Behind the ScenesFaraby's debut in the World Hit Festival had gone smoothly and the stage was now set for the island nation to make its first appearance on the WorldVision Song Contest. Although Faraby did not place very highly on the WHF, Prince Samir was sufficiently elated by what he saw as the performance's success to promise a bigger budget for the Faraby Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) and thus the country's WorldVision and WHF delegations, which were overseen by the FBC. The FBC's budgetary concerns were supposed to be the domain of Grand Vizier Sania Russo, under the power-sharing agreement which decreed that the Grand Vizier would focus on domestic matters and the Prince on foreign affairs, but the Prince convinced Russo to trust his judgement in this matter, stating that as many of the FBC's activities would involve interaction with other nations - such as international broadcasts and, of course, WorldVision and WHF - he had an obligation to help determine the corporation's budget. In return Russo extracted a guarantee from the Prince that the Grand Vizier (i.e. her) would have an
ex officio seat on the FBC Board and be consulted on the process of choosing the country's WorldVision and WHF representatives.
With the WorldVision date inching closer, the Prince called a meeting in Prince's Palace to discuss several matters pertaining to the FBC and WorldVision. Attending the meeting alongside the Prince were Grand Vizier Russo, FBC Director-General Sabiha Vali, Head of Delegation to the WHF Kara Abbas, and Iskender Salih - the Prince's bodyguard-turned-star who, of course, had so admirably represented the country on the WHF. The first agenda of the meeting was to guarantee Salih a contract with Faraby Records, a subsidiary of the FBC, which everyone agreed to. The second was to fill the seat of chairman on the FBC Board, which had been left vacant for some years since the tyrant Prince Mustafa fired the previous chairman, suspecting - not entirely unreasonably - the FBC (and the press in general) of opposing his rule. Russo offered the post to Vali. The latter, however, refused. At the time, according to the minutes of the meeting, she declared that she would prefer to stay on as Director-General and play an "active role" in moving the FBC forward. Some years later, she would admit to confidants that she feared she was being "kicked upstairs" by the Prince and Grand Vizier. The Prince and Vali had previously disagreed over the choice of song and artist for the WHF; he wanted to send a statement song, she a more upbeat, marketable song. The Prince himself seemingly sensed this, as he told Vali that he desired a "poppier, catchier song" for WorldVision. If he said this in an attempt to convince Vali to accept the chairmanship, then it was unsuccessful. For now, Vali would stay on as director-general and the chairman's seat would remain vacant. As a stopgap measure, the Prince suggested that Russo take over as acting chairman; she agreed. The third agenda was to offer Kara Abbas the position of Head of Delegation to WorldVision. Although concerned about the additional workload, she accepted the post.
The fourth, and most important, agenda was to determine who would represent Faraby on WorldVision and how to choose the country's representative to WorldVision and the WHF in the future. The Prince, Grand Vizier, and Director-General Vali agreed that in the future there had to be a selection process involving the people of Faraby, perhaps even some sort of national final. For the country's WorldVision debut, however, they already had someone in mind. 35-year-old Zehra Kaya had been one of the island's biggest and most beloved stars for the better part of the last fifteen years, with a career spanning music, film, television, and even the occasional painting. She was also a longtime friend of Sabiha Vali, and it was in fact the director-general who first suggested that Zehra represent the country on WorldVision. The Prince and Grand Vizier agreed; it was only right that Faraby's WorldVision story begin with one of its greatest artists. This would also give Zehra a chance at the international stardom that she so deserved. (Rumors that the publicly apolitical star had secretly donated millions to Prince Samir and helped the Prince in touch with arms dealer friends of her husband, banker Thomas Jeffries, during the Dark Time are most likely untrue.)
