Chapter 739: The world tour proposal

Dayo arrived at JD Records shortly before ten in the morning. Valerie had arranged the meeting the previous evening after he asked her to bring the senior management team together. He hadn’t given her many details, only that he wanted to discuss a major project and would explain everything when they met.

By the time he entered the conference room, most of the executives were already seated. Ulrich had a folder open in front of him, Alice was speaking with one of the marketing directors, and Wayne was looking through a document on his laptop. Valerie sat near the head of the table, waiting for Dayo to take his seat.

"Good morning, everyone," Dayo greeted them as he entered. "I hope I haven’t kept anybody waiting."

"Not really," Valerie replied. "We were just discussing a few things before you arrived. You said you wanted to talk about something important, so everyone is here."

Dayo took his seat and placed his folder beside him. "Yes. I’ve been thinking about something for a while, and I wanted to discuss it with all of you before making a final decision. I’ve been considering the possibility of organising a world tour."

Wayne looked up from his laptop. "A world tour?"

"Yes," Dayo answered. "A proper international tour. I want to perform in different countries, visit places where I’ve performed before and go to places where I haven’t had the opportunity to perform. I don’t want to limit it to a few major markets."

Valerie leaned back slightly, considering the suggestion. "Have you already decided how long you want the tour to last, or are you still thinking about the general idea?"

"I’m still considering the details, but I don’t want it to be a short tour. I’ve been thinking about six months, perhaps nine months, or even a full year if that’s what we need. I want enough time to cover different countries properly instead of rushing from one place to another."

Ulrich looked towards him. "A year would be a substantial commitment. We’d have to consider the schedule carefully, particularly the number of countries and cities you want to include. Are you thinking about performing in every country where the album has performed well?"

"Not necessarily every country," Dayo replied. "But I want us to consider as many as we reasonably can. There are places where people have followed my music for years, and I’ve never performed there. There are also countries I’ve visited before, but I’ve only been to one or two cities. I don’t want to overlook those audiences."

Wayne closed the document on his laptop and joined the discussion. "I like the idea, especially if we’re talking about performing the older songs too. There are people who have been listening to your music since your first releases. Some of them have never seen you perform live, and I think they’ll be particularly interested in hearing those songs."

"That’s exactly what I’m thinking about," Dayo said. "I don’t want the tour to be built around Genesis alone. I want to perform as much of my catalogue as possible. The older albums, the songs that introduced me to the public, the records that became popular internationally, and the newer material. I want people to have the chance to hear the music they’ve followed over the years."

Alice joined the conversation. "That will give us a lot to work with from the promotional side. Different countries have different songs that perform particularly well. We can study the listening data and use it when planning the concerts. Some markets may have stronger interest in your earlier releases, while others may have become more familiar with your recent albums."

"Yes," Dayo replied. "I want us to look at that properly. I don’t want to assume that every audience wants exactly the same performance. We can keep the main structure of the concert, but there should be room to adjust the setlist depending on where we’re going."

Valerie opened her folder and began writing down a few points. "Before we discuss individual countries, I think we should establish the overall scale. If you’re considering twelve months, we need to know whether that means performing throughout the year or dividing it into different touring periods with breaks in between."

"I don’t expect to perform every day," Dayo said. "There will be travel days, preparation, rehearsals and time to rest. I also want some days available for other activities when we’re in certain countries. I just don’t want to set a short deadline that forces us to leave places before we’ve had enough time to visit them."

"That makes sense," Ulrich replied. "We can organize the tour into different legs. Each leg would cover a particular region, and we can arrange the travel between them in a way that avoids unnecessary movement. That would also make it easier for the production team to coordinate equipment and local arrangements."

Wayne looked towards the screen at the end of the room. "I think we should begin by separating the countries into places he’s already visited and places where he hasn’t performed. That way, we can see where we’re returning and where we’re introducing the tour for the first time."

Valerie agreed and asked one of the assistants to bring up the company’s international travel and performance records. The information would help them avoid making assumptions about Dayo’s previous appearances. Some countries had hosted him several times, while others had only seen him during promotional visits or other professional activities.

When the information appeared on the screen, Ulrich began examining the records. "We have several established markets across Africa, Europe and North America. There are also countries in Asia where you’ve had strong activity. We’ll need to distinguish between places you’ve visited personally, places where you’ve performed and countries where you’ve only had professional engagements."

"That’s important," Dayo said. "I don’t want us to treat a country as covered just because I’ve visited its capital once. There are other cities where people have been supporting my music, and I’d like to consider them too."

Wayne pointed towards the screen. "Take the United Kingdom, for example. If we’re returning there, we shouldn’t automatically plan everything around London. There are people in Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and other cities who would also want to attend. We should examine the demand before deciding how many shows to organize."

"That’s true," Alice added. "We can look at the listening figures by city and compare them with previous concert attendance where those records are available. That should give us a better understanding of where the demand is strongest."

