Chapter 724: Recording Album IV

Two weeks had passed since Dayo began recording Genesis, and the studio had become almost like a second home to him. Most of his days followed the same routine. He arrived early, went through the recording schedule with Wayne, worked with the engineers, and stayed until they were satisfied with the progress made that day. Some sessions ended earlier than expected, while others stretched late into the evening because Dayo wanted to get a particular section right before moving on.

The work had gone smoothly, although there had been moments when Wayne disagreed with his choices. Those disagreements were usually about small production details, such as the way an instrumental should enter or how long a particular section should continue. Dayo listened to his suggestions, sometimes accepted them, and sometimes asked Wayne to try another arrangement before making a decision. Neither of them minded the discussions because they both wanted the songs to sound exactly as Dayo had imagined them.

On this particular afternoon, Dayo stood inside the recording booth with his headphones on while the instrumental played through the studio speakers. Wayne sat behind the mixing console, following the recording as the engineers monitored the levels. They were working on one of the remaining songs, and Dayo had already recorded several takes. The previous version was good, but there was a section near the end that he felt needed a little more control.

When the instrumental stopped, Wayne pressed the talkback button and asked him to come out for a moment. Dayo removed his headphones, placed them on the stand and walked into the control room, where Wayne had the last recording displayed on the monitor.

"That take was good," Wayne said, turning his chair slightly towards him. "I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it, but I know you’re going to tell me there’s something you don’t like."

Dayo pulled a chair closer and listened to the section Wayne replayed. He waited until it finished before giving his opinion, explaining that the last part sounded slightly rushed and that he wanted the words to settle properly before the instrumental changed. Wayne listened again, then asked the engineer to make a small adjustment to the timing so they could compare the two versions.

After listening to the revised take, Dayo agreed that it was closer to what he wanted. They went through the section once more, made another recording and saved it with the other versions. Wayne played the new take from the beginning, and this time Dayo was satisfied enough to move on.

"You’re becoming difficult to impress," Wayne remarked as he returned to the mixing console. "We’ve been working on this album for two weeks, and you still find something to correct almost every day."

Dayo smiled as he picked up a bottle of water from the table. "You know how I work. If I can hear something that needs attention, I’d rather fix it now than listen to it later and wish I had done something differently."

"I know, and that’s why I’m still here," Wayne replied. "Although I have to admit, I’ve enjoyed working on this one. Every time I think I’ve figured out what you’re trying to do, you bring something else into the studio."

Dayo took a drink before answering, telling him that he had already spent a month developing the songs before recording began. The melodies, lyrics and arrangements were ready, so the remaining work was about bringing everything together in the way he had intended. Wayne understood that, but he also knew that having a finished arrangement on paper was different from hearing it performed. Dayo often made small changes during recording because he wanted the final version to carry the same feeling he had when he first created each song.

The afternoon continued with another recording, and by the time they finished, the engineers had saved the final take and prepared the session files for the next stage. Dayo checked the recording once more before leaving the booth, then spoke briefly with Wayne about the following day’s schedule.

The remaining sessions continued in much the same way over the next few days. Dayo recorded the songs that were left, while Wayne and the production team worked through the arrangements and corrected anything that needed attention. There were no major problems, and the engineers had become familiar with Dayo’s working habits. They knew when he wanted another take, when he needed the instrumental adjusted and when he was satisfied enough to move forward.

Some of the people working elsewhere in the studio occasionally stopped by when they heard he was recording. A few artists came to listen, while producers and other staff members found reasons to spend time near the control room. Dayo never made a big deal of their presence, although he sometimes noticed people watching him through the glass. He continued working as he normally would, speaking with anyone who approached him and answering questions whenever he had the time.

Wayne was often the one who reminded visitors that Dayo needed a quiet environment while recording. He understood the excitement surrounding the sessions, but he also knew that too many interruptions could affect the work. Once Dayo was ready to record, the room settled down, and everyone who remained inside understood that they were there to listen rather than disturb him.

By the end of the second week, the final song had been recorded. Dayo remained in the booth for a little longer after the last take, listening through the playback before asking Wayne to save the session. He removed his headphones and stepped out, where the engineers were already preparing the files for the final checks.

Wayne looked at him from behind the console. "That’s twelve."

Dayo glanced at the list of recorded tracks on the monitor, then looked back at him. "Yes, all twelve."

"Finally," Wayne said, leaning back in his chair. "I was beginning to think you were going to keep adding things until we had twenty songs."

