“Brian, I will definitely help you walk out of the shadow of heartbreak.”

　　【Ding!】

　　【Detected that the host has enabled their partner to gain the positive emotion of “determination.” “Rap” proficiency +5 points!】

　　【Current: Rap D (4/5).】

　　Brian Clark: “???”

　　Are you kidding me, this works too?

　　……

　　【Above the Moon】

　　【Lyrics: Brian Clark】

　　【Composer: Brian Clark】

　　【Performed by: Phoenix Grove】

　　“Next, please enjoy the original song ‘Above the Moon’ brought to you by the group ‘Phoenix Grove’!”

　　After the host’s passionate introduction, Brian Clark and Grace Carter drew the attention of the entire audience.

　　“Wow, ‘Above the Moon’? That’s a pretty unique name!”

　　“The first group to choose the front row seats—this should be interesting!”

　　“The first original song of the night, I’m really looking forward to it!”

　　The live stream and the audience at the venue were all abuzz with discussion. The contestants in the contestant seats also watched intently, wanting to see just how capable this confident duo really was.

　　“Emily, who would’ve thought, Mr. Five actually has his own work.”

　　Michael Bolton glanced at the lyrics and composition section on the screen, then looked away, covering his mouth to stifle a laugh.

　　Emily Thompson didn’t laugh. She kept her eyes fixed on Brian Clark on stage, trying to see through him, but the more she looked, the more mysterious he seemed.

　　Using an original song for their debut performance—are they going all in?

　　Or do they have more than one original song?

　　……

　　Judges’ table.

　　Several mentors looked at the program list in their hands, also becoming interested in this “original” song. According to the contestant info, Brian Clark was a college student who hadn’t graduated yet. If the song was of high quality, that would be truly impressive.

　　No wonder they had the confidence to sit in the front row—it turns out this group has creative ability.

　　Mentor Olivia Harris looked at the “First Class” scorecard in her hand, thinking, “I’ll definitely give extra points if deserved. If they perform well, you’ll get tonight’s first ‘First Class’!”

　　On the dazzling stage.

　　Brian Clark and Grace Carter stood at the center of the stage, gripping their microphones, both exuding a do-or-die aura. They exchanged a glance, nodded when ready.

　　After receiving the signal from the contestants, the music accompaniment began.

　　A bold melody flowed out, evoking a sense of vast earth and boundless sky. Just the prelude alone was eye-catching.

　　In the second row of the contestant seats, Michael Bolton’s smile gradually faded as he listened, and he hooked his sunglasses down with a finger.

　　The atmosphere created by the prelude spread, and the audience quieted down, waiting for the two on stage to start singing.

　　As the song was about to enter the verse, Grace Carter slowly raised the microphone.

　　“I look up above the moon”

　　“So many dreams are flying freely”

　　“Yesterday forgotten, the wind has dried my sorrow”

　　“I want to meet you again on that vast road”

　　Her voice was powerful and infectious. Although it didn’t have the wildness of Linghua from the grasslands, it had its own unique charm—clear and pleasant.

　　Brian Clark was stunned for a moment, sneaking a glance at Grace Carter beside him. She was confident and dazzling, performing much better than during rehearsal. There was no sign of nervousness or fear—she was a total stage veteran.

　　Damn, playing the underdog, huh?

　　He suddenly remembered Grace Carter in middle school, looking all aggrieved after an exam, saying she didn’t do well. He comforted her all day, but when the results came out, she was first in the class.

　　People like this are just too much!

　　As for himself, he’d been totally relaxed in the waiting room, not a trace of fear—“nervous” wasn’t even in his dictionary. Yet now, his hand holding the mic was actually trembling a bit.

　　Dancing on stage was routine, but singing on stage was truly a first.

　　He couldn’t just keep standing there like an idiot. Brian Clark started moving to the rhythm, knowing only by moving could he relax.

　　After moving a bit, the nervousness did ease up.

　　As a song that was hugely popular in his previous life, “Above the Moon” was the one that made Phoenix Legend famous, sweeping across the country. Its audience was even broader than Jay Chou’s songs.

　　Middle-aged and elderly people loved it, and young people, though they called it cheesy, could sing it fluently—it was a song truly engraved in their DNA.

　　The camera swept over the five mentors, capturing their reactions.

　　Previously, Ryan Cooper had been so unimpressed by the other contestants that he sat with his arms crossed, eyes closed, resting. Now, his ears twitched, and he slowly opened his eyes.

　　“Ashley, what do you think?”

　　Olivia Harris was already moving to the rhythm.

　　Ashley Sullivan nodded affirmatively, “I think my dad would like this song.”

　　Yvonne Foster didn’t seem too interested in the song. After listening for a while, she started fiddling with the microphone on the table.

　　This girl’s vocal quality is really good!

　　Superstar William Howard nodded along to the beat as he listened, picking up the program list to glance at the group’s name again.

　　“Keep the camera on the superstar nodding for a few more seconds.”

　　Chief director Eric Grant saw the superstar nodding to the rhythm and knew without a doubt that this was the highest praise for the song.

　　“Emily, this girl is pretty impressive.”

　　Michael Bolton withdrew his gaze and whispered to his girlfriend, also feeling a bit surprised at Brian Clark’s songwriting skills.

　　“This isn’t a one-person stage.”