The discussion moved towards North America. The United States and Canada were already important markets for JD, but Dayo wanted the team to consider more than the usual destinations after all this was his home base. New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta and Miami were among the cities that could be examined in the United States. Canada would also require attention beyond Toronto, with Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary included in the initial review.

"We shouldn’t decide based only on the size of a city," Ulrich said. "Some places may have a larger population but a smaller concentration of listeners, while another city may have a stronger audience for your music. We need the data before choosing venues."

Dayo agreed. "I want us to take that approach with every country. If there are places where people have supported me for years, I want them considered even if they aren’t the first destinations people usually mention."

Wayne turned towards the African section of the records. "We should give Africa enough attention too. Nigeria is obviously important, but there are other countries where the audience has grown considerably. South Africa, Ghana and Kenya should be part of the discussion, and we can examine the other markets as well."

"Yes," Dayo replied. "I don’t want the tour to treat Africa as one or two stops. There are different countries with their own audiences, and we should look at them individually. Even within Nigeria, we shouldn’t assume that one performance in Lagos is enough to cover the entire country."

Alice made a note. "We can examine Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Enugu, among other cities. The same approach can be used for the other countries, depending on the data and venue options."

One might be surprise about how they knew so much about Nigeria well Dayo was Nigeria and they had to he was the boss after all.

The team then moved towards Europe. Valerie wanted the proposal to include countries beyond the United Kingdom, France and Germany. Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and several other markets could be considered, depending on the size of the audience and the availability of suitable venues.

Dayo listened as the team discussed the possibilities. He had visited some of these places before, but he knew that a visit to one city did not mean he had reached everyone in the country. He wanted the tour to give people outside the main entertainment centers a chance to attend as well.

"France is a good example," Alice said. "Paris would naturally be one of the cities we’d examine, but we should also look at other locations where the music has performed well. We shouldn’t limit the planning to the most familiar venues."

"Exactly," Dayo replied. "I want us to be thorough. If we’re going to spend that much time touring, then we should do it properly."

Ulrich moved to the Asian markets. South Korea and Japan were already important territories for the album, and the company had records showing substantial activity across both countries. Seoul, Busan and Incheon could be considered in South Korea, while Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya were possible destinations in Japan.

Wayne looked at the list. "Those two countries could require several performances. The audiences are large, and we’ve seen how well the music has performed there. We should also look at the production requirements because some of the venues may need different arrangements."

Dayo agreed, then brought up another part of the proposal. "I also want us to consider countries in Southeast Asia. Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam are places I’d like us to examine. I know we may not have the same level of information for every market, but I don’t want that to be a reason we ignore them after all we have not been there."

Alice nodded and opened a separate document. "We can collect the available listening data and compare it with local concert markets. Some of those countries have strong audiences for international music, but we’ll need to understand the demand in each city before making a recommendation."

"That’s fine," Dayo replied. "I don’t expect us to make decisions without information. I just want the possibilities included in the proposal."

The Middle East also came up during the discussion. The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar were among the markets the team could examine. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and other suitable cities could be considered, depending on local arrangements and audience demand.

Valerie pointed out that every destination would require its own review. "We need to understand the local regulations, venue arrangements, promoters and security requirements. We can certainly consider those countries, but we shouldn’t put a date on the schedule until the necessary checks have been completed."

"I agree," Dayo said. "I want the tour to be organized properly. We have enough time to examine the options, so there is no need to rush into announcing dates before we’re ready."

South America received considerable attention as well. Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru were included in the initial discussion. The team considered S?o Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Buenos Aires in Argentina, and other major cities where the album’s performance and local demand could support concerts.

Wayne looked through the regional list. "South America should have a proper place in the tour. We shouldn’t treat it as somewhere we visit for one concert before leaving. There are different countries and large audiences there, and the arrangements should reflect that."

"That’s what I want," Dayo replied. "If we’re going to travel there, I want us to examine the region properly. We can decide how many cities make sense after we’ve reviewed the figures."

Australia and New Zealand were also discussed. The team considered Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth in Australia, along with Auckland in New Zealand. Valerie suggested that these destinations could be grouped into one touring leg to make the travel arrangements easier.

Ulrich wrote down the suggestion. "If we organize the tour by region, we can reduce unnecessary travel between distant countries. Africa could be one leg, followed by Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Oceania. The exact order can depend on venue availability and the time of year."

Dayo looked over the list. "That sounds reasonable. I want the schedule to be extensive, but I also want it to make sense. We shouldn’t be travelling back and forth across the world when we can arrange the destinations more efficiently."

Alice returned to the subject of the audience. "There is another point we should consider. Some countries have strong streaming numbers, but that doesn’t automatically tell us how many people will attend a concert. We need to examine local demand, venue capacity and previous ticket activity where we have it."

"Yes," Dayo said. "I want us to use the information available, but I also want us to look beyond the biggest numbers. There may be cities with smaller streaming figures where people are still very interested in seeing me perform i would contact the tech company for more detailed information. "

Wayne then returned to the music. "We should start reviewing the catalogue before the production team begins making arrangements. There are songs from the earlier albums that people haven’t heard live in a long time. We need to decide how many songs can fit into the main performance without making every concert too long."

