Peering through gaps in the stage equipment, he marvelled at the sea of people in the National Stadium, awestruck by a star’s ability to wield such immense influence and draw such a crowd, truly unprecedented.
7:20 PM.
The countdown to the show neared its end.
Tawana’s entrance was uniquely spectacular. The massive screen behind the stage, a towering structure held upright by steel cables and one-way bearings, dominated the setup.
Once the cables were released, the dozens-of-metres-high screen would tilt forward slowly, its dramatic collapse delivering a jaw-dropping visual impact.
Tawana had already been lifted to the stage’s top via a platform from backstage.
Here, staff secured her with safety cables. As the show began and the screen tilted, she’d balance on a small board designed to keep her standing level behind the screen as it fell.
This board was critical, only the size of two A4 sheets, supported by an adjustable electric rod. When the screen stood upright, the board was at a 90-degree angle to it, and Tawana had to grip the frame behind to stay steady.
As the screen tilted forward, the board would tilt backward in sync, ensuring she remained upright.
When the screen fully flattened, the board would lie flat too, allowing Tawana to unhook her safety line, sing, and stride down the screen with her dancers toward the runway, igniting the crowd as the screen rose again, a moment sure to stun everyone.
Five minutes to go, Tawana stood on the board with staff assistance.
Ye Chen circled to the stage’s rear, looking up at Tawana dozens of metres high, suddenly admiring this young woman. This was nearly ten storeys up, a height that would make most girls’ legs buckle, yet she held the frame with one hand, mic in the other, ready to perform.
At 8:00 sharp, the venue plunged into darkness, then a grand symphony blared from the suspended speakers, stage lights and the giant screen flaring to life.
The crowd erupted, cheers crashing like waves, deafeningly loud.
As they screamed and cheered, the audience scanned for Tawana, eager to see how she’d make her entrance today.
Just as everyone searched, the central screen jolted and began tilting forward!
At first, some thought it was a stage malfunction, but its controlled pace made it clear this was intentional!
As the screen tilted, Tawana gripped the frame tightly, striving to stay balanced.
She knew the safety rope was there, so even if she slipped or lost her footing, it’d hold her secure.
But she’d rather die than let that happen, dangling midair would ruin her meticulously planned entrance and turn it into a laughingstock.
As she fought to steady herself, she suddenly felt the safety rope pulling harder at her back.
Glancing up in panic, she saw the rope taut, not extending as the screen tilted.
Cold sweat broke out, the rope had some give, but she couldn’t fight it forever, it’d yank her back eventually.
That’d leave her hanging helplessly, waiting for rescue!
The staff backstage panicked too. One exclaimed, “Oh no! The safety rope’s motor’s jammed, we hit the switch, but it’s not releasing length, if this keeps up, Tawana’s going to get pulled up!”
“What do we do?!”
The stage director felt the sky collapsing, blurting, “Tawana cares so much about this show, if this goes wrong, she’ll be crushed! And with the motor dead, how’s she supposed to get down if she’s stuck hanging?”
Just then, Tawana felt the rope’s pull intensify, her wrists straining. Through her earpiece mic, she pleaded, “Hurry, figure out how to release the rope, I can’t hold on much longer!”
