heard he strained a muscle from being too busy conducting the audience]
[Germo now has its own virtual idol!]
Virtual idol? Come on, It's not that bad... is it?
But not all the comments were so lighthearted. He frowned as he came across some complaints:
[@MiniWilly: Why are you guys paying for a concert if the singer doesn't even sing?]
[@MusicCritic101: Is this the future of concerts? Standing still is not a performance #OverratedAlinali]
[@FirstAnilaniSupporter: @MiniWilly The food at Anilanis concerts is amazing. Worth the ticket price alone :)]
[@SilentMusicLover: Who needs singing when you can have a staring contest with Anilani for 2 hours? Best night ever! #EyeContactConcert]
Paul snorted at that one. Eye contact concert? These fans are something else.
The speculation about his next move was even more outrageous:
[Next concert: Anilani conducts a choir of mimes]
[Breaking: Anilani to release 'The Sound of Silence' cover album]
[@AnilaniAddict: Anilani is clearly practicing telepathic singing. You just need to open your mind to hear it]
[@ConcertgoerPhil: Guys, Anilani is obviously charging his voice for the ultimate song. It's gonna be epic!]
[...]
Very quickly, social media was flooded with more videos and jokes about his concert. Paul opened WhizUp and saw a congratulatory message from his boss, Jasmin.
[Your concert was absolutely amazing. But I barely heard you sing... such a pity :((
Next time, come to my house and give me a private performance. Oh, and by the way, my couch is really big, and the soundproofing is excellent]
Is she serious? This is bordering on harassment... but she is my boss. He typed out a diplomatic response: "Another time, for sure."
After sending the message, he also checked the trending topics on social media. All the videos being shared were of the audience singing in unison, while he just stood awkwardly on stage with his hands in his pockets.
Wow, are people really this stressed nowadays? Are they paying for concert tickets just to vent?
He felt a bit overwhelmed. Back in the day, he didn't have so many fans, but now he feels like there are just too many, and they're way too enthusiastic. He couldn't even get a word in.
You guys are the worst batch of fans I've ever had! It's like running a brothel without any clients—what's the difference?
Paul was still young, so maybe this situation would be fine in his later years when his health wouldn't allow him to sing energetically. But this happened decades too early, telling him his singing career is basically over.
Damn it, who could accept this? Wait a minute… Paul suddenly had an idea.
A lightbulb went off in his head as he recalled a music critic's comment about him.
That's right—why am I so focused on folk music? Folk songs are simple and easy to sing along to, but if I switched to pop music, wouldn't that raise the difficulty?
Many classic pop songs I know don't exist in this world. If that's the case, I could also release new songs more frequently.
They think my concerts are all about folk songs, but imagine how hyped they'd be when I start singing pop live.
Thinking about this made his face light up with excitement. This felt even better than the first time he met his Jasmin. Although both were physiological reactions, right now women would only slow down his songwriting process.
Even if she's hot—no exceptions.
he massaged both sides of his head with his hands. His assistant, noticing this, thought Paul was stressed and quickly tried to comfort him.
"Bro, please hang in there. Jasmin said she'll personally reward you once the concert tour is over."
Paul nodded faintly, but his mind was elsewhere entirely.
~In the car in front of me drives a young girl~
Wait, what was I just thinking about? Oh right, the classic songs from my previous life.
He slowly started to recall them one by one.
He had always loved music since childhood, but because his family was poor, he couldn't access it as early as wealthier kids. In school, his favorite thing was writing down the lyrics of songs he liked, bit by bit. All the money he saved went to buying notebooks.
He filled stacks of notebooks with lyrics.
He got scolded by his mother for it, but because of that, the lyrics were rooted deep in his memory. Now, he just needed to pull those memories out one by one.
Sorry, mom, but it wasn't a waste after all.
"Alright, I've made up my mind." He suddenly announced loudly inside the car.
"Really? Oh, thank goodness."
The assistant out a dramatic sigh of relief, slumping back in his seat. "I was starting to worry, you know. I mean, not that I was worried about... anything in particular." He coughed nervously.
"What are you on about?" Paul asked.
"The girl, of course!"
"I've been telling you, not only is she your most loyal fan, she's also beautiful. She's perfect for you, Bro. Beautiful, smart, and your biggest fan. I've got her picture right here—" The assistant continued to chatter, thinking Paul had finally come around.
In Germo's entertainment industry, this kind of thing wasn't unusual. Nearly every famous singer or artist had a knack for stirring up fan enthusiasm.
