Rhythm and Ray: A DJ’s Journey

[Chapter 75: Taylor Pro Max Plus]

'This isn't the first time someone has actively sought to appear in a music video. Earlier, Irina and even Paris Hilton had shamelessly approached for the same opportunity. But putting that aside, Elizabeth Olsen had indeed put in her fair share of effort lately. The ending of the music video even required a crowd scene, which needed a lot of young girls to cameo, so it was easy enough to accommodate her, not to mention Irina and Paris.'

[I can promise you, but the premise is that you have to satisfy me,] Ryan replied.

[What do you want me to do?]

[Just do your job well.]

...

Flying straight from Florida to California, Ryan met Taylor's personal assistant, Erica, at the airport.

"Taylor's in Santa Clarita shooting and won't be back until later tonight, so you need to wait at the hotel," Erica told him while driving.

Santa Clarita was Disney's exclusive filming location, filled with rural buildings, barns, and perfect for shooting country scenes. Ryan handed Erica an address.

"We're not going to the hotel; first, we're heading here," Ryan said.

"But Taylor said..." Erica hesitated, obviously having received specific instructions.

"She has her work, and I have my plans. Besides, do you really want to be stuck in a hotel all day?" Ryan asked with a smile.

Having Erica accompany him served double duty as not only support but also ensuring he stayed in check.

What happened to trust between people?

"What are you going there for?"

"Visiting a colleague... a former colleague," Ryan replied.

...

Eventually, Erica agreed to take him to the destination, a high school sports field in Los Angeles. A photographer from Vogue had to be a top-tier talent, willing to shoot anywhere from natural landscapes to famous landmarks and skyscrapers, always aiming for the best final product.

School was out for summer, and it didn't take long for Ryan to find the production crew on the sports field. Although the crew wasn't large, they operated smoothly. When Ryan approached, a staff member stopped him.

"I'm looking for Karlie Kloss," Ryan stated.

This was the girl who, according to Fizz, had burst onto the scene at sixteen, sought after by major brands. The staff directed him to a group of young girls dressed in eccentric outfits striking poses on the field. Their looks were nothing close to the terms "gorgeous" or "sexy." Instead, it was a bizarre collection of young women in fur coats paired with old-fashioned headscarves, standing in the sports field posing in what seemed, in Ryan's opinion, entirely nonsensical. It even struck him as unattractive.

Following the staff's directions, he finally spotted Karlie Kloss, but from a distance and with her outfit obscuring her face, he could only make out that she was very tall, maybe an inch taller than him, and she was very thin, her calves were probably not as thick as Ryan's arms. She was so thin that Ryan was worried that she would be crushed by the thick mink coat.

Ryan and Erica waited for Karlie to finish her shoot. In the meantime, Ryan overheard conversations among the crew and learned they were shooting for the August issue of Vogue at the sports field, chosen due to the upcoming Olympics in August.

...

After about half an hour, the photo shoot wrapped up, and an additional thirty minutes later, a made-up, dressed-down Karlie hurried over.

"Sorry, I kept you waiting for so long," she said apologetically, her smile a bit awkward, like it was forced. "But the wait was worth it," Ryan replied, noting that in this more relaxed state, Karlie looked a lot more likeable.

Her hair was a deeper shade of blonde than Taylor's, leaning more toward a light brown. While not the picture-perfect type that most models were held up as, she had a down-to-earth beauty. Considering her height, that was a feat in itself. Ryan even thought he could see a resemblance to Taylor; both had similar facial structures, but Karlie's cheekbones were a little less pronounced, making her face look more balanced.

The most striking features were definitely the eyebrows and eyes; Karlie's brows were practically twins to Taylor's, close-set just above her eyes. She had a similarly slender build to Taylor's but stood nearly four inches taller, implying her frame had a bit more to it. Ryan felt she was like a Taylor Pro Max Plus.

As for her overall demeanor, it reminded him of the girl in the original music video, which meant she had passed the first test.

"Fizz mentioned you were interested in collaborating with me on a music video?" she asked softly.

Ryan nodded, outlining the general concept of the music video and casually mentioning that his previous two singles had performed respectably in both the U.S. and Europe.

"Harlem Shake, right? I know it; it's quite fun," she said with a real smile this time.

"And the music video you want to make is totally different from Harlem Shake -- it's electronic music fused with country," he began explaining.

"...That's honestly hard to imagine." She pondered, trying to figure out a way to blend Harlem Shake with traditional country sounds, ending up only with a jumbled melody in her mind.

When Ryan began discussing potential shooting dates, however, she hesitated entirely.

"I'm really busy, you know, and I have a lot of work to handle. I've got three other magazine shoots lined up too. The pay for a music video isn't that great, and it could even impact my standing in high fashion," Karlie reflected, not showing much interest in Ryan's project.

Ryan was still weighing whether she had the right acting chops; her inability to even fully smile made him question whether it was smart to have her in a music video, but he was shocked that she outright declined.

Are models really this high profile now? Ryan wondered.

"Then I wish you the best in the high fashion world," he then called Erica, and they turned to leave the scene.

...

In the car, Ryan called Fizz.

"Why did she refuse? I'm calling her right now! Hold on..." Fizz said, expecting Karlie to be all in. She was surprised at how things fell apart.

"Forget it; I can look for someone else," Ryan shook his head, thinking he was already in L.A. -- how hard could it be to find an actress?

Fizz wasn't ready to give up and pushed for the collaboration.

"I'm calling that girl right now," Fizz insisted.

"Fizz, she's just not right for this role," Ryan reminded.

...

Later in the evening, Taylor returned to the hotel after finishing her cameo.

"Miley's voice sounded like an old smoker -- so weird. After the movie wraps, there's going to be an after-party, and a lot of child stars will be there. You should come along with me," Taylor said, rifling through her luggage as if looking for something.

"Also, I got you a gig tomorrow to open for the Jonas Brothers concert. Scott was going to send one of his other artists, but I heard it and stepped in. I really am looking out for you," she said, getting a bit sentimental.

Opening acts and featured guests weren't the same; featured guests appeared during the show, while opening acts performed before the main event, warming up the audience.

"Aren't you worried I might blow the roof off?" Ryan smiled, searching online for information on the Jonas Brothers.

"It'd be great if you did; they don't lack for female fans. This is a solid exposure opportunity for you," Taylor said, finally finding that black dress she had worn at the AMC event.

Her words were confirmed by online searches -- the Jonas Brothers, just like Miley Cyrus, were heavy hitters promoted by Disney, with their TV series, national tours, and a "big movie" coming soon. The three brothers were immensely popular among teen girls and held a position in Disney second only to Miley Cyrus.

Ryan was eager to grasp just how strong the teen girl fandom could be; when he turned around, he saw Taylor step out of the bathroom, now in her dress.

Before Ryan could speak, she started to head for the door.

"Where are you going?"

Taylor looked back, surprised. "My guitar's in Erica's room."

Ryan had asked her to bring clothes, and it must've naturally led to Taylor thinking he wanted to "up close" see her perform again at the ACM.

Not realizing that some performances didn't need a guitar.

Ryan stood up, shutting the door behind him, taking in Taylor from head to toe, feeling like something was missing.

"Did you bring any stockings?" he asked suddenly.

*****

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