[Chapter 631: That Would Be Awful]
Eric didn't feel the emotional shifts around him; instead, he once again recalled the history of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. The show later earned the title of the "Ender of the Supermodel Era," primarily because the overall quality of the Victoria's Secret Angels had significantly declined. This decline wasn't about the Angels' looks, but rather their overall qualities as supermodels or even as professional models. In his memory, after the older generation of supermodels gradually stepped back, there was an immediate lack of successors, with many of the new models' runway skills not even matching that of a certain long-legged guest's catwalk. Some models who had gained fame on social networks appeared on stage without even walking properly, generating more and more disappointment and criticism.
Among the new generation, Eric could only recognize one as a true Supermodel: Karlie Kloss. Her uniquely styled walk carried an enchanting aura that seemed to wrap around the tips of her toes. Even regular folks, who didn't quite understand fashion, could recognize Karlie after just a few views of her walk. The next time they saw a close-up of her on the runway -- just a shot of her on her toes -- they could easily identify her. However, in his memory, Karlie only walked for three years with Victoria's Secret before quickly parting ways with the company, claiming she wanted to focus on her education. But anyone could see she clearly didn't want to continue performing on what had become a mere concert stage.
In the late 90s and early 2000s, while the show's style wasn't as extravagant or mature as it would later be, it could definitely be called an annual Supermodel carnival, featuring the fierceness of Gisele Bundchen, the fierceness of Polly, the playfulness of Kate Moss, and Naomi Campbell's queen-like presence.
Each had an impressive aura. Even when Gisele stumbled on the runway and lost her high heel, she still managed to finish strong, and without a leg shot, one would never know she was only wearing one shoe. Eric believed that becoming a Supermodel required talent, but he was even more convinced that the stark difference between the new generation of Victoria's Secret Angels and the old generation of supermodels wasn't merely due to talent. It was more likely a result of the overall impatience prevalent at the time. This belief led Eric to impose what seemed like very harsh demands on Diane Kruger, who was just eighteen, knowing that a natural aura was something you couldn't easily cultivate, but if her professional level was strong enough, she could certainly command the runway like Gisele Bundchen and Karlie Kloss.
Eric had a special fondness for Diane Kruger, who was just like a budding flower at the moment. He didn't mind giving the girl a lavish gift simply out of liking her. He just hoped that if she wasn't capable of handling it all, she wouldn't end up losing the glory she deserved and instead become a laughingstock.
He gently raised Diane's chin, which had drooped because of her uneasiness and self-doubt, ignoring the gazes from those around them as he brushed a few stray strands of hair from her forehead. "Look at this beautiful girl. In such a stunning angel costume, what you must show on the runway in the future should definitely be your best side. So putting in more effort now is absolutely worthwhile, don't you think?"
Diane nodded submissively. Eric's tone turned gentler, easing her anxiety and filling her with reassurance. Although his fingertips had already moved away from her delicate chin, the lingering sensation still seemed to support her charming face, preventing her from looking down again.
"Then let's make this a deal," Eric said with a smile, nodding at Edward Razek. "You'll arrange this personally, and don't take too long."
Edward Razek responded immediately, "No problem. Give me three days."
At that moment, Eric finally noticed the crowd had fallen silent around them. He felt a bit puzzled but simply clapped his hands and said, "So, that wraps it up for the program. Everyone can go back to your work."
With that non-commanding order, the crowd, which usually tended to be a bit laid-back, quickly dispersed this time, as if moving slowly would lead to being swallowed up by some ancient beast.
After seeing Diane Kruger off to change and leave, Eric took the cassette tape that had just played from the recorder and said to Edward Razek, "None of these songs work. What I need is explosive rock music that gets the blood pumping, along with a punk attitude and a hint of hardcore emotion. Also, the singer's vocal tone needs to be smooth and full of vitality. So you'll need to dig through the mainstream rock albums to find something fitting."
Edward Razek, as an operations director for a brand, couldn't quite grasp all the terms Eric had tossed out. He couldn't help but think that maybe only Eric himself knew what he wanted.
However, after that thought crossed his mind, Edward Razek remembered a single Eric had released a few years ago, "New Divide," and tentatively asked, "Eric, do you think New Divide works?"