Dayo considered the suggestion. "I want to perform as much as possible. I know we can’t put every song into every concert, but I don’t want to leave out important parts of the catalogue. People have followed different stages of my career, and I’d like the tour to recognize that."

"We can organize the performances into sections," Wayne explained. "The earlier releases can have their own part, then we can move through the albums that followed. We can include the major singles, the songs that became popular internationally and the newer material. The setlist can change depending on the country, but we’ll need a main structure."

"That would work," Dayo replied. "I also want us to include songs that people may not expect. Some listeners have favorite tracks that never became the biggest singles, and I’d like them to have the chance to hear those songs live."

Alice smiled. "The promotional team can use that as part of the campaign. We could ask fans which older songs they would like to hear, then compare the responses across different countries. It might help us understand what people are hoping to see."

"That’s a good idea," Dayo said. "We can consider it when the tour is closer to being announced."

The meeting then turned towards the length of the tour. Valerie returned to the original question of whether six months would be enough or whether the team should prepare for a longer schedule.

Ulrich explained that a six-month tour could cover many major markets, but it would require careful selection. A nine-month schedule would give them more room to include additional countries and cities, while twelve months would allow a wider international programme with breaks between the different touring legs.

Dayo looked at the proposed structure on the screen. "I would rather we prepare for twelve months. We can always adjust the schedule if there are reasons to do so, but I don’t want us to begin with a short plan and then discover that we’ve left out places we should have considered."

Valerie looked towards the other executives before responding. "Then we’ll use twelve months as the initial planning period. We should divide it into different legs, with time for travel, rehearsals, rest and other activities. We can also leave room for changes once we begin confirming venues."

"That works for me," Dayo replied. "I don’t expect to perform every day. There will be days when we need to travel or prepare for the next show. I also want some time in certain countries to meet people and understand the places we’re visiting."

Wayne looked towards him. "Are you thinking about meeting other musicians while you’re there?"

"Yes, where the opportunity comes up its not only for tour it also connection and business. There are artists and producers in different countries whose work I’d like to learn more about. I also want to understand the local music industries. We don’t have to turn every stop into a business meeting, but I think there will be opportunities to build relationships while we’re travelling."

Ulrich added that such activities could be included in the schedule without interfering with the concerts. He suggested that the team identify suitable days for industry visits, meetings and other engagements once the countries had been selected.

Valerie then summarized the direction they had agreed on. The initial proposal would cover twelve months, with separate touring legs for Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Asia, the Middle East and Oceania. The team would review both previous destinations and countries Dayo had not visited, while examining several cities within the larger markets.

The production team would also begin reviewing the released catalogue to prepare possible setlists. The marketing department would study the audience data by country and city, and the operations team would examine venues, travel arrangements and local requirements.

"Before we finish, I want to make one thing clear," Dayo said, looking around the table. "I don’t want this to become a tour where we visit a few famous cities, perform and leave. I want to reach as many people as we reasonably can. Some of these audiences have supported me for years without ever seeing me perform. I’d like them to have that opportunity."

Valerie listened before replying. "Understood. We’ll make sure the proposal reflects that. We’ll examine the established markets and the places where you’ve never performed, then prepare a schedule that gives each region proper consideration."

"Good," Dayo said. "I don’t need everything completed immediately. I’d rather we take the time to get it right."

The meeting continued for a little longer as the team discussed the next steps. Ulrich agreed to coordinate the organisational review, Alice would work with the marketing department on the audience data, and Wayne would begin examining the catalogue and possible concert arrangements. Valerie would oversee the planning process and bring the different reports together.

By the time the meeting ended, the idea had moved beyond a private thought Dayo had discussed with Luna. The team now had a clear direction to work towards, although no countries, venues or dates had been officially confirmed.

Dayo gathered his folder and stood with the others. He was pleased with the discussion because the team had understood what he wanted without rushing into decisions. There was still a great deal to organise, but he now had people working on the different parts of the proposal.

As he left the conference room, Wayne caught up with him near the door.

"I’m looking forward to this one," Wayne said. "There are so many songs we haven’t performed in years. I think people are going to enjoy hearing some of them again."

Dayo smiled. "That’s one of the things I’m looking forward to as well. I want people to hear the old songs and the new ones. I want the concerts to cover the journey, not just the latest album."

"Then we’ll have plenty to work on," Wayne replied.

They continued down the corridor, discussing a few of the older releases that could be included in the performances. Behind them, the management team was already beginning to organise the information needed for the proposal.

The plan was now clear. Dayo wanted a twelve-month world tour, with performances across different continents, familiar countries and new destinations. He wanted to perform as much of his catalogue as possible and give audiences in different parts of the world the chance to experience his music live.

The next task would be turning that idea into a detailed schedule, with the countries, cities, venues, touring periods and production arrangements all examined before JD Records made an official announcement.