The Glee Project: Episode 9

This week’s theme is generosity and the homework is “Lean On Me.” Alex tells us in his usual monotone that he really wants to win. Lindsay struggles with figuring out who she is. This week’s guest judge is Kevin McHale (Artie). Does anyone else think this show is missing Lea Michele and Cory Monteith and Chris Colfer? As sweet as Damien is, he comes off as the weakest of the group (it doesn’t help that his accent is so strong while singing that it makes the words sound slightly awkward). Alex’s belting came out as more of a scream than a sing. Sam struggles to connect. Alex doesn’t project his emotions physically. Lindsay gave a soulful interpretation. Damien connect in a smiley way. But ultimately, the winner is…Lindsay. (Perhaps a good time to start winning. He gives her the magic comb.)

The group number is “Sing” by My Chemical Romance. They will be singing and playing an instrument with a group of surprise guest stars. Damien worries about drums and naturally that is the instrument he gets. Samuel gets keyboard. Lindsay gets lead guitar. Alex gets bass. They are informed that this is the last round before the final and only three will be making it through. Their first attempt is pretty horrendous.

While doing the vocals with Nikki they meet their special guests: a group of kids. (They are part of a music program for kids form schools without music programs.)

The pairings:
Samuel- Alexander: Samuel shows him what they’re working on and he gets a bit intimidated so they bond about how you can never be wrong with music.
Lindsay- Lily: They talk about plays they have done, both have been Wendy in Peter Pan.
Alex- Alegria: Super awkward, Alex can’t get her talking and Alegria doesn’t have much to say.
Damien- Liam: Liam plays drums so Damien quickly takes lessons from him about how to fake it. (Lucky.)

Once in the recording studio, Alex needs to get it more solid. Damien is “becoming a rock god.” Lindsay is too careful and then ends up rushing. (Nikki really doesn’t like her.) Samuel keeps getting the wrong notes because the high are a little outside his range.

For the music video, the contestants have to help the kids perform. Lindsay has gotten some helpful lessons from Kevin McHale and can now fake it convincingly. Unfortunately, she is missing some of her vocals (do they mean she is missing the lip synching and why don’t they mention it to her?). Damien’s face looks a bit pained. Alex is noticeably not working well with his girl. Samuel’s piano playing isn’t believable.

Samuel’s partner Alexander is particularly cute, he gets this super intense look on his face when he sings and plays. by the time the music video comes along Damien has gotten the drums down. Lindsay and her partner interact well and you can see they enjoy it together.

Despite being told that one person will be sent to safety and the others will be doing last chance performance, they are informed that all four of them will be performing. The reason being that Ian Brennan (Glee co-creator and writer) is here for the first time and he hasn’t seen anyone yet. While I am fine with this twist, I do wish it had come earlier. It seems a bit late in the game for Brennan to be getting his first look.

Lindsay- Defying Gravity

• Lindsay talks to Nikki about her personal issue of not knowing how to relax and always trying to be perfect.
• Lindsay seems to feel attacked when he tries to pierce who she is.
• Her look here actually makes her fit better on the show than when she’s in a nice dress and all done up.
• She has an interesting voice because sometimes I really like it and sometimes it sounds a bit squeaky.
• She says she has lost herself and is done trying to be perfect.
• Ryan thinks they need her but always wants to cut her and never can.

Alex- His Eye Is On The Sparrow

• This song is hard for Alex because it was sang at his dad’s funeral. Nikki thinks the song has a joyful feel.
• The description for Alex is the love child of Kurt and Mercedes–he has the best voice but a confidence issue.
• Seeing him perform, you see exactly what Kevin McHale said about his need to emote more with his face.
• They talk about his difficult high school experience. He relates more to girls and gets picked on for being different.

Damien- I’ve Gotta Be Me

• Mr. Personality.
• He has been in the bottom the most but he keeps getting better and is rooted for the most.
• Vocally he has the hardest road. He would be a good freshman but Brittany would be utterly confused by her.