Dayo laughed quietly and explained that twelve had always been the plan. He had no intention of changing the number simply because they were enjoying the process. Wayne agreed, although he admitted that there were moments when he wished the album had a few more songs because he was already curious about what Dayo might create next.

The recording sessions were over, but they still had to complete the final production work. The team moved into the mixing and mastering stage, checking the sound of each track, adjusting levels and making sure the transitions between songs worked properly. Dayo listened to the tracks in different orders, sometimes asking for a small change and sometimes allowing Wayne to make the final decision when the adjustment was purely technical.

They also spent time listening to the album from beginning to end. Dayo wanted to be certain that the songs worked together as a complete project rather than twelve separate recordings. He paid attention to the way one track ended before the next began, the balance between the instrumentals and vocals, and whether any part of the album sounded out of place.

Wayne had already listened to the songs several times during recording, but hearing them in their completed arrangements gave him another reason to appreciate the work. He knew the stories behind some of the emotions because Dayo had shared parts of his experiences with him, although there were still details he had never been told. The songs carried those feelings without explaining everything, and Wayne thought that was one of the strongest things about the project.

One evening, after they had finished another round of checks, Wayne played the final sequence again. Neither of them spoke while the songs continued. When the last track ended, Wayne stopped the playback and looked across the console.

"I think we’re there," he said. "Everything is where it needs to be."

Dayo considered the work they had done before agreeing. They had spent enough time checking the recordings, and he could no longer identify anything that needed another adjustment. He asked Wayne to save the final version and make sure the files were properly organised.

"Genesis is finished," Dayo said.

Wayne smiled. "It really is."

Dayo stayed at the studio for a little longer to speak with the engineers and thank them for their work. He had no reason to rush out, but he was looking forward to getting home. The last two weeks had been busy, and although he had spent time with Luna and Jennifer whenever he could, he knew they would be pleased to have him around without another recording session waiting for him the following morning.

By the time he arrived home, the evening was already settling in. Max helped him with the few things he had brought back from the studio before returning to the car, while Dayo walked into the house. He found Luna in the living room with Jennifer, who was sitting on the floor playing with a few toys. She looked towards the entrance as soon as she heard his footsteps, then began making excited sounds and reaching for him.

Dayo placed his things on a nearby chair and went over to pick her up. Jennifer held onto his shirt while he carried her, and he kissed her cheek before asking what she had been doing all afternoon. She responded with a few sounds and pointed towards the toys on the floor, apparently wanting him to see what she had been playing with.

Luna watched them for a moment before asking how the day had gone. Dayo told her that they had finally completed the album and that the last production checks were finished. She looked at him with interest, then asked whether he meant that everything was ready or whether there were still a few things he wanted to change.

"It’s finished," he assured her. "We completed the final checks today, and Wayne is satisfied with everything. I listened to the whole thing again, and I don’t think there’s anything else we need to change."

"That’s good," Luna replied, smiling. "You’ve been working on it for so long. I’m sure you’re happy to have it finished."

"I am. Although I think Wayne might be happier than I am. He has been with me through the entire recording process, and I don’t think he wants to hear another song from me for at least a week."

Luna laughed as she adjusted Jennifer on the floor and handed her another toy. She knew how much time Dayo had spent working on the album, and she had often heard him talking about the production whenever he returned home. There were days when he arrived late, and others when he left early because he wanted to begin a session before the studio became busy.

"Have you decided when you’re going to let me hear it?" she asked.

Dayo looked at her. "I thought you were going to wait until the album was completely finished."

"I did, and now you’re telling me it’s finished. So I’m asking when I get to hear it."

He smiled, telling her that he wanted to arrange a proper listening session rather than simply play the songs for her while they were doing something else. He had spent a long time working on Genesis, and he wanted the people closest to him to hear the completed version together. Luna accepted that, although she reminded him that she had been waiting patiently and was now curious about what he had created.

"I haven’t heard a single song," she said. "Not even one. You’ve been keeping everything to yourself."

"That was your decision," Dayo reminded her, laughing. "I offered to let you listen to some of the recordings, but you refused."

"Because I wanted to hear the finished album. I haven’t changed my mind."

Jennifer began making louder sounds between them, apparently unhappy that neither parent was paying attention to her. Dayo turned towards her and asked whether she wanted him to play with her. She reached for his hand and tried to pull him towards the toys, so he sat down beside her and spent the next few minutes helping her arrange them on the floor.

