Jonah and his band were incredibly frustrated because almost no one was listening to them. Their songs were barely seen, and when they played a concert, the audience was few and far between. There was an explanation for this: they'd been playing together for less than two months. They'd only recently joined after finishing learning to play their instruments. They thought fame would come quickly and that, given their talent, they'd gain recognition soon. They were in for a rude awakening. What frustrated them most was that they knew they had what it took to succeed; they just weren't known yet.
They needed something to accelerate their dreams, but more music didn't guarantee they'd be heard. In fact, making more now, while they were just starting out, would only mean most of that music would go to waste because no one would ever hear it. Some band members suggested Jonah stir up some controversy to get himself in the public eye. For example, getting involved in a scandal or supporting a cause to attract criticism and, above all, attention.
But Jonah rejected that idea; he didn't want the band to get bad press right from the start for getting involved in politics or controversies. He wanted people to remember them for their music, not for things that ultimately did more harm than good. The more they thought about what to do, the more complicated things became; there was no solution in sight. After much deliberation, one of the members suggested that a collaboration with someone important could be a good way to attract attention. Jonah thought it was a great idea.
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Since they liked the idea, they started looking everywhere for a collaboration. But they were met with another rejection; no one wanted to work with them. The other singers were looking for the same thing: collaborations with other musicians who could help them gain more exposure. Jonah and his band couldn't offer them that; rather, they wanted the same thing. Because of this, even though the idea was good, it didn't take off.
So, with nothing left to do and no options, all that was left was to keep making music and grow very slowly. But Jonah realized something they hadn't tried yet. He knew that in the state where they lived, there was a competition held every year. It consisted of testing the musicians' stamina. They tested how many hours a band could play without stopping due to exhaustion. The band that lasted the longest won.
Since millions of people watched the show, it was perfect to use as a springboard to get their name out there. When Jonah told his bandmates, they laughed a lot because they'd never done anything like it, but they eventually accepted that it was the only way. Since the contest was in a few weeks, they registered and submitted their entries. There was a lot of excitement in the air. There were many up-and-coming bands, all eager for the prize of $50,000 and funding support for the winning band's musical projects.
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When the competition arrived, the bands fought tooth and nail; several played for days on end. But one by one, they all succumbed to exhaustion. By the second day, more than half had already left. Only Jonah and a few others remained. They played through the entire second day. After three days, only Jonah and his band and one rival band remained. The competition was fierce, and it seemed they would tie. But finally, Jonah and his band gave up and finished in second place. Although they didn't win, the show was so widely watched and discussed that they began to gain a large following, and their old songs, which almost no one had heard, were now taking off—late, but taking off. It was worth the effort. With this newfound attention, they could use it to climb the music ladder faster. There's always a way; you just have to fight for it. Fame awaits them.
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