Rhythm and Ray: A DJ’s Journey

[Chapter 99: The Intervention]

After reaching out to the Big Machine Records owner again, the tone had softened considerably. This time, he didn't throw out random figures; instead, he slashed the asking price in half, with the condition that he would retain a certain percentage of shares and remain in his position at least until Taylor's contract ended. Ryan also had to offer himself a substantial annual salary.

He wanted to earn money and expected to continue benefiting from Taylor's career development in the future.

"I can agree to your additional conditions, but 50 million is just too much. I have a good solution..." Ryan proposed his thoughts.

Over the past few days, he had been considering the arrangements following the acquisition. Both he and Taylor were singers, responsible for songwriting and production, but they had no idea about promotion and marketing. That was why Ryan hoped to connect with Jimmy, but he wasn't sure if Gaga was already on board, so he didn't reveal any interest.

Ryan had to choose a different plan.

"Is that really what you think?" Scott immediately showed interest in this new scheme.

"Of course, I believe you're more useful than I initially thought. However, you need to keep this confidential from Scooter."

"Of course, I won't disclose any details about our conversation. Big Machine and Schoolboy are technically at the same level; both operate under Republic Records. He can't interfere with my ideas," Scott readily agreed.

"You still haven't said who's really behind him." Ryan recalled his previous inquiries, and Scooter had never disclosed this information.

"It's someone from the upper management at Universal Music. I don't know who specifically; Scooter tends to keep a low profile and stays under the radar. I got this intel from Lucian Grainge."

"Who is that?"

"My former colleague. We worked together at RCA, which is now under Sony. He's currently the chairman of Universal Music International, responsible for several regional markets."

Ryan wondered how this behind-the-scenes figure would affect the acquisition.

Next, Ryan and Scott engaged in a prolonged back-and-forth, ultimately completing the deal for just under $40 million. From a future perspective, this deal was undoubtedly favorable. However, at that point in time, it seemed strange to invest in a country singer's contract... even though Taylor had already won two major awards for Best New Artist in country music, this deal still appeared hard to grasp. It wasn't a matter of it being expensive or cheap; the music business was inherently high-risk.

One album could be a massive hit, while the next could tank -- there were countless examples. Most singers dealt with such volatility; in fact, the singer's career was unstable and unpredictable!

Even Lady Gaga, who had only garnered significant buzz in her first three years, began to coast afterward. Katy Perry was nowhere near her level at the time.

Looking at it this way, Ryan's acquisition somewhat resembled "paying for love." But the truth behind it was known only to him.

...

Once the acquisition was finalized, Taylor released her second single and officially launched her new album, marking the start of her spectacular rise.

The following evening, Taylor's whole family, including her brother, arrived in Florida, and Ryan warmly welcomed them.

"Scott has finally agreed; we can start the formal handover next week," Ryan told Taylor's family at the restaurant.

When they heard this news, Taylor's heart finally eased.

"You did it, Ryan," she said, taking his hand in front of her parents and placing it against her cheek.

No one was more excited than Taylor Swift. There were many who could say they loved her, but how many would actually put their money where their mouth was to support her career? Not to mention, even offering just a few hundred thousand was exceedingly rare.

Taylor's mother felt happy for her daughter. From what she could see, Ryan genuinely cared about Taylor, and she struggled to identify any other motive.

In terms of height, age, and looks, the two matched well. Had they not been so young, she might have hinted at Ryan considering a proposal.

As for Taylor's father, he knew this day would come, yet when it finally arrived, he felt surprisingly reluctant and even a bit sad.

But aside from their relationship, there was also the matter of business to discuss.

"How much cash can you all gather now?" Ryan hadn't forgotten his earlier promise to Taylor's father.

"Well... actually, not much. You know the economy hasn't been great lately," Scott replied sheepishly.

"What about the money I earned before? There should still be a decent amount left. If we pull together a bit, we could probably come up with a few million, right?" Taylor stated matter-of-factly, as most of her income had been managed by her parents.