Everyone attending the meeting agreed to offer the country's WorldVision spot to Zehra, after which Director-General Vali personally made the call to her informing her of the offer. Many years later, Zehra would recall that moment as follows:
It was really late at night, I think around 12 or 1 a.m., definitely past midnight. I was sleeping in my apartment, the lights were out and all, and the phone rang. So I took it, and there was Sabiha's voice from the other end of the call, and she said something like, "Hey, look, sorry for disturbing. So I'm in this meeting with the Prince and the Grand Vizier and Kara Abbas, and we agreed to ask you to represent our country on the WorldVision Song Contest." And she went on and on, I think, about how it's a big stage and it's a privilege to represent our country there, all the multiverse's stars are gonna be there and I should definitely be there too. And I think I just nodded in a kind of mid-sleep haze and I said, "Sure, no problem." And then I went back to sleep.
-Zehra Kaya, as quoted in Sing, Sing, Sing: The Story of Faraby on the WorldVision Song Contest and the World Hit Festival
The PerformanceFlavezztown City, Rhim Flavezztownland - tonight this city would bear witness to Faraby's first appearance on the WorldVision Song Contest. A testament to Prince Samir's energetic campaign to elevate the country in the eyes of the international community and publicize Farabian culture. But most importantly, tonight the eyes of the multiverse would be focused on Faraby's biggest star. A 100-strong contingent of Farabians had made their way by government planes to this distant land, eager to support Zehra. Indeed, so great was the outpouring of support for the beloved star and the number of people who wanted to follow her to Flavezztown City that the Farabian government had to severely limit the number of supporters allowed to fly there to exactly 100, amid fears they would bring home the current Great Pestilence which so far had not reached Faraby's shores.
Those 100 supporters were slightly augmented by the country's official WorldVision delegation, headed by Kara Abbas, who had flown into Flavezztown City a few mornings ago. Flying along with them were a few selected journalists as well as the woman on whom all eyes would turn tonight. Zehra Kaya had spent her free time in the city touting its attractions on Farabian television, praising everything from the green space to the metro system and the Eastin Millennium Arena, which would be hosting tonight's proceedings. Cynical voices denounced it as a barely disguised attempt to gain Flavezztownland's vote, but the Prince, Grand Vizier, and the FBC rallied to her defense, insisting that she was genuinely enchanted by the city.
But now she would truly do her best to gain Flavezztownland's vote, as well as a multitude of other nations. Her 100 supporters had gathered (as closely as they could under the arena's social distancing measures) in a section of the arena, with Kara Abbas and the delegation not far to their front. They would be a reliable source of support, of cheers and applauses. The rest of the crowd was the wildcard, and Zehra Kaya would win them over.
The stage was brightly lit, a cross of light in the darkness. The wall behind and its LED screens gradually came into view, towering over the stage, the lighting a mix of sparking blue on the left and dazzling white on the right. The center lights - directly above and ahead of the LED screens - remained dark. The screens were still a void.
For the next two minutes, the Eastin Millennium Arena stood still. The lights shining bright, but no man and no woman onstage, and certainly no music to be heard. People began to wonder if the performance was going to happen at all. Even the Farabians in the audience were whispering among themselves. But then the sharp-eared among the audience noticed the beginnings of a drum beat, echoing through the arena, slowly increasing in tempo and loudness. The LED screens came alive, zoomed in on the rear of the stage. Heads were bobbing in the crowd and feet were tapping, and none were more enthusiastic than the Farabians themselves.
And then the triumphant sound of the
saxophone! And with it thin streams of flame emerged around the stage, streaks of bright red and orange, not so thin as to be unnoticeable but not so thick as to block the view, shooting for the ceiling but not quite reaching it. The blue and white lights from the wall now crisscrossed the stage. The center lights turned a bright green. The Farabians in the crowd began making noises, cheering and hollering and applauding.
And onto the stage - and into the eyes of the multiverse - they emerged, the LED screens zooming in on them. Two men appeared, each walking from opposite directions at the rear part of the stage. One was wearing a tuxedo, a dark silver fedora crowning his head, his hands and mouth holding on to a gold saxophone that let out such upbeat and beautiful sounds. The other was wearing a red shirt and jeans, his hands rapidly pounding the snare drum that was tied to him. They marched down the walkway towards the center, the screens focusing on them for a moment.