Samuel- My Funny Valentine

• Worst song choice ever. Samuel has never heard it before (honestly all I remember of this song is Tina’s version which was…awful).
• Ryan brings up Samuel’s christian tattoos as thought this is the most important thing about him, which for Ryan, it is.
• They aren’t sure Samuel is an underdog–he’s never had to pull himself up or struggle. When was the last time he cried? Yesterday because he was thinking about the competition. (It sort of feels like Samuel talks about God just because that is what they said they like.) Ian thinks he is the least authentic seeming.

Ian and Ryan have a hard time deciding and ultimately choose…no one. Any other time and I wouldn’t mind this decision, but I don’t like when no one is cut immediately before the finals. Something about the format of this show needs to change so that doing well in the music video doesn’t ultimately put you at a disadvantage in the end of the show (which is something Samuel says he feels is the case).

The Glee Project: Episode 8

This week’s theme is believability and the song it “True Colors.” They are singing the entire song this time instead of only a piece of it.

Damian is sad without Cameron. It feels more like a competition now. Samuel is feeling good about himself since he has never been in the bottom.

The guest judge is: Jenna Ushkowitz aka Tina. (Does this mean they’re stepping up the guest stars as the show continues? Puck was a pretty big guest.) Tina tells them to pull from their real life to create a character. Though they are all singing the full songs, we see bits of each person’s songs. (The song doesn’t particularly suit Damien or Samuel but that isn’t really their faults.)

Jenna thinks Alex’s voice is captivating. Damian was sweet and dreamy. Samuel was awesome and intense. Lindsay is a wonderful actress with a sweet rendition. Hannah was joyous. (Lindsay thinks Samuel has one look.) Jenna decides that Hannah is the winner.

This week’s song is Paramour’s “The Only Exception.” The theme is about liking someone who doesn’t see them. There will be no choreography. It is all about acting. Alex is sad about that but Hannah is thrilled.

Vocals with Nikki-
With Nikki’s pushing Hannah gets to an emotional place. Damian pushes too hard. Samuel needs more confidence. Alex draws on the death of his father and Nikki comes up to give him a hug which is sweet. (She’s never felt his performance the way she has this time.) Lindsay gets teary as well and tries to pretend she is fine (she is thinking about home and Nikki thinks she is forcing it). Nikki feels that Lindsay forces it.

Hannah is longer for Alex who is longing for Damian who is longing for Lindsay who is longing for Samuel who is longing for Hannah. So it all comes full circle. I like Hannah’s hair a lot here. She sees Damian just past Alex and gets distracted by him. Alex looks more depressed than in love. Damian is nervous and it comes across in his eyebrows. Lindsay’s performance isn’t coming across the way they want it to. Samuel has to be vulnerable for the first time but he comes across as too confident.

I can’t help but wonder why they waited so long to test acting ability. And what about non-musical acting? Being able to speak a line isn’t the same as being able to sing one. What if they can do music videos but can’t pull off regular scenes?

Nikki instead of Zach is helping with the decision of who is safe and who is in danger. Hannah thrived in the homework challenge but seemed distracted in the shoot. Damian did a great job in the shoot despite his lack of acting experience. Lindsay is a great actress but she didn’t emote the way the others did and Nikki was frustrated with her in the studio because she expected to have a breakdown (because she saw someone else have a real moment). Samuel didn’t show the romance, vulnerability, and longing. Alex took a while to warm up because he connected to a very deep place that wasn’t quite so connected with the song until he was given some notes. He found himself safe after receiving some notes. In the bottom is Lindsay, Hannah, and Samuel. (Yay Damian is safe! After continuously finding himself in the bottom!)

Hannah– “Back to December”
Loves the song. Hannah feels like the underdog but she’s more competitive than usual. Listening to her performance, I feel like she sounded fine, but it wasn’t a recording I would ever want to buy and listen to on my iPod. Ryan thinks Hannah is up against two better singers but she is the type of person that people want to see win. She needs to be more confident.

