Chapter 5

Chapter 5 — 005: How Many Steps Does It Take to Release a Record?

Nakai Genta was extremely efficient. That very night, he announced that he would head to a cabaret club to look for suitable talent.

However, in Nagayama Naoki’s view, it would most likely just turn into another night of drunken indulgence.

Unexpectedly, while Naoki was still eating breakfast the next morning, Nakai Genta arrived at his door with a young woman of modest height.

“Naoki-san, this is Hoshino Suzumi, a good friend of mine. She’s a top student at Toho Gakuen University! And she’s also a member of the Seiko faction~”

Seeing the fashionable beauty before him, Nagayama Naoki almost blurted out: Wasn’t she just picked up at a nightclub?

“Good morning~ Nagayama-kun. I heard your story from Genta-san and got curious, so I came over right away~ hahaha.” She was clearly a cheerful girl.

“Good morning, Hoshino-san.” Naoki quickly invited them inside, stuffing the remaining rice ball into his mouth. “I didn’t have time to prepare anything. The room’s a bit messy—please make yourselves comfortable.”

They were all young, so there was little awkwardness. The two casually sat around the low table.

“It’s fine. Compared to Genta-san’s place, yours is much cleaner~”

“Hey, why drag me into this, Suzumi? My place is clean too!” Nakai Genta protested. “I clean it properly every week!”

For a bachelor, that was indeed acceptable.

After a few pleasantries, they got to the point.

Hoshino Suzumi asked, “Naoki-san, could you tell me about the song you mentioned earlier?”

Naoki took out the lyrics he had written and hummed the melody once. “What do you think? Can you transcribe it into sheet music?”

As expected of a music major, Hoshino Suzumi only needed to hear it once before she could sing it a cappella while reading the lyrics.

Listening to her voice, both Nagayama Naoki and Nakai Genta shared the same thought:

As expected, “Cherry Blossom” sounds ten times better when sung by a sweet female voice.

“If Seiko-sama were to sing this song, it would definitely become a hit across Japan!” Hoshino Suzumi truly was a devoted Seiko supporter. “Though for the arrangement, there are still a few details that need refinement.”

“Thank you very much. I’ll do my best to provide compensation for the composition work.”

“No need for payment. Contributing to Seiko-sama’s success is the wish of all members of the Seiko faction!”

Once again—she really was a hardcore fan.

Composing wasn’t something completed overnight. Over the next two or three days, Hoshino Suzumi came to Naoki’s apartment every day to refine the score together with him. Sometimes Nakai Genta accompanied her; sometimes it was just the two of them.

Even the landlady, Mrs. Makino, quietly asked, “That beautiful young lady… is she your girlfriend, Naoki-san?”

“Hahaha, no. Miss Hoshino Suzumi is Genta-san’s friend. We’re discussing a song these days.”

“Oh? Are you going to release a record?” Mrs. Makino asked curiously.

“Not exactly. I composed a song and want to see if it can be offered to Matsuda Seiko for performance.” Naoki felt a little embarrassed, but for the sake of earning his first pot of gold, he shamelessly referred to it as “composition.”

“Really? That’s amazing.” Despite her age, Mrs. Makino was not unfamiliar with rising stars in the entertainment world.

Days passed. The sheet music for Cherry Blossom was completed, and Naoki asked Hoshino Suzumi to record a demo tape. The song was then submitted to Sun Music, the agency representing Matsuda Seiko, along with a sincerely written letter.

At the time, Matsuda Seiko’s second single Kaze wa Akiiro was in its promotion period and had reached No.1 on the Oricon charts, destined to become a major hit. Her previous song Aoi Sangoshō had begun losing momentum but had also topped THE BEST10 rankings.

After Yamaguchi Momoe’s retirement, some media outlets had already labeled Matsuda Seiko a “phenomenal newcomer.” This song might further ignite her popularity.

At that moment, inside Sun Music’s internal meeting room, company president Aizawa Hideyoshi was listening to the demo tape. Naturally, he paid close attention to artists the agency was actively promoting.

Earlier that morning, the planning department had brought him the single Cherry Blossom, explaining that a fan had written an excellent song for Seiko.

At first, Aizawa was not particularly interested. But after listening to the demo and considering Matsuda Seiko’s vocal qualities, he had to admit that the song was no inferior to Aoi Sangoshō.

However, the agency was currently promoting Kaze wa Akiiro, while also pushing Aoi Sangoshō for stronger recognition, hoping to win awards at the Japan Record Awards.

Releasing this single at the end of the year would waste its potential. Using it as a New Year release next year seemed more appropriate.

“No matter what, we should secure this song first.”

Aizawa instructed Seiko’s manager, Sanwa Daisei, to contact the songwriter Nagayama Naoki. The record production would later need to be discussed with Wakamatsu Muneo, and it would most likely be scheduled for the following year.

As an experienced industry insider, Sanwa Daisei had worked with many composers and lyricists. Normally, fully completed demo singles like this were sent by newcomers hoping to debut; receiving one directly from a fan was quite rare.

He obtained the contact information from the planning department and called the Makino residence’s landline.

“Hello, this is the Makino residence.”

“Hello, this is Sanwa Daisei from Sun Music. May I speak with Nagayama Naoki-san?”

“Yes, he’s here. Please hold.” Since Naoki had informed Mrs. Makino beforehand, he had listed the apartment landline as his contact number.

These days, Naoki mostly stayed in his apartment watching television, listening to records, deepening his familiarity with the Shōwa era while recovering physically. When he received the call, he even felt he had gained a little weight.

“Hello, this is Nagayama Naoki!”

“Hello, this is Sanwa Daisei from Sun Music. We received your single Cherry Blossom. It truly is an outstanding piece. We would like to discuss future cooperation with you. When would you be available?”

“I see. I’ve been quite free lately—no, I’m available anytime. Please set the time.”

They finally scheduled a meeting for the following morning at Sun Music for detailed discussions.

Producing a record typically begins with a producer leading the project, selecting songs from internal reserves or commissioning composers and lyricists. If centered on a specific singer, a tailored single may be created. Generally, agencies and record companies take over 90% of total revenue, since they bear the costs of distribution and promotion.

However, famous songwriters and popular stars possess negotiating power. There is also the option of outright buyouts, though songs destined to become hits are rarely sold that way.

The discussion between Nagayama Naoki and Sanwa Daisei went smoothly. Once both sides agreed on the song’s quality, copyright transfer fees and royalty arrangements followed naturally. Besides a buyout payment of ten million yen, Naoki would also receive a combined 5% royalty share as lyricist and composer.

The entertainment industry really did make money fast.

After signing the contract, Sanwa Daisei invited Naoki to dine at an upscale restaurant near the agency. This had practically become tradition—whenever a contract was concluded, both parties would strengthen their relationship over a meal. In the entertainment world, spending standards also represented an agency’s reputation, and Sun Music’s hospitality ranked among the industry’s top tier. It was not something they would economize on.mething they would economize on.