Cerys Nyland stood by the bay window of her cozy house, nestled on a bluff near Seaford. The coastline stretched before her. She sipped her tea, savoring the tranquility of her sanctuary.

With a sigh, she turned away from the view and headed towards her living room. The room was a blend of comfort and bohemian chic, with mismatched cushions scattered across a deep, plush sofa and shelves lined with books, records.

She picked up her phone from the coffee table, its screen lighting up as she brushed her thumb across it. She hesitated for a moment before settling into the corner of the sofa, legs tucked beneath her.

Scrolling through her contacts, she paused at the name "Jack Dunn."

Her thumb hovered over the call button. Would he answer? Or would she have to talk to his voicemail?

She took a deep breath and pressed the button, bringing the phone to her ear. The dial tone hummed,...

There was a brief pause on the other end before Cerys spoke. "Is it Jack Dunn? It's Cerys! So glad to talk to you! I hope I don't disturb you."

Then she added with a friendly and relaxed tone : "I've been meaning to call you. First off, congrats on 'Lowlife.' It was brilliant, really. Been playing it non-stop."

Cerys, who was preparing a cup of tea, listened carefully. She felt a bit annoyed for Jack as he seemed uncomfortable. “Are you one of those artists who finds inspiration in bad hotel rooms?” she asked, a friendly and thoughtful tone in her voice. “Because if not, we can sort something out. There are studios up north, and we can book sessions near your place whenever you want.”

Then she sat at her dining table With her tea. “About ‘Lowlife’—seriously, just keep it real. No pressure from the label. Just deliver your message through your songs. That’s what people connect with.”

“I’m doing okay,” Cerys Saïd softly. “This year’s been exhausting for me too, but I’m enjoying some downtime now. Well, sort of downtime...and this is the part when I tell you why I'm calling you”, she said with a smile.

“Well, Head South Records is celebrating its first anniversary soon,” Cerys began, her tone is friendly. “I know you’re really busy, and there’s absolutely no obligation, but I’d love to know if you’d be interested in taking part in the celebration. Whatever format you prefer, really. A performance, a talk with fans, maybe just showing up and hanging out with us.”

Cerys was surprised at first but quickly warmed to the idea. "That sounds great! Do you have any idea what song we could perform together?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. "And is there a location you’d like to perform at? Even something unusual?"

Cerys laughed along with him. "Alright, I’ll take on the location hunt. Don't worry, I've got a few ideas in my sleeve."

Then she added:
"An original song would be fantastic," she continued, her tone shifting slightly, becoming more thoughtful. "Do you have anything in stock that we could sing together?"

Cerys chuckled softly, momentarily surprised by his choice of words. "Classy? Jack, the last thing I’m aiming for is some highbrow, posh venue. The whole point is to be close to the people, you know? The people made this label what it is. We owe them everything."

Then she added "Some of the artists are actually using their performances to promote causes they care about," Cerys continued, setting down her cup of tea on the table. "Like, we’ve got this amazing upcoming talent who’s planning a concert for kids with ASD and ADHD. It’s something really close to her heart, and it’s going to be powerful. I was thinking… maybe we could do something like that? What do you think?".

Cerys smiled, hearing the slight uncertainty in his voice. "I can’t wait to hear it," she said, her tone full of genuine enthusiasm. "Whatever you come up with, I’m sure it’ll be great. No pressure though, just let it flow."

"And as for the cover," Cerys continued, her voice light, almost teasing, "What do you think? Any suggestions?"

Cerys listened carefully to Jack talking about his next single, her heart swelling with a mix of pride and joy. Jack was really getting it—the aspirations of Head South, the idea that music could be more than just sound and sales figures. "Jack, that’s brilliant," she said, her voice warm and sincere. "It’s exactly what I was hoping for."

Cerys was excited, the prospect of creating something new with Jack sparking her imagination. "I can’t wait to hear what you come up with," she replied, her enthusiasm palpable. "And don’t worry about the timing—we can always push it to October or November if you need more time. No rush."

Regarding the cover,
Cerys remained silent for a moment, lost in thought. She had grown up in a house filled with vinyls, and she has tons of favorites...and the Pixies were a huge influence on her. But finding the right song, something that would fit the theme of Jack’s original, was a challenge. "I venerate the Pixies," she finally said, her voice tinged with admiration. "But I’m thinking about your song...loneliness, suicide… unless you’ve got one in mind, I can’t find a Pixies song that fits."

"Jack, tell me honestly," she said after another ten seconds of silence. "I’m thinking of a song, but I don’t know if you’d like it…"

After a short hesitation...

"I was thinking about ‘That’s Entertainment’ by The Jam," Cerys said, sounding a bit unsure. "It’s got this whole vibe about how crap modern life can be, especially for people who have it tough, but there’s also a glimmer of hope at the end, you know? I think it’d be a cool duet, especially the chorus. Like, you could sing ‘That’s’ and I’d jump in with ‘Entertainment…’" She let out a soft laugh, her smile almost audible. "Plus, there’s a few ‘lalalalalaaaas’ in there that I could take on too."

Before Jack could answers, she added:

"And one last point," she added, her excitement growing. "It’s a song that can be played with just two guitars and a bass. No drums really needed here...

What do you think"

Cerys reacted with a mix of excitement and surprise. “Really??? Oh my God, that’s so cool! I honestly thought you wouldn’t be into The Jam,” she admitted, laughing a little, her doubt quickly turning into enthusiasm. “But if you’re up for it, then yeah, let’s do it!”

She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts. “So, just to make sure we’re on the same page, we’d have your next single, The Jam cover, and maybe a new song we could write together and perform as a duet?”