Chapter 719: Wayne hearing the Album

The conference room had emptied, but Dayo was still standing beside his chair, gathering the few documents he had brought into the meeting. Valerie had already returned to her office, while Yuri and Alice had gone back to their respective departments. The remaining executives had their own work waiting for them, and the discussion had given everyone enough to keep busy for the rest of the afternoon.

Wayne was still around. He had been speaking to one of the former MK Label executives near the door, but as soon as the conversation ended, he walked over to Dayo.

"So, when do I get to hear it?" he asked, slipping his hands into his pockets. "You've been keeping this album away from us for a whole month. I think I've waited long enough."

Dayo looked at him and gave a small laugh. "You haven't even heard a single track, and you're already putting pressure on me."

"I'm not putting pressure on you. I'm asking a simple question." Wayne followed him as he moved towards the door. "I've been hearing that you've been locked away in your creative room, writing every day. Do you know how curious that makes someone who has spent years working with you?"

"That's your problem, then."

"Fine. I'll accept that. Just don't make me wait too long."

Dayo stopped outside the conference room and turned towards him. "I'm actually going to the studio now. You can come along if you want, but don't expect me to start recording today."

Wayne's expression changed immediately. "You're serious?"

"Why would I joke about that?"

"Then what are we waiting for?" Wayne said, already moving ahead of him. "Let's go."

They walked towards the lift together, talking about the meeting and some of the proposals that had come in during Dayo's absence. Wayne had his own opinions about the movie soundtrack offer, although he agreed that they needed to examine the details before making any promises. He was particularly interested in seeing what the production company expected from JD Records and whether the project would give the label enough creative freedom.

Dayo listened as they entered the lift. Their conversation moved from the meeting to a few production matters Wayne had been handling, then to the changes taking place in the company. Wayne had been involved in the transition from the beginning, and he understood how much work had gone into bringing the two organisations together. He also knew that some of the former MK Label employees were still adjusting to the new management style.

"Things are getting better," Wayne said as they stepped out on their floor. "A few people are still finding their feet, but I think the departments are settling down. The production team has been working well with the people who came over from the other side."

"That's good. I don't want people feeling like they have to keep looking over their shoulders every day. If they're doing their jobs properly, they should be able to work."

"Some of them are still getting used to that," Wayne replied. "You know how things used to be there."

Dayo did. The difference between the old management and the way JD Records operated had been clear from the first few weeks after the acquisition. He hoped the changes would become normal for everyone with time.

When they reached the studio, Wayne opened the door and allowed Dayo to enter first. The room was quiet, with the equipment arranged as it had been left after the previous session. A few instruments stood along one side, while the main production desk occupied the centre of the room. Dayo placed his documents on a nearby table and went towards the computer.

Wayne remained by the entrance for a moment, looking around before pulling out a chair. "Before you start showing me what you've been working on, how is everybody at home?"

Dayo glanced back at him. "Everybody is fine."

"I'm asking about Luna and Jennifer. How are they doing?"

"They're good. Jennifer is doing well, and Luna is fine too. We've been spending a lot of time together."

"Good. I hope you've been keeping your promise to that little girl."

Dayo smiled as he connected the flash drive to the computer. "I have. I spent the whole week with her before coming back to work. She made sure I didn't forget the promise."

"That's good. She probably needed that time with you."

"She did."

Wayne watched him for a moment before continuing. "And you and Luna?"

"We're fine too."

He didn't press the matter. Wayne already knew much of what had happened during the difficult period surrounding Jennifer's kidnapping. Dayo had spoken to him about it, explaining the important parts of what had happened, although he had kept some things to himself. Wayne knew how frightened Dayo had been when Jennifer disappeared, and he knew how the situation had affected Luna and their relationship. He also knew they had spent time apart before Dayo went to Aweta to try to make things right.

Wayne hadn't been present during those events, but he had not been left completely in the dark either. He understood enough to know that things at home had not been easy, and he was glad to hear that the family was doing better.

"I'm happy things are settling down," he said. "You have enough going on here. At least home should be somewhere you can rest."

"That's the plan," Dayo replied. "I've been trying to make sure I don't spend every hour working."

Wayne gave him a brief look. "We'll see how long that lasts."

"Can we get to the music now?"

"Yes, boss. I'm ready."

Dayo turned back to the computer and opened the folder containing the album files. The tracks were arranged in the order he had settled on, with the instrumentals and other production files organised separately. He checked through them before loading the first track into the studio system.

Wayne moved closer to the production desk. He had worked with Dayo for years and had heard him develop songs from the earliest stages, sometimes before the lyrics were complete. He knew how Dayo approached music, how particular he could be about a sound, and how much time he could spend adjusting a small part of a track until it felt right.

This time, though, he was hearing something Dayo had kept to himself for an entire month.

"Is everything ready?" Wayne asked.

"Almost. I still have a few arrangements to finish, but the songs are here. The lyrics and melodies are done, and most of the beats are already in place."

