[Chapter 21: New Songs from the Album, Linton Studio]
That evening, Linton selected seven new songs from his catalog:
The first song was Free Loop, gained fame after being used in a Ford car advertisement in 2006. This song became a global hit, landing on music charts in nearly half of the countries around the globe and achieving impressive rankings.
The second song, Natural, was a signature hit from Imagine Dragons. Its energetic style and explosive charm earned it the moniker 'the anthem of resilience.' The lyrics were grounded in reality but also inspiring, emphasizing that even in a world that can be ruthless, we continue to strive upward, igniting hope amidst darkness.
The third song was You're Beautiful, the breakout hit by British singer James Blunt. This melancholic love song carried a touch of freshness and romance, infused with a bittersweet sadness and chill that resonated deeply with listeners.
The fourth song, Sugar, was released by Maroon 5 in 2014. This romantic rock ballad became a wedding favorite, perfect for newlyweds.
The fifth song, What Are Words, was a timeless confession of love, telling a deeply moving story. It revolved around a groom's promise to his fiancee, who had suffered an accident leaving her paralyzed. His dedication shone through the lyrics, and while ultimately the couple faced an unfortunate breakup, the emotional depth of the song resonated universally, leading to its rapid rise in popularity.
The sixth song, Legends Never Die, was known as the theme for the 2017 League of Legends World Championship, an explosive rock anthem that captivated listeners.
The seventh song, We Don't Talk Anymore, also gained significant popularity in both the U.S. and internationally, earning multiple nominations for awards, especially popular among the younger student demographic.
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The next morning, Linton and Mira registered the copyrights for the seven songs at BMI and returned to Universal to hand over the tracks to Daniel, asking him to arrange for production preparations.
He informed Daniel that he had chosen Lisa to produce his album, mainly because Lisa respected his opinions greatly during the arrangement and production process.
The real reason was that he trusted Lisa to maintain the original essence of the songs, ensuring their authenticity in production.
Unlike Frank and Jack, who were top-notch music producers that might impose their interpretations during the arrangement process, which could lead to issues about whose vision would prevail. Besides, it had been a while since he had seen them to say hello, leaving him to speculate if they thought he had no authority over production or if they were just waiting for him to extend the invitation. Whatever the case, he figured it was better to enjoy a smooth collaboration with Lisa.
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In the afternoon, Linton asked Goodman to help register the studio. Goodman inquired about the business operations of the studio. Linton explained that at the moment, there wouldn't be any specific business, mostly to accommodate his personal assistant and bodyguard, while managing his fan club. In the future, he might invest in films.
"Since you're planning to invest in films, I suggest you register your studio in Delaware. The tax rates in Los Angeles are pretty heavy, whereas registering a company in Delaware offers significant tax advantages. Most Hollywood companies, including giants like Disney and Paramount, are registered there. Delaware even has specialized business courts, making it easy to resolve disputes if they arise.
Additionally, according to Delaware regulations, as long as you have a nominal office in Delaware, you can share an office staff with another company, making it quite practical and inexpensive to run operations. Once registered, that office will serve as the tax filing unit, essentially a shell. Calls can be rerouted directly to our Los Angeles office without any impact on our business activities there, avoiding any inconvenience or risk."
This is where having professional advisors proved beneficial.
...
Following Goodman's advice, Linton went to Delaware that day to register the Linton Studio, using a shared office with his fan club temporarily.
After returning to Los Angeles, he contacted Bella to prepare for her formal employment at Linton Studio, asking Goodman to assist with the paperwork and sign a non-disclosure agreement. However, Bella was currently in Chicago building the fan club. She had just completed a promotional tour across the top 10 economic cities in the nation with promising results and was helping them set up new fan bases and organize activities. They decided to wait until she returned to Los Angeles for her employment paperwork.
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Next, with Goodman's assistance, Linton interviewed three accountants and finally chose a Chinese American accountant, Henry Zhou, in his 40s. He was a second-generation Chinese American, and had a clean record. He had long served a local Chinese family with an excellent reputation, and his social network was uncomplicated as he ran a small accounting firm with few clients.
After signing with Zhou, Linton's first task was to have him verify the royalty share for three singles with Universal.
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That evening, there was a shooting incident on the streets of Los Angeles, with the police reporting three dead at the scene. After hearing this news, Linton was determined to hire a 24-hour personal bodyguard for added security. He considered himself a chosen one, walking the path of success and didn't want to be caught off guard by violence before his potential truly flourished.
...
The next day, Linton found a security company and selected a bodyguard named Danny Green, a 35-year-old recent Delta Force veteran standing 6'1" tall, with over 15 years of service skilled in weapons and hand-to-hand combat. He had participated in the Grenada War, was stable in temperament, average in looks, married with a daughter, and his family resided in Berkeley. Linton immediately signed a contract with the security company, making Danny his personal bodyguard and driver.
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Linton quickly sorted out his lawyer, studio, accountant, and bodyguard arrangements. Meanwhile, Mira was not idle either, quickly securing endorsement contracts with the three companies, Sony Walkman, Dell, and Ray-Ban, each worth $1.6 million per year, signing for two years with a one-time payment. The ads would be promoted on television and in major cities across the U.S.
Linton was very satisfied; although the endorsement fees weren't astronomical, the brand promotion was what he valued most. He signed contracts with the three brands and, within two weeks, completed filming for their promotional ads, including video and print campaigns, also attending the press releases requested by the brands. According to the promotion plans of the brands, ad placements had already begun, set to roll out on television in August with their commercials.
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