Taylor's father visibly became uneasy.

"Let me explain," Taylor's mother said quietly. "Your dad invested your money this year, but it didn't go well, running into the financial crisis."

"What? What happened to that money? That's the cash I worked so hard for! It can't all be lost, right? I should've just invested in real estate!" Taylor was stunned and made a resolute decision to buy property with her earnings in the future. The "house-flipping" mentality had set in.

"Don't worry; you can always earn more," Ryan reassured Taylor, then turned to her parents. "Even though we can't do a joint acquisition, I will still grant Taylor symbolic shares. Additionally, I hope your father can take a position in the company after the acquisition is complete, fully in charge of Taylor's team."

Taylor's father had extensive connections, making his involvement highly advantageous. Most importantly, he could provide a balancing force.

After Ryan finalized the acquisition, he wouldn't kick the original Big Machine CEO out; instead, he would keep him on as a vice president responsible for promotion and public relations.

Also, he would serve in Ryan's upcoming new record label, which, like Big Machine, would also be a subsidiary under Universal Music Group.

"Absolutely no problem," Taylor's father said with genuine warmth.

In an alternate timeline, Taylor's father had launched an agency named '13' in 2012, tailored specifically for Taylor, with the name reflecting her lucky number. From that point on, Big Machine grew increasingly distant from Taylor's team, relying solely on a legal contract to maintain the relationship.

Finally, Ryan gazed at Taylor's brother, who still used a cane.

"I'm afraid I can't return to the field," he said, a bit downcast.

"That's okay; just pursue something else that interests you," Ryan encouraged.

Taylor's mother perked up at that; she interjected, saying, "Actually, Austin really loves photography."

Taylor quickly thought of something and flipped her hair. "Ryan, since you have such a good relationship with Trey, could you maybe arrange for Austin to intern at her company?"

With both the mother and Taylor asking, Ryan didn't want to refuse and promised to help right there.

"To the new company!" Ryan raised his glass, though he hadn't yet decided whether to rebrand Big Machine.

"To the new company!" Taylor echoed, lifting her glass.

Taylor's parents and Austin raised their glasses together, creating a cheerful family moment. The only one sitting at the end of the table, Daddario, had tried several times to chime in but felt like an outsider.

Afterward, Ryan drove Taylor and her family back to Nashville, beginning to take the reins of the company. His joy over the acquisition lasted just three days before being shattered by a letter from Universal Music Group.

...

"The spokesperson for Universal Music Group's North American division stated that the control transfer of Big Machine Records likely violates the distribution agreement previously signed with Universal Music Group. If Scott Borchetta proceeds with the transaction, he may be pursued legally by Universal Music Group...

Reportedly, the potential buyer for Big Machine is the currently rising music star Dr. Ray, who has had several singles enter the Billboard charts and has been hailed as the biggest surprise in pop music this year. He is also Taylor Swift's boyfriend. According to insiders, the trust fund associated with him is the financial backer for this acquisition.

As for the purpose of the acquisition, we cannot specify at the moment. According to internet rumors, he believes that Taylor has faced unfair treatment at Big Machine, so he generously decided to spend millions to rescue his love -- a display of affection that is quite touching...

It remains uncertain how Universal Music Group's intervention will affect the acquisition. We will continue reporting as events unfold..."

On TV, entertainment news was covering this story.

...

On the other side of the line, Scott was rambling. "There is a clause in the distribution agreement; any independent record companies not owned by Universal Music must sign to prevent Sony and Warner from directly acquiring them. But since you are part of Universal Music, they generally permit such situations."

"Is this Scooter's doing?" Ryan speculated.

"Now that you mention it... it's quite possible it's that guy!"

"Can the acquisition still be completed?"

"It can, but you need to prepare to lose a significant amount of money because that would exceed the acquisition price."

Ryan didn't have that much more cash to spare.

"Unless you can deal with Scooter, the acquisition will have to be terminated," Scott said.

*****

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