Wayne looked at the screen. "Twelve tracks?"

"Twelve."

"All right. Play the first one."

Dayo adjusted the volume and started the track.

Wayne settled into his chair, giving the music his full attention. The opening was easy to follow, and the arrangement had a familiar quality to it. It sounded like something listeners could connect with without having to spend too much time understanding what the song was about. He listened through the first verse and waited for the chorus, his attention moving between the sound and the way Dayo had arranged the different parts.

As the track came to an end, Wayne remained quiet for a few seconds.

"That's the first one?" he asked.

"Yes."

Wayne looked towards him. "I like it. The arrangement is good, and the melody is easy to remember. It's the kind of song people can listen to without having to work too hard to get into it."

Dayo gave a small nod. "That was part of what I wanted."

"Play the next one."

The second track began, and Wayne leaned back again. This one had a different mood. The music was more restrained, and the writing carried a weight that hadn't been as obvious in the first song. Wayne listened carefully, following the changes in the melody and the way the instruments supported the vocals.

By the time it ended, he was no longer sitting as casually as before.

"Okay," he said, looking at Dayo. "This is different."

"Different how?"

"I don't know yet. Just play the next one."

Dayo moved to the third track without saying anything. Wayne returned his attention to the speakers, and the room settled into the music. There was something about the song that made him listen more closely than he had with the first two. The writing felt more personal, and the emotions behind it seemed to come from somewhere Dayo had actually been.

When the track ended, Wayne didn't immediately ask for another one. He looked at the screen, then at Dayo.

"These songs are personal, aren't they?"

Dayo rested one hand on the edge of the desk. "Most of them are."

"I thought so."

Wayne didn't ask him to explain. He knew enough about what Dayo had gone through to recognise some of the feelings behind the music. He remembered the conversations they had shared during the period when Jennifer was missing, and the things Dayo had told him afterwards. He knew about the fear, the uncertainty and the strain it had placed on his family. He also knew that Dayo had been trying to put things back together with Luna.

Still, the songs did not give him a complete account of those events. They weren't written like a diary, and they didn't reveal every detail. Instead, they carried the feelings that remained after everything had happened. Wayne could hear that much without needing Dayo to explain it.

"Let's hear the fourth one," he said.

Dayo started it.

As the album continued, Wayne became more expressive. He leaned forward during parts he particularly liked, occasionally turning towards Dayo when a melody or a change in the arrangement caught his attention. At other times, he stayed quiet until the track ended, allowing himself to take in the whole song before commenting.

The fourth track held his attention from beginning to end. The fifth made him sit back and listen without interruption, while the sixth left him staring at the production desk after the final note had faded.

"Hold on," he said. "Go back to that last part."

Dayo moved the track back to the section Wayne wanted to hear. The music played again, and Wayne listened with his eyes fixed on the screen.

"That part," he said when it ended. "The way you brought the music down before building it up again. I like that. You didn't need to add too much to it."

"I spent some time on that section."

"I can tell. It works."

Dayo smiled and moved to the next track. "You're analysing everything now."

"What do you expect? You brought me here to listen to an album. I'm going to listen properly."

"I didn't say you shouldn't."

"Good. Then leave me alone and let me do my work."

Dayo laughed and started the seventh track.

The second half of the album carried the same personal quality, although the songs did not all approach it in the same way. Some were quieter, with melodies that allowed the words to take the lead. Others had fuller arrangements, but even those carried emotions that Wayne could recognise. He heard moments of sadness, frustration and uncertainty, followed by songs that seemed to move towards acceptance and a calmer understanding of things.

It was not the kind of album where every track sounded alike. Dayo had given each song its own character, but there was a connection between them that became clearer as Wayne listened through the collection.

By the time they reached the tenth track, Wayne had stopped making comments after every song. He was giving the music room to settle before deciding what he wanted to say. Dayo watched him occasionally, but he did not interrupt. He wanted Wayne's honest reaction, not a series of compliments given simply because they were friends.

The eleventh track ended, and Wayne remained quiet for a while. He rubbed his palms together and looked at the list of remaining files.

"How many more?" he asked.

"One."

"All right. Play it."

Dayo started the final track.

Wayne listened until the music ended. For a few seconds, neither man spoke. The computer screen showed the completed list of songs, but Wayne was still thinking about what he had heard.

Eventually, he turned towards Dayo. "I need to say something."

"Go ahead."

"This album feels like you. I mean, I've worked with you for years, and I've heard the kind of music you make. I've heard you write songs from different ideas, different stories and all the things you come up with in your head. You're good at that. Nobody needs to tell me."

Dayo listened without interrupting.

"But this is different," Wayne continued. "I can hear that you've taken things you've experienced and put them into the music. You're not trying to explain everything to the listener, but the feelings are there. Someone might listen to a song and never know what happened in your life, but they'll understand what you're trying to make them feel."

