"It's mainly because the little things in life are very vivid!" Landon said with a smile. "I don't like making things up when I write songs. They're all real things that happen around me. Maybe that makes it easier for everyone to resonate with them."
David nodded and suddenly held up the EP to the camera, loudly promoting it: "Attention, audience! Today, Landon's new self-titled EP is officially released. It features the chart-topping hit 'Yeah!', which held the number one spot for three weeks; the party essential 'In Da Club'; the soulful and healing 'Burn'; and the heart-meltingly sweet 'My Boo' and 'Like I Love You'—all the hard work of this new male singer, Landon! Go to the record store now, and you might even snag a signed copy!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the audience burst into thunderous applause. Landon stood up and bowed deeply to the crowd. Under the lights, the brilliance in his eyes was as dazzling as the EP cover.
After the recording of "Late Show with David Letterman" ended, the excitement of the group had not yet dissipated. Lil Jon and Ludacris were already in a celebratory mood, warmly inviting Landon to join them for the after-party at a bar.
Landon declined with a smile, patting his collaborators on the shoulders. "Guys, have fun. I have plans early tomorrow morning."
His gaze briefly met Eliza Dushku's, who was waiting quietly not far away. The meaning in that look was self-explanatory.
Lil Jon followed his gaze, caught a glimpse, and flashed an understanding, mischievous grin, bumping Landon's shoulder.
"Got it, brother!" Ludacris also waved his hand with a knowing smile.
Landon didn't explain further. With a shared understanding, he bid farewell to his team members.
He walked toward Eliza, and she naturally took his arm.
Zoe and Bruce were already waiting at the exit leading to the garage. Zoe's face showed no reaction to the scene.
Sitting in the spacious car, Eliza leaned against Landon's side, her fingers unconsciously twining around a button on his jacket. Her gaze occasionally drifted to the glittering New York night scene outside the window before falling back on him, filled with heat yet appearing somewhat reserved due to the presence of Bruce and Zoe.
Landon could feel the uncontrollable anticipation in her body.
This subtle silence lasted until they reached the hotel, passed through the quiet and luxurious lobby, and took the private elevator straight to the top floor.
The moment the heavy wooden door of the presidential suite closed silently behind them, completely cutting them off from the outside world, that pent-up anticipation exploded.
Almost at the same time the door lock clicked, Eliza had already turned around, cupped Landon's face with both hands, and kissed him passionately.
The unreserved desire, accumulated over weeks of not seeing each other and ignited by the successful night, fully blossomed.
Landon responded immediately, his arms tightening around her waist, pinning her between the cool wall of the foyer and his own body. Their lips and tongues intertwined, eagerly exploring each other's familiar yet fresh scents.
Clothing became an obstacle amidst the rapid breathing and friction, and it was hurriedly shed, scattered across the expensive carpet leading to the bedroom.
All scruples and reserve were completely torn to shreds in this absolute private sanctuary.
Eliza was bolder and more invested, perhaps because of the confidence brought by the turning point in her career, or perhaps because of the passion ignited by tonight's reunion.
She was no longer the slightly green girl from their first collaboration, but a mature woman who knew exactly what she wanted and was brave enough to take it.
Her passion was like a wildfire, and Landon, with his abundant energy and increasingly refined'skills,' welcomed the blaze with pleasure.
Eventually, when everything returned to calm, leaving only the sound of intertwined breathing and the touch of sweat-dampened skin, Eliza buried her burning cheek in Landon's sweaty neck and let out a nearly incoherent whisper:
"God... this feels... even more... incredible than last time. You're just... addictive."
Landon stroked her back and didn't speak, just tightened his arms.
Over the next few days, the gears of the real world continued to turn at an alarming speed. After the first self-titled EP was officially released on Tuesday, sales data soared like a lit rocket.
When the final statistics for the second Monday came out, even the executives of Universal Music Group, who were used to big waves, were shaken by the numbers on the screen: physical CD sales in the first week reached a staggering 2.51 million copies.
This number was like a heavy bomb, instantly detonating throughout the entire music industry.
It not only debuted at the top of the Billboard album chart without suspense but also broke the Nielsen SoundScan record for the highest first-week sales of 2.42 million copies set by NSYNC this past March with their album 'No Strings Attached'!
Although NSYNC had recently lacked promotional momentum due to Justin Timberlake's scandals, the record they set at the beginning of the year was itself seen as a symbol of an era, and the industry generally believed it would dominate for many years.
No one expected that only a few months later, this myth would be crushed in an even more violent manner by a multi-talented newcomer who had appeared out of nowhere.
If it weren't for Landon, NSYNC's record might have truly stood for over a decade, becoming a memory for a generation.
But now, history has been rewritten.
When the news broke, Universal Music Group was in a frenzy.
Doug Morris personally called to congratulate Landon.
Jimmy Iovine expressed his congratulations, and the entire group's resource allocation and level of importance were raised once again.
They realized they hadn't just signed a singer with a hit single, but a "phenomenal" asset who could define a new generation of pop culture.
Landon's current, relatively loose contract now looked particularly glaring in the eyes of the executives, and they needed to secure him with a more attractive contract.
Jimmy Iovine called Landon's cell phone immediately. Even through the receiver, the uncontrollable excitement in his voice was evident:
"2.51 million! Landon, you've made history!"
Landon had just finished a day of filming on the set of "A Beautiful Mind" and was leaning back in a chair in the dressing room while Zoe removed his makeup for the character Charles.
Hearing this number, he felt a momentary shock, but it was quickly replaced by a greater ambition.
He responded calmly, "Thanks, Jimmy. This is a victory for the whole team."
Jimmy quickly cut to the chase. "Listen, the next two weeks are crucial. Is 'A Beautiful Mind' wrapping up soon? We heard you have a one to two-week gap?"
"Yes, this is the last week of filming, then I have about two weeks before joining the set of 'fast & furious'," Landon confirmed.
"Excellent!" Jimmy's speech sped up. "In these two weeks, we can't waste a single second. After TRL, we've already arranged an exclusive interview with 'MTV News', an 'Entertainment Weekly' cover shoot, key radio tour interviews in New York and Los Angeles... and the music video for 'Burn' must be finished in post-production and sent to stations as soon as possible to take over the momentum from 'Yeah!'. Also, the music videos for several other songs need to be filmed as soon as possible."