But oddly enough, Paul had never done it.
Julian, who was his assistant and also acted as his manager, even suspected at one point that Paul had some unusual preferences when it came to romantic interests. After all, he'd turned down a sexy female assistant and chosen him instead. Thinking about it now, he felt a bit scared. He wasn't prepared to be mistreated in that way.
"Girl? What girl?" Paul was completely lost.
"You know, the one I've been telling you about for weeks. Your most loyal fan? The one who writes you poetry and sends homemade cookies to every concert?"
Paul blinked, utterly baffled. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"But... but you said you made up your mind." Julian's voice cracked slightly.
Paul shot him an annoyed glance and calmly said, "Yeah, about my music."
"Oh." Julian slumped back in his seat, muttering under his breath, "There goes my 'Paul' First Date' betting pool winnings."
"What was that?"
"Nothing..." Julian plastered on a fake smile. "So, uh, what about your music?"
Paul eyed him for a moment, then shook his head. "I meant I'm going to release a new song."
"A new song?" Julian was surprised and asked, "Why so soon? And here I thought I was finally off the hook for... never mind."
"Off the hook for what?"
Julian laughed nervously, tugging at his collar. "Oh, you know, just... assistant stuff. Definitely not anything to do with your, uh, personal life. Or lack thereof. There's nothing wrong with that! Some people love being alone. Forever. All by themselves. With no one to—"
"Finish that sentence, and you'll be the one alone. In the unemployment line," Paul growled.
Julian mimed zipping his lips.
Paul rolled his eyes. "As I was saying, it's time for a change."
As the car drove down the road, he leaned back in his seat. Suddenly, Julian's phone pinged. He quickly scanned the screen.
"Oh wow! You've got to see this. There's an article about you in the Germo Gazette."
Paul perked up. "The Gazette? What are they saying?"
Julian cleared his throat and began to read.
---
By Greta Harmony, Music Correspondent for Germo Gazette:
Some hours ago, pop sensation Anilani took the stage at the packed Melodia Arena - or did he? In a twist that has set social media ablaze, the star barely uttered a note, yet the crowd went wild. Welcome to the new age of interactive concerts, where silence speaks volumes and the audience becomes the main act.
"It was electric!" gushed Mina, 22, her voice still hoarse from singing. "Anilani just stood there, looking mysterious, and somehow that made us all want to sing even louder. It's like he conducted us with his eyes."
Indeed, of the 15-song setlist, Anilani only sang two songs in their entirety. For the rest, he simply stood on stage, occasionally nodding or raising an eyebrow, while 20,000 fans belted out his hits with gusto.
"I've never felt so connected to other fans," said Tom, 35, wiping away tears. "It's like Anilani gave us permission to express ourselves. I made three new best friends just by harmonizing on 'Whispers in the Wind'."
But what makes a non-singing concert so appealing? Dr. Lyra Noteman, a music psychologist, offers insight:
"In our digital age, people crave real-world connections. Anilani's 'silent concerts' create a unique shared experience. It's not about passive listening anymore - it's about active participation and community building."
The unconventional approach has even won over skeptics. Music critic Harsh N. Grumpy admitted, "I came to scoff, but I left moved. There's something powerful about a sea of voices united in song, even if the star himself is just a silent conductor."
As fans exited the arena, many were already planning to attend the next show. "It's addictive," laughed Sara, 28. "I can't wait to see what songs we'll perform next time. Maybe we'll even write some new ones together."
Love it or hate it, Anilani's silent revolution is redefining the concert experience. In a world where stars often overshadow their fans, he's found a way to put his audience center stage. And judging by the deafening cheers last night, that stage is exactly where they want to be.
---
As Julian continued reading, Paul's expression morphed from curiosity to disbelief, then to outright annoyance. By the time Julian finished, Paul couldn't contain himself any longer.
"What a load of bullshit!" He exploded, startling Julian. "Silent symphony? Interactive concert? Are they out of their minds?"
He snatched the phone from Julian's hand, scrolling through the article. "Listen to this nonsense: 'It's like he conducted us with his eyes.' Conducted with my eyes? I was trying not to fall asleep from boredom."
He threw his hands up in exasperation. "And this 'expert' - Dr. Lyra Noteman? What kind of name is that? 'It's not about passive listening anymore - it's about active participation and community building.' Give me a break! It's a concert, not a group therapy session!"
Just you wait. The next concert won't be silent. It'll be so loud, they'll hear it in the next city!