<🎧 Song Recommendation: It's Time by Imagine Dragons>
...
The moment Von and Julian stepped onto the stage, the Star Theater erupted.
"YEAHHHHHHH!"
The noise was deafening, a wall of sound that hit them the second the lights came up. Over a thousand people were on their feet, screaming, stomping, and waving signs. It rained down on them for what felt like an eternity, a chaotic mix of adoration for Julian and grudging, stunned respect for Von.
Michael stood center stage, holding a single red envelope. He waited, letting the noise wash over him, before finally raising a hand.
"I can hear it! Really!" Michael shouted, bending over theatrically as if trying to listen to the heartbeats of the two finalists.
The audience laughed, the tension breaking for a split second.
"But seriously," Michael said, wiping sweat from his brow. "If I were standing where these two young men are standing right now... I'd be sweating buckets. One million dollars is on the line, folks!"
