1 Producer, 7 Idols, 1 Grammy to Capture!
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When Lily, a passionate music producer and songwriter, is contracted to work on a special project for BH, her inner dialogue reveals a different passion just boiling under the surface.
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I help Lily step up into the back of the SUV, and we make our way to her apartment building as has become our routine at my insistence. As we pull up, I run out and offer my hand so she can take her time putting weight on her knee. Her hand is small and soft in mine.
"You look pained, Yoongi. Are you OK?"
"I'm a bit embarrassed, but do you mind if I use your bathroom?"
"Oh, of course! Why don't you come up and stay for dinner?" She smiles as she sets herself down gingerly on the pavement.
"I can't impose." I shake my head. I don't want her to think I was expecting dinner.
"Oh, don't be silly. Actually, it would be nice not eating alone for a change."
Lily seems so genuine that I agree, and I make arrangements to call my driving service later.
I pull my mask high on my face and pull my hat down as we head up to her apartment. When we arrive there is a vase sitting in front of her door filled with red roses. She looks surprised and checks the name on the card that confirms they are for her. I can feel the heat rise in my cheeks, and I have to check myself.
Am I jealous?
When inside, I take in her little apartment. It is tiny but well-appointed for such a small space. It is decorated with a Swedish design aesthetic. Everything is streamlined and tastefully decorated in crisp neutral colors. There are a variety of small green plants dotted around the room, and I imagine her watering and caring for them in a way that seems so authentically, Lily.
And even though the design is fairly minimalist, it doesn't feel stark, it feels cozy, and I am thrilled to take a look into her world. I note that she doesn't have a couch, just her bed, which isn't uncommon for small spaces like this, but, for a moment, it makes my mind drift off as I think about her laying in that bed every night.
I recognize her wall of records and books, and I see that she has a full 88 key keyboard sitting proudly on a stand on the opposite wall, complete with headphones. I imagine she puts them on and plays at her whim without disturbing her neighbors. Her acoustic guitar is hanging on the wall, and it makes me smile. Lily just radiates music.
She points me in the direction of the bathroom. When I come back, she is in her tiny kitchen, retrieving a package of steak and some vegetables and placing them on the counter while she gets a cutting board and frying pan out. I don't know why, but her standing there in her t-shirt and jeans feels like the most beautiful scenery I've had the pleasure of gazing upon.
"I will cook this," I announce. "You cut the vegetables."
"Yoongi, I invited you. I don't expect you to do any of the work."
"Nonsense. We will work together." and I see a corner of her mouth turn up a bit. I like that I can make her smile.
She puts on some music lightly in the background, and we work in comfortable silence except when I ask for ingredients or items I need to locate. I've cooked for the guys with Jin when we tape different shows, but this is so different. No cameras, she's not asking to snap pictures, not that she could anyway, but I casually looked her up on social media and noticed that she isn't very active. Those things really don't seem to interest her, and I love that about her. It's just the two of us at the moment doing something that normal people do every day, and it feels nice.