He paused, then looked back at the screen. "That's what I like about it. You didn't have to put every detail into the lyrics. You allowed the music to carry some of it."

Dayo lowered his eyes briefly. "I wanted it to be that way. I didn't want to tell people everything that happened. Some things are personal, and they can stay that way. I just wanted to write about how certain experiences made me feel."

"And you did that."

Wayne moved his chair slightly closer to the desk. "Honestly, I wasn't expecting this. I knew you were working on something, but I didn't know what direction you were taking. The first track gave me one impression, then the next few songs started opening things up. By the time I got to the later tracks, I understood what you were doing."

"You're making it sound like I planned some big surprise."

"You did, whether you intended to or not." Wayne gave a short laugh. "And I'm not saying this because you're my friend. I'm saying it as someone who works with music every day. These songs are good, Dayo. Really good."

"All right, relax."

"I'm relaxed."

"You haven't stopped talking since the sixth track."

"Because you keep giving me reasons to talk."

Dayo laughed, and Wayne shook his head before continuing. "I'm serious, though. You were brave enough to write about things that happened to you. A lot of people would rather avoid those memories completely, especially when they involve people they care about. But you found a way to put the emotions into songs without turning the album into an explanation of your private life."

Dayo looked at the track list again. He had spent a month working on the songs, sometimes sitting for hours with one melody or one line until he was satisfied. He had not expected the process to be easy, but once he began, the music had come together more naturally than he thought it would. Some of the feelings were difficult to revisit, yet putting them into songs had given him a way to deal with them without having to speak about every detail.

"That's what I wanted," he said. "I wanted people to hear the songs and connect with them in their own way. They don't need to know exactly what inspired every line."

"They will connect with them," Wayne replied. "I'm sure of that."

He got up from his chair and walked towards the speakers, still thinking about the tracks. "I really want Valerie to hear this. Yuri too, and Alice. I want to see what they say when they listen to it."

"They'll hear it when we're ready."

"You're going to make them wait as well?"

Dayo smiled. "I need a little more time. There are still some arrangements I want to finish, and I need to organise a few things before we begin recording."

"How much time?"

"Three days."

Wayne turned around. "Three days?"

"Yes. I want to go through everything again, make the remaining adjustments and prepare the sessions properly. After that, we can start recording."

Wayne considered it for a moment. He was clearly eager to begin, but he understood why Dayo wanted to finish the remaining work first. Starting the recording sessions before the arrangements were settled could create unnecessary delays, especially with twelve songs to work through.

"All right. Three days," he said. "I'll make sure the production team is ready. Once you give me the go-ahead, we can start."

"Good. I don't want us rushing through it."

"We won't. We'll take the time we need."

Dayo began closing some of the files on the computer, leaving the main album folder open. Wayne returned to his chair and glanced at the track list once more.

"Can I ask you something?" he said.

"What's that?"

"Are you satisfied with it?"

Dayo thought about the question. "I'm happy with where it is. I know there are a few things I still want to adjust, but the songs are what I wanted them to be. I don't feel like I'm trying to force anything into the album."

"Then that's a good place to be."

"I've listened to these songs so many times that I probably need a break from them."

Wayne laughed. "That's understandable. But don't disappear for another month after this. We have work to do."

"I'll be here."

"Good. Because I want to be part of the recording process from the beginning. I want to hear how you approach the vocals, and I want to work through the production with you."

"That's why I came to the studio with you in the first place."

Wayne picked up his phone from the desk. "I'm going to hold you to that. Three days, Dayo. Don't come back here and tell me you need another week."

"I said three days."

"All right. I'll trust you."

Dayo removed the flash drive from the computer and placed it safely in his pocket. He had wanted Wayne to hear the album before the recording sessions began, partly because he trusted his judgement and partly because Wayne had worked closely with him for so long. The reaction had given him a clearer idea of how the songs might come across to someone who understood his music but had not been part of the writing process.

As they prepared to leave the studio, Wayne was still talking about the album. He mentioned a few arrangements he particularly liked and returned to the final track, which had stayed with him after the music stopped. Dayo listened, answering some of his questions and explaining a few of the decisions he had made.

At the door, Wayne turned back towards him. "I'm looking forward to the next three days being over."

Dayo shook his head. "You really can't wait, can you?"

"No, I can't. I've heard enough to know what we're working with, and I want to get started. Besides, I still need to see Valerie's face when she hears the album."

"She'll hear it soon."

"Same with Yuri and Alice. I know they're going to have plenty to say."

"They can say whatever they want after they've listened to all twelve songs."

Wayne opened the door and stepped into the corridor. "Fine. I'll wait. But don't take longer than you promised."

Dayo followed him out, closing the studio behind them. They had spent much of the afternoon listening to music, and there was still work waiting for both of them. Wayne had production matters to attend to, while Dayo needed to return to his office and go through the remaining arrangements.

For now, he was satisfied with the day's work. The album was close to being ready, and Wayne had heard it for the first time. In three days, they would begin recording.