"No, that song had the right atmosphere but didn't match with the fashion show's rhythm..." Eric immediately shook his head, disagreeing. But soon, he had the same thought as Edward Razek. Eric didn't have enough time to listen to a vast amount of music to select fitting background tracks himself. Besides, judging by Edward Razek's performance, it seemed unlikely that the staff below would understand the music style he was looking for. After a moment's thought, Eric finally said, "Forget it; you guys don't need to search. I'll handle all six songs myself."
Based on the stunning impression "New Divide" had made, Edward Razek had no doubt Eric could write rock music that fit the theme. But the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show had six different themes; the styles of those six songs Eric had previously requested would all vary. Edward Razek found himself wondering if Eric could truly compose six songs with completely different styles.
Not only Edward Razek, but Cindy Crawford, who had just recovered from the pressure Eric had exhibited, felt the same doubt. The intersection between the modeling industry and the music scene was quite prevalent, and she was well aware that in the music industry, the top position often wasn't held by the pop stars surrounded by bright lights but rather by the top music creators. Even many A-list stars would go to great lengths to secure a great song, showing just how rare a good song is.
Eric had already made life difficult for many in the film directing scene; if he showed the same level of talent in music, he might end up becoming the MTV enemy.
Ignoring the doubts from those around him, Eric had already flipped open a thick project proposal.
The first Victoria's Secret Show featured six themes. Apart from the "British Invasion," which focused on British elements, the typical black and white color scheme also included two themed shows: "Secret Temptation" and "Snow Fairy." Victoria's Secret also had a sub-brand aimed at girls called PINK, which occupied the "Pink Lady" theme. The last two themes included the 1920s retro style theme, "Glamour's End," and the popular feather-themed show entitled "Birds of Paradise."
The design team had originally suggested dozens of themes for Eric to choose from. Having seen many of the Victoria's Secret Shows in his previous life, Eric unintentionally formed some personal preferences. Even the most talented designers have limitations on their imagination, which resulted in many of their ideas overlapping with the themes Eric remembered. Due to his subconscious preferences, Eric found himself effortlessly selecting themes similar to those in his memory.
This convenience allowed Eric to pick out generally suitable background music without needing to dig through his memory bank.
Thinking of this, Eric couldn't help but shake his head and mutter to himself, "I just hope my angel girls won't be overshadowed by this music; otherwise, that would be awful."
Cindy Crawford twitched her mouth slightly, almost wanting to ask Eric if his confidence wasn't a bit over the top.
Edward Razek silently gave a similar critique, but when Eric looked over, he quickly composed himself.
Eric remembered that Katzenberg had just merged Firefly and ABC's music departments to create a new Firefly Records. While it wasn't on par with the major record labels, the combined resources of two major media groups were far more powerful than many second- or third-tier music companies. Considering this, Eric closed the project proposal and told Edward Razek, "Regarding the music, based on what I previously mentioned, reach out to Firefly Records..." Eric hesitated, unable to recall the names of the heads of those sub-departments, and could only vaguely state. "...contact someone at Firefly Records and have them select some suitable singers and producers to come."
Edward Razek asked, "Should we stick with six teams?"
"No need for that hassle; just have them prepare. I'll come up with lyrics and melodies as soon as possible," Eric shook his head. After saying that, he thought for a moment and determined there was nothing else to address. He then turned to Cindy Crawford, who had been waiting for a long time. "Crawford, let's talk about your matters next."
Cindy Crawford, still dressed in the sexy attire from earlier, noticed Eric signaling toward a separated office. Her thoughts whirled, and she suddenly dismissed the idea of changing clothes, gracefully following Eric into the office.
...
Meanwhile, just around the same time, in New York on the East Coast, Peter Schneider and Roy Disney, the heads of Disney Animation who stood up their boss Eric, had just stepped off a private luxury plane.
A bald man with a shiny face waiting by a black Bentley approached them with a beaming smile, shaking hands with Peter Schneider and Roy Disney as he cheerfully said, "This little beauty isn't bad, right? If you ever need anything, feel free to call me."
*****
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