Lindsay– “Maybe This Time”
Doesn’t know the song. She thinks she is going up against strong personalities which will be tough. the admitted best voice of the competition and perhaps one of the best actresses despite a poor showing this week. I can’t imagine why they thought this was the song to give her, but she gets very into it which elicits laughs. She is in the Lea Michele mode but she doesn’t get him to root for her because he isn’t sure she is an underdog. She says she is afraid to show weakness and talks about being adopted and having a hard time fitting into her family.

Samuel– “Animal”
Ready to rock. Samuel is surprised to find the song is harder than usual. Samuel tends to get too aggressive. This isn’t his best vocal, but he gets very into it. I’m not sure he is an underdog either–he seems to self-assured. Ryan finds him the most unrelate-able of the bottom three. He might be too slick for the show. He wants something more emotional. Samuel mentions his religion, which Ryan immediately jumps on.

None of them feel very confident and though the other judges aren’t sure who to get rid of, Ryan Murphy is pretty confident.

The callback list is up. And the person going home is:

Hannah.

I honestly thought it would be Lindsay or Samuel at this point. This is the second time the homework winner has been the one to go home.

The Glee Project: Episode 7

This week’s theme: Sexuality. The song is “Like a Virgin.” Hannah considers herself a koala bear and thinks she can’t be sexy. She’s a little interested in Damian too, which makes her a little uncomfortable. Cameron is not comfortable with the theme. The guest judges are Puck (Mark Salling) and Zizes (Ashley Fink), which makes Hannah excited. Cameron seems to have embraced his onscreen romance with Lindsay this week—no more crying to mommy? Ashley Fink seemed more into it than Mark Salling. She saw Samuel’s equal opportunity sexiness. Hannah owned who she is, which impressed Mark Salling. (She watched him more than anything.) Salling likes Alex’s voice (he was reminded of a slightly more fabulous Cee-lo). They confer and agree that Samuel is the winner. Lindsay is obviously unhappy with this.

This week’s music video is “Teenage Dream,” during which they will be paired up again. Alex and Samuel (garage band), Damian and Lindsay (jock and cheerleader), and Cameron and Hannah (flirty food fight).

Damian struggles with taking control and being comfortable to dance. Brooke warns them to keep an eye out for opportunities where they can take it a step further. Samuel is worried about pretending to be gay because he too is Christian and worries that his mother won’t improve. Damian thinks there may be kissing involved.

The vocals are different this time around, because they are going to sing the entire thing instead of a few lines. Samuel is a hit while Alex struggles. Hannah can’t reach the notes. Damian impresses. Lindsay struggles, surprisingly. Cameron gets it right away.

During Samuel and Alex’s session with Zizes and Puck, they discuss how trying to be sexy makes you not. Alex ends up being flamboyantly over the top during his video. Samuel is committed. Damian needs more instruction than everyone else. Lindsay overpowers him in the session. They think Lindsay has proved she can act. (Brooke mentions Lindsay’s lack of versatility and musical theater feature, which surprises the others). Lindsay kisses Damian at the end of the scene, which makes everyone else a little worried (and Hannah jealous since she has a crush on Damian). Cameron is asked to kiss Hannah and says he doesn’t feel comfortable with it.

Because everyone did a good job, they decide to choose a Top 3, which is Hannah, Samuel, and Lindsay. Cameron had fewer levels than everyone else and refused to kiss Hannah, which he says he is glad about. He is in the bottom. Alex was over the top and is also in the bottom. Damian was overpowered and in the bottom (Lindsay actually seems genuinely surprised by this.) Damian was a tough choice because they think he really stepped up this week and it came down to splitting hairs.

The bottom is given songs that their character might sing as an audition for the New Directions.

Damian- “Danny Boy”
He sings this in a very heartfelt way that makes me like him more than before (he was sweet but not particularly interesting beyond the accent). Ryan Murphy doesn’t think it as his best or most helpful performance. He didn’t feel it. They think he has shown a lot of growth but isn’t great at faking it. (Ryan Murphy mentions the graduating characters, which is a bit of a controversial topic at the moment.)

Alex- “I Will Survive”
(It is tough that Alex got in trouble for being flamboyant because that is what they keep giving him.) The song is a pretty solid fit for him. He drives me crazy and I’m not sure where he would fit into the show (transgender or cross-dresser?). Ryan Murphy wants to see Alex be something other than a diva.

