"Attention all departments! 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... Go!"
With Director Miller's command, the first episode of "The Voice of America" Season 2 began recording.
Amidst the applause and cheers of five hundred live audience members, the beautiful host, Dana Peterson, in a blue gown, stepped onto the stage, smiling and waving: "Hello, everyone! I've missed you all so much!"
The audience laughed, and some shouted: "Dana! We've missed you too!"
Dana's smile was sweet. After a string of opening remarks, it was time for the mentors to appear. The audience instantly grew excited.
"I heard this season's mentors are all huge stars!"
"The production team is so secretive; we still don't know who's on it!"
"Here they come!"
The golden doors of the mentor entrance slowly opened, and a handsome, somewhat effeminate figure stepped out, immediately eliciting screams from many female audience members.
"Liam Reed! It's Liam Reed!"
"Wow, he's so handsome!"
Male audience members, however, had more complex expressions.
"Why did they invite that pretty boy?"
"Whatever, he might be a bit effeminate, but his singing is decent. I'll tolerate it."
"Liam Reed is here, so does that mean she's here too?"
No sooner had the words faded than another glamorous and enchanting figure gracefully emerged. She wore a pale pink spaghetti-strap dress, revealing her fair shoulders and long, slender legs. It was Amelia Quinn. This was her first public appearance since her divorce, and she had clearly put great effort into her outfit and makeup. She wanted to exude the sexiness of a mature woman, showcasing her beauty, while also displaying the purity of a young woman, reminding everyone that she was now single.
As expected, countless exclamations of awe and admiration erupted.
"It's really Amelia Quinn!"
"Oh my god, she's so beautiful!"
"It's true, leaving a man makes you better!"
"No scumbag, no abuse – Amelia shines on her own!"
Amelia wore an elegant smile, waving to the audience, earning countless more cheers. Amelia was very satisfied; the effect of her entrance was excellent. At least before her aunt appeared, she was undoubtedly the dazzling star of the stage.
She and Liam sat down in two adjacent mentor seats, and many female fans started "shipping" them.
"They're too perfect for each other!"
"This is truly the golden couple!"
"This pair is so shippable; I hope they get together!"
Liam looked at Amelia, his gaze focused and deeply affectionate, causing countless more screams. Amelia paused slightly, appearing somewhat awkward, but for the sake of the show, she eventually turned to meet Liam's gaze.
This "couple" immediately set the venue abuzz, and the scene of Amelia and Liam making eye contact appeared on the television screens in the contestants' backstage area. Simultaneously, the surrounding cameras were also recording. This was a deliberate arrangement by Director Miller, allowing contestants to see the mentors' entrance, with backstage and stage footage intercut later to create buzz and talking points.
"Wow, Liam and Amelia are so well-matched!" Alex Stone deliberately said loudly, glancing at Frank. He wanted to provoke Frank, to make him lose his composure on the show, so that when it aired, Frank would become everyone's laughingstock.
But the imagined scene of Frank's anger and embarrassment did not materialize. Frank looked calm and composed, watching the screen with a faint smile, as if Amelia and Liam had nothing to do with him.
I'd like to see how long you can keep up this act!
Alex Stone then added: "Actually, I always thought Liam and Amelia were the best match. Now they can finally be together." No sooner had he finished speaking than he noticed everyone around him staring in astonishment. Frank also chuckled, his eyes full of amusement.
Alex Stone froze, unsure what he had said wrong. Just then, Chloe Campbell, sitting not far away, suddenly spoke: "But Ms. Quinn wasn't divorced yet, was she? Can she be a match for someone else then?" As soon as she finished, the girl next to her quickly clapped a hand over her mouth. Chloe Campbell's round eyes widened, emitting a bewildered muffled sound.
Alex Stone's smile instantly froze. He really seemed to have said something wrong! "I mean, Liam and Amelia are just... just..." He tried to backtrack but didn't know how, his delicate face flushing red.
Fortunately, the third mentor appeared at that moment, drawing everyone's attention.
"Wow! Emily Chen!"
"My sweet Emily is here?!"
"Emily, baby, I love you!"
A petite, sweet, and adorable girl walked out of the mentor tunnel. The audience immediately let out excited shouts, including screams from fans. Even the contestants backstage gasped in surprise.
"Even the Pop Princess of New York, Emily Chen, is here? The production team is amazing!"
"What Pop Princess? My Emily is the Sweetheart Queen!"
"Sweet girls are for the world, but Emily is all mine!"
Several young contestants were very excited, clearly also fans of Emily Chen. Frank was also slightly surprised. Emily Chen was the hottest singer in New York in recent years. Her debut album sold over a million copies, and she continued to be a massive hit afterward. Moreover, Emily Chen had a sweet appearance, was excellent at singing and dancing, and had very good public appeal. She was popular not only in New York but also across the rest of the country. "The Voice of America" inviting her clearly aimed to expand the show's influence.
Emily Chen happily waved to the audience, her voice clear and sugary sweet: "Thank you all! I love you too!" Her soft, slightly accented English made her even more adorable. After sitting down, she very naturally greeted Amelia and Liam.
"Hello, Amelia! I really love your songs!"
"Mr. Reed, please take good care of me!"
"Emily, I listen to your songs often too." Amelia smiled, but her heart was slightly wary. Although Emily Chen was from New York, she had many fans across the country and might steal the spotlight on the show.
Amelia was still pondering how to deal with Emily Chen when the fourth mentor appeared. This time, the cheers were not only loud, but the screams were even louder.
"Oh my god! King James?!"
"Rock King James Dawson!"
"Production team, how did you get such connections?"
This time, a man in his thirties walked out, wearing sunglasses, a leather jacket, and leather pants. He had a strong, angular face, a typical tough-guy image. James Dawson, the American Rock King. This was a genuine music legend, with a higher status than Amelia and the other two, and he received the most enthusiastic welcome. The production team even specially played a rock anthem as his entrance BGM.
"King James, my idol!"
"I'm singing one of King James's songs today, oh my god!"
The contestants were equally excited. They never imagined the production team could invite a true King to be a mentor. If they could gain King James's appreciation on the show, wouldn't that be an instant path to success?
"Wait, there are five mentors in total. This is only the fourth. Who's the final one?" Someone realized, looking astonished.
On stage, James Dawson did not immediately take his seat at the mentor panel. Instead, he stood before the golden doors, bowing slightly, and gesturing as if a doorman, inviting someone in.
"King James is being a doorman?"
"Is there someone with a higher status than King James?"
"Could it be..."
"Oh my god, no way?!"
The next moment, the golden doors opened again. In the dazzling lights, a figure of unparalleled beauty and charisma appeared, instantly captivating all eyes.