Rewind With A Superstar System-Chapter 68: Grand Finale (4)

<🎧 Song Recommendation: deja vu by Olivia Rodrigo>

...

After Von’s mic drop, the stage lights instantly cut to black. And in a typical televised show like this one, this would be the moment the room exploded with applause, but none came. There was no applause. There were no boos.

There was only the collective sound of nine thousand people trying to process what they had just witnessed. It wasn’t just that Von’s performance was technically magnificent, though the flow, the cadence, and the stage presence were undeniable. It was the meaning behind it.

The lyrics hadn’t been vague pop metaphors. They were specific. They were accusations. They were a roadmap to a crime scene.

The raw emotion radiating from Von was the cherry on the cake to convinced them something was involved.

For ten seconds, the silence stretched. But then, the spotlights snapped back on, centering on Michael.

The host looked rattled. He was a professional who had managed live TV disasters before, but he wiped a very real layer of sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief before raising the microphone.

"Woww!" Michael breathed, the word coming out as a genuine exhale rather than a scripted line.

He looked out at the silent crowd, realizing he had to jump-start the heart of the show before it flatlined. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"No, no, no," Michael shook his head, his voice rising. "It can’t be like this. That silence doesn’t do these performances justice! We just witnessed history, people! I need all of you to go one more time! Give it up for Julian West and Von Varley for the most intense showdown this show has ever seen!"

The command broke the spell. A low rumble started in the back of the arena and quickly swelled into a roar. But it wasn’t the polite applause of a studio audience; it was the chaotic, frantic noise of a crowd that had just seen a gladiator draw blood.

They cheered louder than they had all night, a mix of adrenaline and shock.

Michael smiled, regaining his composure as the noise washed over him. "That is what Project: Star is all about! Passion! Fire! Talent!"

He walked to the center of the stage, the giant LED screens behind him swirling with the show’s logo.

"Their journey to this stage has been long," Michael shouted over the noise. "From the audition rooms in Miami to the lights of Los Angeles. They have fought, they have struggled, and they have evolved. And tonight, we are going to find out who has what it takes to walk away with a global recording contract and ONE MILLION DOLLARS!"

The crowd screamed again at the mention of the prize money.

"And ladies and gentlemen," Michael pointed a dramatic finger at the camera, "it is no longer up to the judges. It was never up to us. It is all on you to decide their fate. The voting portal is up now and will be open for the next thirty minutes! Do not wait! Go vote for your Project: Star champion!"

The stage lights dimmed to a ambient blue, and the massive screens shifted to display a giant QR code and the voting links.

[VOTE NOW: WWW.PROJECTSTAR.COM/VOTE ]

[DOWNLOAD THE STAR APP FOR 10X VOTES]

A troupe of backup dancers ran onto the stage to perform a filler routine to keep the energy up in the room, but they might as well have been invisible. In the theater, thousands of blue lights illuminated faces as phones were whipped out of pockets.

Nobody was watching the stage. The real show had moved to the palm of their hands.

***

The Project: Star livestream on InkTube was melting down. The viewer count was a record breaking previous 14,000,000 concurrent viewers! The chat moved so fast it was a blur of text, a digital waterfall of reaction.

[Project: Star Official ✅: 🔗 Click the link to vote your winner! Download the Star App on Google Play or App Store to earn 10x more votes! Every voice counts!]

[System Guru 65: What in the hell did I just witness 💀 There’s no fucking way Von wrote that song. That was fucking too good!]

[Julian’s Wife 01: Unfortunately it’s his. I did some personal research immediately and Shazam found nothing. And from the lyrics... we can all figure out the message...]

[Julian’s Fanboy: 😔 no fucking way... Julian was a fraud all these while...I feel sick. He looked terrified when Von pointed at him. I should have known, I ain’t his fan no more. Unfollowing rn.]

[Epstein ♥️ Trump: wtf, @Julian’s Fanboy, how you be switching up on Julian so quick? You ain’t got no balls, bro. Or you falling for that brotha’s lies? Von is a thug, he just tried to intimidate him]

[Garri Is Life 🇳🇬: 😂 all dis one no concern me oo, I bin dey like Julian small before. But e too clear for here. Von Varley is the winner brr 😎. That flow sweet like fresh palm wine ]

[ADHD Ain’t Easy 💔: I find it difficult to understand your words @Garri Is Life 🇳🇬 🤷🏻‍♀️ but yeah, Von was better today and I’ll admit it’s not close. But what if he was lying? We can’t tell yk. But Julian’s face... he looked GUILTY]

[I Ain’t Cutting My Hair 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿: idc bro! Y’all be tripping if you ain’t rating Von’s bars. Bro was sounding like prime Eminim on a Rayan West beat, I’m crying 😭 The switch up from the singing to the rap omg]

[Streets Do Lie: Aswr, g. The transitions did it for me, this song is low-key the best rap song I’ve heard this year ngl. I ain’t even among those who watch this damn show but all I ask for is for the streets to hear the released version Drop the MP3 Von!]

[Autism Final Boss 😔: I’m hyperfixating on some of these lines. If it’s true, then Julian belongs in jail, not on stage.]

We Have 15 UCL 🤫: Von needs to come to Spain and perform at the Bernabéu immediately. This energy is what we need. Julian can go play for Varca 😭]

[Certified Lover Boy 69: Wait, did anyone catch the Bridge ain’t hurt line? He was saying Julian’s nose isn’t even broken! He took off the mask and Julian panicked! He was checking his nose! CAUGHT IN 4K!]