Cameron- “Blackbird”
They think he is the furthest behind. They wonder if maybe he is a singer, not an actor-singer. The song is pretty dead on for his comfort zone but it feels a bit rushed. (Might not be his fault, can’t tell.) Ryan Murphy is interested in having a faith-based character but he is concerned with this element. What he would he do if his character is required to kiss someone, such as Lea Michele? Cameron doesn’t seem to know how to answer this. He basically says he doesn’t think it is fair for him to continue when he won’t do things the others will. He thinks maybe this isn’t for him, but Ryan Murphy isn’t willing to give up on him yet.

Cameron has just asked to go home but Murphy thinks he is just confused. Ryan Murphy decides to go backstage to talk to him. He is in. He is staying, if he wants to. Murphy tells him to think about himself and what he wants. Cameron says he has been thinking about it and he thinks he is ready to go. Ryan Murphy tells him he just saved Damian and that there was definitely a place for him on the show. He probably would have gone to the finals.

The list goes up but backstage Cameron tells them he will be leaving. The others are in shock. Hannah and Lindsay start crying. Cameron is proud of himself.

Glee Project: Episode 6

The song is Bulletproof with the theme Tenacity. Hannah is exited because she has finally found her confidence. Lindsay, who is adopted, thinks she’s got tenacity. It seems the contestants aren’t quite sure what tenacity is. The guest judge is Max Adler (Dave Kroski) who tells them how to keep fighting. Max originally only had two lines. Mid-song Max tells them to stop and says they need to surprise him by doing something they have never done before. They start over, sort of pushing each other around and jumping up and down. Max tells Damien to stay in performance. Samuel has focus. Lindsay and Marissa have amazing voices. The winner is…Marissa.

This week’s big song is a mash up of “Ice Ice Baby” and “Under Pressure.” Also, in the video they will be slushied. Most of them are excited but Alex is NOT. Samuel is upset that he didn’t won and it ruins his focus. Hannah in particular struggles in the recording session.

They are warned not to break character when slushied and Marissa and Samuel have no problem with it. Damien and Lindsay play well off each other. Hannah gets over her jitters for the slushie fest. Alex meanwhile seems a little out of it though he thinks he’s all in. Cameron barely gets sprayed when he starts having difficulty. They are worried about being unable to slide for their dance because the ground is sticky but they seem all right.

For the first time, the decision was not unanimous. Samuel, Damien, and Lindsay are safe. Alex is the best mover than the other boys but he tries less than everyone else. He is doing a last chance performance. Marissa had a hard time in the recording studio and she wasn’t as “electric” when being slushied and as such she is in the bottom. Hannah and Cameron split the decision. Based on the theme of the week, Cameron was the only one who stopped mid-performance while Hannah struggled in the booth and in choreography, but she pushed through the problems for the video. Hannah is safe and Cameron is in the bottom.

To give the bottom three an easier time, they let them since their audition numbers, which the contestants seem thrilled about.

Marissa– “Hate on Me”
Marissa gets all teary-eyed. She feels like she fits in here. Mostly what we hear is her yelling. She puts on a major attitude to fit the song but I want her to look at the judges more. She’s not quite hip enough for this song (she’s got the voice but I’m not sure about the attitude). I’m not sure who she would be on the show because she’s not weird or dorky, if anything, she’d be a cheerleader and fit in well. She puts Ryan’s name into the song, which they seem to like. They know her talent is excellent and she will always be performing but they need her to be more in control.

Alex– “And I’m Telling You I’m not Going”
Alex chooses to do his song in drag so he can show them what he’s bringing to the table. (A typical gay kid already exists on the show, but imagine the borders they could push with a kid who dresses in drag or who wants to become a girl.) As always, Alex can belt out the song. I think Mercedes sings it better, but he’s pretty good too. (Also, I don’t think we’re hearing him with the sound corrected, whereas i doubt we’ve ever heard her without it.) They like that he shows that he really wants this. They tell him they need him to attack everything the way he attacked this.

