Austin Derek Griffin, known to his fans as Derek, stands inside the studio’s glass-walled lounge, his braided cornrows catching the reflection of neon signs from Queen Street below. He clutches a USB drive—the master of his eighth studio album, For All the Dogs. The white dog on the album cover glares back at him from the computer screen, surrounded by a black void and the unmistakable explicit content logo. Tonight is the night; the world is waiting.
Maya Chen, Derek’s longtime friend and publicist, checks her phone for the midnight drop. "We’re live in sixty seconds. How do you feel?"
Derek grins, nerves barely masked beneath swagger. "Every album feels like the first, but this one? This one’s for Toronto—for every underdog out there."
The crowd counts down as the clock strikes midnight, and Derek’s music floods the room, heavy beats and raw lyrics echoing his journey.
He scrolls through messages from fans, critics, and old friends. Some praise his evolution, others question his bold choices, but all are listening. Derek closes his eyes, remembering his beginnings: battles in Scarborough basements, the sting of rejection, the drive to prove himself in a city of dreamers.
Tariq, Derek’s producer and confidante, tweaks a beat as Derek freestyles over it. "This isn’t just an EP, man. This is you, unfiltered,"
"I want it to feel like a late-night drive through the city—mysterious, restless, a little bit haunted,"
The room vibrates with creative energy, Derek’s lyrics weaving stories of love, ambition, and the shadows that follow fame.
Inside, Derek steps onto a makeshift stage, mic in hand, the crowd’s anticipation electric. He shares the meaning behind the new EP, his voice steady and raw. "These songs are moments—scary hours when you question everything, but also find what matters most,"
The first track plays, ethereal and urgent, and the audience is entranced, lost in Derek’s midnight world.
Strangers nod in recognition; a young boy with braided hair mimics his walk, clutching a homemade copy of For All the Dogs. Derek smiles, realizing his music has become part of the city’s rhythm. He pauses, listening to Toronto breathe, ready for whatever comes next.
