SWNOVELS Chapter 22
Chapter 22
“I swear, next to her, the 11 of us look like amateurs!”
“No kidding, she’s totally schooling us, okay? Where did the producers find this surprise contestant? Looks like she’s set to steal the crown!”
“Is it even a surprise anymore? Just look at the judges’ faces and the crowd’s reaction. When her scores come out, she’s definitely breaking the charts!”
Backstage, ten contestants were fervently discussing, all eyes eventually landing on Miranda, each filled with a mix of awe and sympathy. Everyone had thought Miranda, the reigning favorite, was a shoo-in for the title. Now, it seemed her chances were slipping right through her fingers.
How could this happen?
Miranda watched the young girl on stage, disbelief etched across her face. Anyone with a bit of musical sense could tell-they were all outclassed the moment she started singing.
Where did she come from? Why hadn’t she been on any singing shows before suddenly appearing on ‘The Masked Singer’? And with such a natural talent, why hadn’t the producers scooped her up sooner to build hype? Something didn’t add up.
She must be a seasoned singer the producers brought in for a ratings boost, not just some surprise contestant!
Yet, scanning the current music industry, there was no one so young and stunningly talented. Was Miranda truly about to lose her grown to this newcomer? No, it couldn’t be.
Miranda clenched her fists, her body trembling slightly from nerves and fear.
As the violin faded, Xanthea’s rendition of “Butterfly” drew to a close. The microphone caught her last breathy note, and the venue erupted in prolonged applause and ecstatic shouts. Fans would’ve stormed the stage if not for the security holding them back.
“Champion! Champion! Champion!”
The final night’s atmosphere had reached a fever pitch, with thousands of spectators chanting in unison, almost lifting the roof off the venue. The judges exchanged looks, marveling at the true power of music.
“Finally, a miracle has graced our stage,” the host exclaimed, grabbing the microphone and rushing onstage. “Thank you to our third surprise contestant for tonight’s auditory feast. Now, let’s see her scores!”
With each thud, the judges’ lights lit up, and the giant screen showed the online voting numbers skyrocketing. Not just the live audience, but the entire network was going wild, pulling in friends and family to vote for Xanthea.
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Chapter 22
In just a minute, the surprise contestant’s votes had already tripled those of the previous top scorer, Miranda!
The host, visibly shaken by the rapidly climbing numbers, shouted, “Let us give a roaring round of applause to congratulate our surprise contestant who has garnered over five million votes, and now, I officially announce the champion of this season’s ‘The Masked. Singer’ is…”
He paused for dramatic effect, “Let’s have Producer Oliver make the announcement!”
Oliver, beaming with pride, strode onto the stage, bypassing the host and confidently placing his hand on Xanthea’s shoulder-a move that instantly caused a stir.
What was this producer thinking?
Capitalizing on his position to boldly flirt with the beautiful singer on live TV? Who would. stand for this? Just as the audience began to protest, Oliver chuckled, “Xan, you may remove your mask now.”
Xanthea gracefully untied the butterfly knot of her mask, and in an instant, a stunningly beautiful face appeared on every screen, captivating everyone.
“Hello everyone, I’m Xanthea.”
The venue plunged into a moment of stunned silence, then was quickly drowned by a tidal wave of praise and cheering.
“Oh my gosh! Gorgeous lady, I’m crazy for you, absolutely nuts!”
“Her beauty is unreal, like she stepped out of a 3D model!”
“She’s got to have the highest beauty rating ever. I’m a fan for life!”
In the front row, Matthew stood up in shock-Xan? It was her?
When did she join ‘The Masked Singer’? Could this be the surprise she mentioned a fe days ago?