Cameron– “Love Can Wait” (Cameron’s original song)
Cameron wrote this song after breaking up with his girlfriend. The song is actually pretty good. It shows off his personality well (obviously, since he wrote it). They like him when he does his thing. He’s a great performer but they worry about his acting. He was the only one they had to stop for. Can he keep up with the cast?

Alex worries that he will be leaving because he has been in the bottom so often. Cameron is sure he is leaving since he has been in the bottom a lot too. Marissa is fairly secure because she has never been in the bottom (does that mean she is leaving?) but she knows she can’t be too sure.

The list is up and it is time to find out who will be leaving. In a shocking move, the judges decide to send Marissa home.

The Glee Project: Episode 5

This week’s challenge is: Pairability, with the song “Need You Now”

The pairings:

Alex-Matheus (this makes Matheus uncomfortable)

Samuel-Lindsay (Samuel is not happy)

Damien-Hannah

Cameron-Marissa (is it bad that I couldn’t remember her name until Cameron said it?)

The guest judge is…Darren Criss (much as I like him, that’s disappointing). Lea Michele not available?

Despite all the issues, everyone seems to do a good job. The winner gets to pick their partner for the song. Each duet gets their own video. Hannah and Damien were too light. Alex and Matheus made it believable. Lindsay was sweet but Samuel was electric. Cameron and Marissa popped. The best are Samuel and Marissa. Darren picks Marissa.

Cameron expects Marissa to pick him, but she opts for Samuel since he was so powerful. (Surprising choice since Darren thought they were so strong together.) Their song is “Don’t You Want Me.”

Couple 2 is Hannah and Alex for “Nowadays” from Chicago.

Lindsay and Cameron are paired for “Baby It’s Cold Outside.”

Damien and Matheus are paired for “Lady is a Tramp.” Interesting that Matheus keeps getting paired with guys.

The Video Shoot:

Matheus and Damien: The training is done separately but they will all be shot in one day. Marissa makes a guest appearance in Matheus and Damien’s video. Matheus was less comfortable in the studio and the duet struggles during the shoot. Damien can’t seem to shed his accent for the song, which makes him sound a little funny.

Hannah and Alex: Hannah feels awkward with the sassy choreography. The choreographer gives her a pep talk about being sexy, which is sweet and true to Glee. They dress Alex as a woman for this which is a little insulting to him, even if he has a feminine voice. (He doesn’t seem to mind though.) Hannah seems less uncomfortable for the actual shoot.

Marissa and Samuel: During their session with Darren he tells them be more concerned with the feeling than the steps. Marissa is directed to surprise Samuel with a kiss. despite not knowing it was coming, he totally went with it.

Lindsay and Cameron: they want Lindsay to step it up more and she gets nervous. Lindsay throws in a kiss at the end, which freaks Cameron out because he has a girlfriend he is very committed to. He feels like he’s cheated on her.

The kids are gathered to hear who is in the bottom three. Marissa and Samuel were a great pair and are called back. Given the theme, they decide to change things up a bit. Instead of picking three individuals, they are having all three remaining pairs do duets.

Hannah and Alex– “Valori”

Alex is upset because he thinks he and Hannah worked hard. Hannah seems to have more confidence here and they have the judges smiling through the performance. They were very cute, is their feedback. Ryan Murphy loves her and finds them both inspirational.

Matheus and Damien– “These Boots Are Made For Walking”

Matheus and Damien have a hard time communicating. This is a weird song choice for them. Their voices don’t really mesh and the choreography is sort of awkward. Ryan Murphy found the first thirty seconds awful but they attacked it and gave in to the ridiculousness of it. Damien steps in to say that people have been putting Matheus down. Ryan tells him to ignore it and not shut down because of it.

Lindsay and Cameron– “River Deep Mountain High”

Lindsay is thrilled with the song choice though Cameron barely knows it. Lindsay thinks Cameron had a hard time connecting. Lindsay seems to make more of an attempt to interact with Cameron than he reciprocates. Ryan finds Lindsay’s voice incredible. and thinks there is definitely a place for her on the show Cameron was charming but they are still trying to figure him out. The judges want to understand why Cameron freaked out about the kiss. He explains that he is religious and wasn’t expecting it. Ryan wants a Christian character that he had thought would be a girl but maybe it could be Cameron.

