Star trails // TOM KAULITZ

F I V E

September 9 2007, Las Vegas, USA

The last few months passed by incredibly quick. Before we knew it we were in New Jersey, sound checking for our act tonight at the VMAS's

I was standing on stage in front of an empty venue. I yawned when I checked my watch that read '12:37'. I grabbed the microphone from the stand. "1, 2, 3, test, test." I said into the mic while I heard Flynn testing his drums. "I can't hear myself." I said into the mic as I played with the earpieces in my ear. I heard Robin start to play the lead guitar for our most popular song. I sang the lyrics along. "Still can't hear myself." I said in between the verses. Right before the chorus I heard a countdown in my ear, when I sang the lyrics to the chorus I could hear myself clearly. A smile grew on my face before I did a thumbs up to the people working backstage.

The day has almost passed, I could spot a camera from every corner. Me and the guys were standing in line for the red carpet while I stood there with my arms crossed, nibbling on the nail of my thumb.
"Nervous?" Robin asked. And stopped biting on my nail. "Not for the interview no, the performance we have to do scares me a bit." I responded and crossed my arms. "The rehearsals all want great, don't let the nerves get to you." Dylan spoke up, reassuring me. "You'll be fine. I promise" he smiled and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Do I look okay?" I asked a bit anxious and fixed my skirt. I was wearing a two piece, a black mid length, skin tight skirt with a slit and a few sparkles. Together with a cropped tank top in the same colours with one strap.

A few minutes had passed and we suddenly felt someone call our band name. Dylan quickly walked up and we all just followed him. I frowned as the sudden flashing lights scared me a bit but we quickly turned to pose for the cameras. I quickly fixed my hair as I saw a young woman in a formal dress walk up to us, a mic in her hand and a cameraman following her.

"Hey guys! How's your night so far?" She asked us, and we all responded at the same time saying 'great' in different ways. "Good to hear! But I could understand it's all kind of crazy, cause tell us! You guys have grown such a big audience in less than a year, how does it feel to suddenly go international?" She asked with lots of excitement before she pointed the mic at me. "Yeah, It is really crazy for us actually! I mean we're still young so it definitely means a lot to us to only be nominated. Thanks to all of ours fans! We couldn't have done it without you guys." I said at the camera. "But yeah, it feels kind of weird too, I mean look at the other nominees; Linkin Park, Fall out boy, Beyoncé! You know it really is crazy to be nominated together with all these people who are rocking the world right now!" I said bubbly. "Yeah, I could understand that. How would you react if you did win the Award for Best rock?" She asked. "Since it's your fans who vote, I think I could speak for everyone watching at home that we'd all expect a tie between you and TokioHotel, all the magazine covers have been switching back and forth from you to TokioHotel!" She said and I laughed a bit at her comments. "Well I'm not sure what we would do if we won except for being very grateful for our amazing fans," I said with a smile and I tilted my head a bit. "But I really do grant the award to TokioHotel cause they're doing so good! They definitely deserve it." I said, my smile growing a little as I moved around a little cause of the nerves. "Aww that's sweet of you!" She said. "You've heard it guys," she said at the camera. "This was Cherry Stereo's opinion on TokioHotel and their sudden rise of fame!" She finished her sentence and she turned back at us. "Thank you so much for your time, and have a great night!" We all nodded in response and the boys said it back to her.

More time has passed and we were now standing backstage. We could hear the presenter talk to the audience and the camera about the nominees and awards. I was fidgeting with my hands while zoning out a bit. While the guys just danced around a bit in excitement. I suddenly snapped out of my own world as I heard the presenter speak louder. "Give it up for Cherry stereo!" He called and an audience clapped.

We all ran on stage, Flynn ticking his drumsticks together while the rest of us held our guitars close. I stood in front of the mic stand while, it started with only one spotlight being on Robin, playing the first guitar riff to our most popular single 'Take me Away' (original by Avril Lavigne) "1,2,3 Verse" I heard in my earpiece and I started singing while playing the rhythm with my own guitar. During the chorus I stopped playing guitar and I held my hands on the mic while singing.

While we were In the middle of the song I was about to play the chorus again but right before my earpiece shut off. Before I noticed I played the chords to the chorus, when i looked up I noticed Robin giving me a worried look, that's when I noticed my ear piece not working and I was totally off beat. I felt a knot in my stomach and I looked into the audience to see everyone's smile dropped. I could've cried right there. I decided to stop playing guitar cause my lyrics were still on beat. My singing voice changed as I noticed it got more shaky. My hand going up to my ear to check my earpiece while I looked back in the audience. I had to belt in the last part of the song. I thought it might go okay but how closer we got to the end my voice got shakier and my voice cracked.

We finished the song with a missing rhythm guitar. As we finished I looked at the front row booths, where other artists were sitting. Most of them were clapping, a small smile grew on my lips as I noticed the support most artists gave me. Except the band in one of the middle booths. I saw a tall boy in baggy clothing whispering with another boy that had long brown hair, I exchanged eyecontact with the dread head before I noticed them laughing. Laughing at me. I tried to get off stage as quickly as possible.