But soon the focus shifted away to the main attraction, sashaying onto the stage in a
bright orange dress, the back of her dirty blonde hair tied into a ponytail, her presence displayed on the screens and visible to those at the farthest end of the venue. She sprinted down the walkway, a vaguely sultry smile on her face, arms extended to take her saxophonist and drummer, looking at the sea of mankind now looking back at her. "Good evening Flavezztown City! Good evening to everyone who is now watching wherever you are!" she shouted as the flames shot up again, and the lights moved over and around her.
Oh yeah!
Every time you come to me, baby, I want you forever
And every time you gotta go, baby, oh I wanna be with you
When you're not here my mind just goes awry, I want you back with me right now
And I just can't imagine living my life without you
Zehra and the two men were now at the center of the stage. Softly and elegantly, she did a 360° turn on her toes, her eyes darting around the perimeter of the venue. The blue and white lights now mostly converged on her, and they continued to do so as she moved forward, leaving the men behind, sauntering towards the front walkway, wherever that would take her closest to the crowd, and especially to her countrymen there. As she reached the edge of the walkway, she crouched down, extending one hand towards the crowd.
'Cause I'm riding on your love, yeah
I'm riding on your love, yeah
I'm riding on your love, yeah
And I need you forever, hey
Oh, that's right
You know I need you forever
That's right
As the backing track resonated across the venue, Zehra rose to her feet, turning her back on the crowd directly facing her, taking a few steps towards the center stage but stopping before she reached it. The saxophonist and drummer sauntered over to her and she extended her arms again to embrace them, Zehra facing the opposite direction from the two men. A clear white spotlight was now on them and Zehra turned her head left and right, glancing at the crowd around the stage even as her arms continued to embrace the men. The saxophonist swayed a little, the drummer rocking his head back and forth with the beat.
Every time we aren't together, baby, I need you back with me
I just keep counting the seconds 'til you're back in my arms
When you ring the bell, knock on my door, my heart skips a beat, oh yeah, yeah
'Cause baby I need you back with me, and I want you forever
Zehra finally moved forward to the center stage, releasing the two men from her arms. They followed her nevertheless. The spotlights continued crisscrossing the stage, passing over her and the men several times. She began walking around the stage, desiring to see all the people in the venue wherever they might be. She had been on the rear walkway and the front one, but had not stepped foot on the two walkways jutting out sideways. She made a mental note to herself to go there before the performance ended. While she had the time, she ought to approach the masses there, give them the opportunity to be close to her, win over their hearts.
'Cause I'm riding on your love, yeah
I'm riding on your love, yeah
I'm riding on your love, yeah
And I need you forever, hey
Oh, that's right
You know I need you forever
That's right
And now she took the time to acknowledge those whose hearts she had won over years ago: the people of Faraby. "All the Farabians in the crowd, where are you?" she hollered in that crystal-clear soprano voice. The Farabian section of the crowd heard her, and they replied loudly. Cheers, shouts, and applauses all came her way, but most invigorating of all were chants of "We love you Zehra!", which the visibly touched artist responded to with a wide smile and a loud "Thank you!"
The saxophonist and drummer moved to the very center of the stage, leaving Zehra to travel down the two walkways that she had not visited before. She first went to the left (from the perspective of someone facing forward towards the LED screens) walkway, the music - the rapid beat of the drum, the guitar and the clapping in the backing track - soundtracking every step of the way. She stopped at the very end of the walkway, extending both her arms, her gaze towards the audience unbroken, the very image of a goddess to the masses below who she sensed she was beginning to win over.