Lindsay is immediately sent to safety. As is Hannah. Damien follows quickly after, thanks to his exuberance and enthusiasm.

Cameron was outclassed. Matheus isn’t enough of a smooth crooner. Alex is interesting but the actors are expected to be supportive of each other and apparently he is not. Alex apologizes. They think this group is very strong but they frustrate them a lot.

Alex and Matheus start fighting backstage. Matheus is in tears. Alex blames Matheus for putting him in danger and potentially sending him home.

The results are in and the person going home is…Matheus.

The Glee Project: Episode 4

This week’s challenge is to sing “Hey Soul Sister” and to show off their dance ability. Hannah is anything but pleased but Mattheus is thrilled. Cameron has no rhythm and Samuel isn’t used to dancing when he performs, but the group (seemingly led by Alex) choreographs well.

The guest judge of the week is: Mike Chang (Harry Shum Jr.) which is appropriate (though I do wish for some Heather Morrison). Harry says the show is more about showing personality than being amazing.

Alex seems to have the best technical dance skills of the group (which is to say he did some actual dance rather than freestyle).

Cameron had a unique feel. McKynleigh was the least memorable. Alex’s real moves didn’t feel appropriate to the song. Samuel had an air of coolness. Mattheus owned his movement. The winner is: Samuel. Alex is upset because Sam is not a dancer.

For the group number, the kids will be rapping “Can’t Touch This” instead of singing which is a bit unfortunate. Maybe they’re hoping to replace Artie as resident rapper because he isn’t really a good rapper at all. Samuel is glad he won so Alex says he just didn’t want to win.

Vocals with Nikki:
Hannah is apparently called MC Hannah and it turns she is pretty good. Mattheus works. Hannah is a little rushed. Damien is a little too growly. McKynleigh’s voice is anything but appropriate for a rap song. Samuel gets some ad-libs (in which he totally copied Hannah but Nikki didn’t know it so she thought he was great).

Choreography with Zach:
Damien is particularly concerned because his dancing is not very strong. Cameron and Hannah struggle as well. Hannah comes off as uncomfortable. Alex finds it easy and Zach even has him teach some of the others. But will it hurt hum that he focused more on the others than his own dancing?

Shooting the video:
Alex is completely lacking in the energy and McKynleigh can’t show any heart. Cameron can’t quite pull it off. Hannah looks down too much (and also looks ridiculous). Mattheus has a hard time because they change something on him which leads him to act a bit like a diva. The judges are surprised to find that the less talented dancers are actually doing a better job overall than the more experienced and skilled ones.

The kids worry about their performances and no one seems entirely confident with it. Time for judging:
Damien, Marissa, Lindsay, and Samuel are quickly sent backstage to safety. Left behind are Alex, McKynleigh, Hannah, Mattheus, and Cameron. McKynleigh can’t seem to show some stage presence. Cameron’s nerves got the best of him. Alex seemed “over it.” Mattheus was a baby. Hannah had a hard time with the dance but she owned it on the day and is safe. The last safe competitor is…Cameron because he did ultimately take direction.

McKynleigh– Last Name, Carrie Underwood
McKynleigh is confident because she has performed this song before. Nikki tells her she doesn’t often connect facially with her songs and perhaps this will be the trick. This song suits her voice much better and she seems to get into this performance more than others. (Oddly I can only think of Kristin Chenowith’s version of this and I can’t think of Carrie Underwood’s version.) The one plus she would have to the show is that her voice is a bit different than anyone’s on the show. McKynleigh needs more ferocity and they want a country singer on the show.

Mattheus– Down, Jay Sean
Mattheus got messed up by the pressure. Nikki tells him to get over himself. They tell him to own his sexuality, which he was already planning on doing. He quickly removes his shirt and dances around. They worry about his earlier freakout but very much like his performance.

