Rhythm and Ray: A DJ’s Journey

[Chapter 214: A Small Debate]

In the hotel room, Daddario was surprised by Ryan and Teresa's early return. "That old hippie was tough to handle," Teresa shook her head, indicating that the negotiations fell through.

Daddario asked about the cause of the incident.

"It's simple," Ryan explained, "the electronic dance music scene is still a wild frontier. We really need to set up some ground rules. The industry conference is a good platform to bring professionals together, who will then participate in award selections. Those awards can influence the entire industry, while the music festival acts as a tool to draw interest. It's a trifecta that complements each other."

"But you're the one accepting awards, not handing them out. Players can't be referees, otherwise who would watch the game?" Daddario pondered.

"I'm not leading the selection committee. To use your words, I'm not trying to be a referee; I'm just trying to host the game." Ryan reminded her.

"So... how do you get others to believe in you?" Daddario pointed out the crux of the issue with precision.

To successfully hold an awards ceremony, the most crucial factor was gaining the industry's credibility; everyone had to buy into Ryan's vision. This wouldn't be something that could be resolved in a short span; trust takes time to build.

"I see this as a long-term investment," Ryan said. "I'm not rushing for short-term gains. As long as the festival goes smoothly, I can cover the expenses and still have a surplus."

"Are you still going to the International Dance Music Awards tomorrow?" Teresa asked him at that moment.

"Of course. Now I actually hope Louis doesn't give me the Best Artist award," Ryan admitted.

That seemed a bit audacious, implying Ryan was already confident about winning. But in truth, even though Ryan was just a newcomer in the broader pop music scene, he'd had more than one single climb the Hot 100 charts, and as for dance charts, he was dominating. In the DJ community, he was like a top-tier boss returning to a newbie level -- it was a major mismatch.

Of course, there was another top-tier DJ, Daft Punk, but they hadn't really made an appearance in 2008.

"Let's not talk about this anymore," Ryan yawned as fatigue hit him.

"Then let's... go?" Daddario glanced at Teresa.

"The doctor said I've contracted a rare condition where I can't sleep alone, so I need something to hold onto," Ryan replied, shaking his head while closing his eyes.

...

The next morning, Ryan's personal MySpace disclosed a new project: a music event named "Bad Room Carnival" to be hosted in Florida, featuring a festival, an industry expo, and an award ceremony for electronic music, alongside the establishment of the "International Electronic Music Academy," aimed at research and development in electronic music.

The plan was grand yet felt more like a vision; there were no concrete steps laid out.

Even so, it caused a stir throughout the industry.

Some were optimistic while others voiced concerns, and chatter erupted online. Various industry insiders actively welcomed Ryan's move and voiced their support.

...

[The electronic music industry needs to take this step to propel overall development! I've been involved in electronic music research for years and currently work at a university. This represents a new chapter for the electronic music scene.]

[Ryan hasn't properly figured out electronic music himself; how can he do this?]

[Ryan hasn't got it all figured out, but what about you? What hits do you have? Where do you rank on the charts?]

[Let's not rain on his parade too soon. At least Ryan is doing something. He's using the money he made to give back to the industry. Just doing that puts him ahead of many others.]

[What's he even done? I could whip up twenty such PowerPoints a day.]

[Regardless, I still look forward to it, at least to the festival Ryan is setting up. No one wants a repeat of the Bay Park disaster! Ryan will definitely ensure safety at his event.]

Overall, the public maintained a sense of anticipation regarding Ryan's announcement, especially some self-proclaimed experts in electronic music who were eager to join the International Electronic Music Academy at once.

...

That evening, Ryan attended the International Dance Music Awards as per previous arrangements. The venue was merely a hotel conference room -- not quite the same vibe as the Grammys, and the whole atmosphere exuded a sense of tightness. Ryan was undeniably the biggest star in attendance.

Seated in the front row, David Guetta was to his left and Tiesto to his right.

As soon as Ryan sat down, both of them started discussing the "Bad Room Carnival" with him.

"You definitely need to be involved in your own festival," they both laughed.

Ryan had always been generous with the pricing for his fellow DJs at Bad Room, significantly surpassing other clubs due to its thriving business.

The entire International Dance Music Awards were set to hand out nearly fifty awards, with a rapid pace and little to no live performances; it felt more like a recognition meeting.

Awards were distributed across various subcategories in dance music. For DJs alone, there were distinct awards such as Best Breakthrough DJ, Best European DJ, Best American DJ, and Best Global DJ. Media recognition included multiple awards, like Best Podcast, Best DJ Radio Station, and even Best Dance Music Website. iTunes even bagged an award for Best Music Retailer.

The less influential the award, the more categories they typically had, serving as another method to boost prestige.

Louis kept his word; Ryan ultimately accepted the award for Best Solo Artist. Besides that, Bad Room was honored as the Best American Club, while Best Global Club went to Ibiza's Amnesia, with three of the six nominees for Best Global Clubs hailing from Ibiza.

Additionally, various industry awards included Best Headphones, Best Turntable, Best Mixer, and Best Sampler. These were essentially advertisements for the manufacturers, each raking in ad revenue.

...

After the ceremony, Ryan was taken to an afterparty by the two DJs.

Aside from the DJs sitting in the audience, many DJs who had performed at the festival were present, making it a gathering of industry representatives.

Unexpectedly, this DJ party lacked any electrifying electronic music or even background beats.

"After a whole year of raving, it's about time our ears took a break," David Guetta joked.

"This party is indeed refreshing," Ryan chuckled in agreement.

At the party, several young DJs approached Ryan, eager to engage and even requesting his autograph on the spot.

"You said your name is REHAB?" Ryan was momentarily taken aback by the name.

"Actually, the E in my name is replaced with a 3, so it's R3HAB." He wrote it out on the bar top with his finger.

Ryan nodded and gestured to the open seat next to him, "Have a seat."

The guy exchanged a surprised glance with his companion, clearly thrilled.

"What's the matter? Afraid to sit down?" Ryan set down his drink.

"No, it's just that I'm so excited. I never thought I'd be sitting across from you," he said, quickly taking a seat.

Ryan smiled, his mind flashing back to that list of DJs he had deja vu of. R3HAB was certainly among them...

*****

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