After a while, Luna got up to check on dinner, leaving Dayo and Jennifer together. He played with her until she became distracted by another toy, then joined Luna in the kitchen. They continued talking while she finished preparing the meal, and Dayo told her a little more about the final production work.

Luna asked whether Wayne had enjoyed working on the album, and Dayo explained that he had been particularly involved throughout the process. Wayne had challenged some of his decisions, suggested changes and helped him achieve the sound he wanted. Dayo appreciated that because he needed people around him who could give honest opinions rather than agree with everything he said.

"He must be excited to hear what everyone thinks when you finally play it," Luna said.

"He is. I think he’s even more curious about your reaction because you’ve never heard any of it."

Dayo then asked about Nadia, remembering that Luna had mentioned her friend during one of their earlier conversations. He wanted to know whether she had made progress with her music and whether the show she had been preparing for had gone well.

Luna’s expression brightened as she began telling him about their recent conversations. Nadia had sent her regards and had asked her to pass them along whenever she spoke to Dayo. She was also happy with the advice he had given her during their visit, especially because she had begun noticing changes in the way she approached her music.

"She said she’s already seeing some improvement," Luna explained. "She’s been trying to work differently on her songs, especially the melodies. She told me she’s started taking more time with her ideas instead of settling for the first version that sounds good. She’s also been experimenting with her voice instead of using the same approach every time."

Dayo listened with interest, pleased that Nadia had taken the advice seriously. He remembered the conversation they had during her visit and how surprised she had been when he pointed out the areas where her music could improve. She had seemed uncertain about some of his observations at first, but she had also been willing to consider them.

"That’s good," he said. "She has the ability. She just needs to give herself room to try different things and stop limiting what she can do."

"That’s what she told me you said. She also said she’s been listening to her older songs differently since you spoke to her. Apparently, she can now hear some of the things you were talking about."

Dayo smiled, saying that he was glad she was beginning to recognise those patterns for herself. He had not expected her to change everything immediately, and he knew that developing a different approach to songwriting would take time. What mattered was that she had started paying attention to the areas she previously overlooked.

Luna added that Nadia had thanked her for arranging the meeting and had said she was grateful for the opportunity to speak with Dayo. She also mentioned that Nadia was still considering the possibility of joining JD Records, although she had not given her a final answer.

"I told her she shouldn’t feel pressured to make a decision quickly," Dayo said. "If she wants to join us, she can take her time and think about it properly. I don’t want her to feel that she has to accept simply because I made the offer."

"She knows that. She actually said she didn’t expect you to offer her something like that when she came over. She thought you were just going to listen to her songs and give her a few suggestions."

Dayo laughed, explaining that he had offered because he believed she had potential and could develop further with the right support. Whether she accepted or not was entirely up to her. Luna agreed, then told him that Nadia had asked her to pass along another thank-you.

The conversation continued as they prepared dinner. Dayo was pleased to hear that Nadia was making progress, and he hoped she would continue working on the areas they had discussed. He did not want her to rush into a decision about the label, especially when she was still trying to understand what she wanted from her career.

After dinner, he returned to the living room with Luna and Jennifer. The little girl had become more playful and wanted both parents nearby, so they spent some time with her before getting her ready for bed. Dayo carried her upstairs, helped Luna settle her into her room and stayed beside her until she became comfortable enough to sleep.

When he returned to their bedroom, Luna was already getting ready for bed. He changed, joined her and asked whether she had anything planned for the following day. She told him she had a few things to attend to, but nothing that would keep her away for long.

Dayo mentioned that he wanted to arrange the listening session soon. He had already spoken with Wayne about it, and he intended to invite the people who had been closest to the project and those he wanted to share the finished album with. Luna said she would be ready whenever he decided to arrange it.

The following morning, Dayo contacted Wayne and told him that he wanted to bring everyone together for the first full listening session. Wayne was pleased with the idea and agreed that it was time. They had spent weeks working on Genesis, and although he had heard every song during production, he knew the experience would be different when the entire album was played in its final form.

Dayo also began making arrangements with the people he wanted present. He wanted the session to be private, with enough time for everyone to listen without interruptions. Valerie, Yuri and Alice would be invited, along with Sharon and the others he considered close to the project. Luna would be there too, as he had promised her that she would hear the album once it was complete.

For the first time in weeks, Dayo no longer had another recording session to prepare for or another take to review. Genesis was finished, and the next thing he wanted to do was let the people closest to him hear what he had spent so much time creating.

The album was ready. All that remained was to press play.