Liz woke up to the sound of Landon's voice coming from the kitchen. She stretched and yawned, getting out of bed to see what he was up to. As she entered the kitchen, she saw Landon on the phone, discussing something with Emma and Rachel. "...I think a compilation EP of all our artists would be a good idea," Landon said, his voice filled with enthusiasm.
Rachel's voice came through the phone, "But Landon, we're debuting One Direction as a band, and with you and Tatiana, that means we only have three talents in our label."
Landon chuckled, "It's no stress, we can always get features as well from other names to boost the EP's hype." Emma chimed in, "That's a great idea, Landon. We can get some big-name artists to collaborate with our talents."
Liz watched from a distance, impressed by Landon's passion and dedication to his career and the careers of others. She saw the fire in his eyes as he talked about music, and she couldn't help but feel drawn to him. As Landon continued to discuss the details of the EP with Emma and Rachel, Liz couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for him. She had never seen anyone so dedicated to their craft, and she found it incredibly attractive.
Landon noticed Liz standing in the doorway and smiled, holding up a finger to indicate he would be just a minute. Liz smiled back, feeling a sense of comfort and ease in his presence. As Landon wrapped up the call, Liz walked over to him, "Hey, what's going on?" she asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
Landon grinned, "Just discussing some plans for the label. We're going to debut One Direction and Tatiana, and I think a compilation EP would be a great way to introduce them to the world."
Liz's eyes widened, "That sounds like a great idea. I'm sure you'll all do amazing things."
Landon's smile grew wider, "Thanks, Liz." He poured her a cup of coffee, and they sat down at the kitchen table, enjoying the quiet morning moment together.
Liz's curiosity got the better of her, and she asked Landon, "You're more than just an artist at the label, aren't you? I mean, you're discussing management roles and planning debuts..."
Landon's expression turned casual, and he replied, "No, I'm just a regular artist. I just like to be involved and help out where I can."
Liz's eyes widened in surprise, "Really? Because from where I was standing, it looked like you were running the show."
Landon chuckled, "Nah, I'm just passionate about music and want to see everyone succeed. I've worked closely with the team, so I like to share my thoughts and ideas."
Liz's expression turned skeptical, "But the way you were discussing One Direction's debut and Tatiana's career...people might think you're more than just an artist."
Landon shrugged, "Maybe, but I'm just trying to help out. I'm not in a management role or anything like that."
Liz's mind was racing with questions, but she didn't push the issue further. Instead, she took a sip of her coffee, lost in thought. She couldn't help but wonder what Landon's role at the label really was, and whether he was being entirely truthful with her.
Landon's expression turned thoughtful, and he said, "You know, Liz, I think it's because of Rachel that I'm where I am today. When my band kicked me out, she was the one who believed in me and signed me to her record label."
Liz's eyes widened with interest, "Really? What made her think you'd make it?"
Landon smiled, "She understood the vision I had for my music, and she didn't try to change it. She let me be me, and that's why I signed with her label when it was still new. I made a promise to her that I'd help her take her label to the top, and that's exactly what I'm trying to do."
Liz's eyes softened, and she looked at Landon with newfound understanding. She saw the loyalty and gratitude he felt towards Rachel, and it made sense why he was so invested in the label's success.
"That's really admirable," Liz said, "You're not just an artist, you're a team player. You want to see everyone succeed, not just yourself."
Landon nodded, "Yeah, that's how I feel. We're all in this together, and if we work hard and support each other, we can achieve great things." He glanced at the clock on the wall and stood up, "Hey, Liz, you should probably go wash up. You're coming with me to work, we gotta be there in 40 minutes, and I don't want to be late."
Liz nodded, feeling a sense of excitement mixed with a little nervousness. She had been looking forward to meeting the team at Echowaves, and she was eager to see what they were going to accomplish.
Landon smiled and headed towards the living room, "I'll just grab my things and we can head out. Make sure to bring your ID and anything else you might need."
Liz nodded and headed towards the bathroom to wash up, feeling a sense of anticipation building up inside her. She couldn't wait to see what the day had in store for her and Landon.
~~
As they entered Echowaves, Liz's eyes widened in surprise. The lobby was being redecorated with Landon's album plaques, showcasing his impressive discography. She saw plaques for his debute album "Landon" which had achieved 5x Platinum status. There were also plaques for individual songs, such as "Shape of You" which had gone Diamond, and "Dusk Till Dawn" featuring Sia, which had also achieved Diamond status. Another plaque caught her eye, "Eastside" featuring Selena Gomez, which had impressive 5x Platinum certification.
Liz couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at Landon's success. She had known he was talented, but seeing the physical representation of his achievements was truly humbling. Landon seemed to notice her gaze and smiled, "Yeah, they just put these up recently. It's still a bit surreal for me."
As they walked towards the meeting room, Liz asked, "So, what's the plan for today?" Landon's expression turned serious, "We're going to discuss the upcoming projects and strategies for the label. It's going to be a productive meeting, I think."
Liz nodded, feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation. She was eager to learn more about the music industry and see how she could contribute to the label's success. As they entered the boardroom, Liz's eyes scanned the room, taking in the familiar faces of the meeting attendees. There was Rachel, Emma, and One Direction, all seated around the large table. Tatiana Manaois was also there, chatting with a few other industry professionals. Landon smiled and pulled out a chair for Liz, gesturing for her to take a seat.
"Everyone, this is Liz. She's my guest for the day. I hope her being here isn't a problem," Landon said, his eyes scanning the room.
Rachel smiled warmly, "Not at all, Landon. The more the merrier." With that, the meeting began, and the room fell into a discussion about upcoming projects, strategies, and goals for the label. Liz listened intently, taking in the wealth of knowledge and experience shared by the industry professionals around the table.
As the meeting progressed, Liz found herself drawn into the conversation, offering her own insights and ideas. Landon smiled at her, seeming to appreciate her contributions. The meeting was productive, with everyone working together to brainstorm and problem-solve. Liz felt a sense of excitement and belonging, knowing that she was part of something special.
After a productive discussion, the group came to an agreement that the EP would feature 7 songs, showcasing the talents of One Direction and Tatiana Manaois. Landon nodded, seeming to approve of the decision. "I'll work on writing the songs with Tatiana. I'll also reach out to some artists to see if they'd be interested in featuring on the EP."
Rachel smiled, "Sounds like a plan. Let's make sure to get some big names to really make this EP pop." Emma nodded in agreement, "I'll start working on the production schedule and budgeting. We'll need to make sure everything is in place to meet our deadline."
Landon nodded, "I'll get started on the songwriting and feature artist outreach. Tatiana, are you ready to get to work?" Tatiana smiled, "Absolutely. I'm excited to collaborate with you, Landon."
With the plan in place, the meeting came to a close, and everyone began to file out of the boardroom. Landon turned to Liz, "What did you think? Was it what you expected?" Liz smiled, "It was really interesting. I loved seeing everyone work together." Landon grinned, "Yeah, it's a great team. We're all passionate about music and making it happen."