Riding on your love
Riding on your love
Then she turned around and strolled across the stage to the right walkway, tapping the saxophonist and drummer on the shoulder as she passed by them. The LED screens now shifted their focus towards the two men, even as Zehra continued moving. The Farabians in the crowd cheered and clapped for the men, led by Kara Abbas and other members of the country's WorldVision delegation. Zehra, meanwhile, had reached the edge of the right walkway. There she stood, singing to the adoring masses, her voice and the beat of the music echoing across the Eastin Millennium Arena.
I need you now, I want you back, I need you now and forever
I need you now, I want you back, I need you now and forever
I need your love, baby, yeah
Oh yeah, I want your love, baby, yeah
As Zehra stood there, with the crowd taking in every word and every move of hers, she silently assured herself that she had done the best. The nation and the people of Faraby had trusted her to represent them on the WorldVision stage, and though she might not win it all, she was calm in the belief that she had put everything into the performance and at least had not embarrassed her country and herself. If the WorldVision crowd chose to forget her, her song, and her performance, she could still take solace in that belief.
She started back towards the center stage, a spotlight quietly following her, where she joined the drummer and saxophonist at the very center. They smiled and nodded to each other. They knew they had done their best.
I'm riding on your love, yeah
I'm riding on your love, yeah
I'm riding on your love, yeah
And I need you forever, hey
Oh, that's right
You know I need you forever
Zehra stood in the middle, between the rapid and unrelenting drum beats and the bright sound of the sax. She was rocking her head and tapping her feet, and the men too. If it hadn't become apparent to the audience that the performers were enjoying their own performance, then surely it was clear to everyone now. And this was indeed a performance to enjoy. The Farabian contingent in the crowd were now at their loudest, showering their star with unending cheers and shouts of acclaim and even chants of "More!"
You know, you know, you know it, baby
You know I need you forever
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
You know I need you forever
You know, you know, you know it, baby
You know I need you forever
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
You know I need you forever
Stay here, stay here, stay here with me now
You know I need you forever
Oh, baby
You know I need you forever
Oh, you know, you know it, baby
You know I need you forever
You know, you know, you know it
You know I need you forever
You know, you know, you know, you know it
You know I need you forever
At a point when the outro began to appear to be dragging on, the backing track gradually faded. The spotlights that for the last three minutes or so had been frantically racing west to east, up and down the stage began to dim. Zehra and her men were still at the center of the stage. There were no more words to be sung, and she stood her position, smiling, swaying her hips a bit as the saxophonist stopped playing. The beat of the drum gently receded until there was no sound to be heard too from the instrument.
Eventually, there was no more music to be heard, and instead the Eastin Millennium Arena erupted in cheers and applauses. Loud they were and from all sides of the venue they came. And as always, her cheerleaders in the arena, the Farabian people, were the very loudest of them all. Zehra and the men remained at the stage, absorbing the accolades. The LED screens were focused on her. Viewing the crowd in front of her, her eyes caught those of the head of Faraby's WorldVision delegation. Speechless, she gave Kara Abbas a thumbs-up; Abbas replied in kind, a grin on her face.
When she finally mustered the words, they were few and simple. "Thank you, thank you everyone!" she said, visibly struggling to hold back tears, before taking a final bow with the men and disappearing from the stage.
In the green room, Kara Abbas, holding her phone, found her star and informed her that there was a very important phone call to take. Zehra took the phone, immediately understanding what she meant. The voice of Prince Samir came from the other side. "Zehra, is that you?"
"Yes, Your Highness, it-"
"You'll be pleased to know that we watched your performance from my office here in the palace. Me, the Grand Vizier, I even told the guards and my Private Secretary to come inside and watch you!"
"Your Highness, I-"
"You did great, Zehra." His tone was gentle and reassuring. "Even if the WorldVision crowd turns their back on you, we'll always have yours. You are our country's first representative to WorldVision. Everyone who comes after you will follow in your path. You truly deserve to be one of our country's biggest stars, and I'm lucky to count you as a fellow Farabian."
And Zehra Kaya smiled.