Alex– I’ll always Love You, Whitney Houston
Alex thinks his voice, story, and personality belong on the show. Nikki tells him to show his emotion. Alex can’t balance his diva-hood. He sings it well but his voice is not my favorite for this show. I’m not sure what his place would be on the show, unless he replaces Kurt once he graduates. They aren’t thrilled by Alex’s admission that he just threw away a competition because he thought he had it in the bag and and therefore could just let someone else shine. (Only his mother knows that he is gay but she doesn’t care.)

The judges say this is a hard week to decide but they have made up their minds. The callback list goes up and it is McKynleigh who gets sent home this week.

The Glee Project: Episode 3

This week’s theme is vulnerability, which they will work on using the song “Please Don’t Leave Me” by Pink. Hannah worries about being able to put aside her goofiness.

The guest this week is…Coach Beiste! Dot-Marie Jones. Coach Beiste is apparently Lindsay’s favorite character. She explains that her character’s struggles in the show are the ones she experiences in real life. Her tears on the show are real tears.

Dot-Marie likes subtle performances so Lindsay’s was too forced. Lindsay of course disagrees but she’s told that it isn’t about how she felt. Emily managed to be subtle. Matheus broke her heart so naturally he won. (I thought Damian was quite good too.) He cries.

The group number is “Mad World.” They have to expose an insecurity in public. Lindsay never stops talking. It makes you want to hit her.

The plan is to walk through Universal Citywalk in LA wearing signs exposing their secret. They discuss some possible words and phrases that they might choose. Hannah considers fat. Alex wants to use gay. Lindsay feels like a trophy and fake. McKinnley is embarrassed by her ethnicity (she’s half black and from a very white town). Samuel chooses unwanted (his girlfriend chose someone else). Emily has been used sexually by producers.

In the studio, Nikki Anders talks to Marissa who nearly breaks down when saying her word is flawed (we don’t get to hear why though). Cameron is “Misunderstood.” Damion’s word is numb for fear of missing out on life while trying to pursue his career. Nikki warns him that this could be destructive.

Cameron may be at a disadvantage of being normal and well-adjusted. Emily can’t stay in character while shooting. Alex spends the day trying not to break down in tears. Marissa considers changing her sign because she thinks flawed isn’t going far enough because it doesn’t specifically address her past issues. Instead she chooses anorexic.

The music video ends up being surprisingly touching. Hannah, McKinnley, Marissa, Samuel, Alex, and Matheus are safe. Remaining behind are Damien, Lindsay, Cameron, and Emily. Emily is called out for having a hard time staying in character. Cameron couldn;t quite connect to his vulnerability. Damion didn’t come across as genuinely numb. Lindsay took the notes she was given about not being too big and so she is safe. SO why did they keep her behind? Unclear.

Solos:
Damion- “Are You Lonesome Tonight”
He sounded good here and came across well for them. He showed them something they could write about. He keeps getting put in the bottom but it keeps bringing out his strengths.

Emily- “Grenade”
She sounds good but I’m not sure she’s showing any vulnerability. She got goofy at some points. She was a little too cutesy near the end.

Cameron- “Your Song”
Not my favorite version of this song. He sounds fine, but there’s something about it that doesn’t work for me. His feedback is it was more “coffeehouse performance” rather than emotional. He might not fit on a show about underdogs. They tell him to change (out of a suit) and try again. The second time around he comes out in his usual clothes, which they like better. He comes off much more awkward and interesting.

The final list goes up and it’s time to see who we will be losing. Ultimately, it is Emily going home.

The Glee Project: Episode 2

This week’s song will be Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” which thrills the group. Alex is excited for the theatricality. Emily thinks Lindsay is phony (for spouting of Glee’s theory of theatricality). And this week’s guest judge is: Idina Menzlel! (They all basically freak out and I am right there with them. i only hope this signals a return for Shelby to the show.) She tells them theatricality is honest and fearless, not over the top. The winner will have a featured moment in the group number and time with Idina. The kids actually sound great here but few stand out to me.

Idina is impressed by their choreography because she isn’t a good dancer. She was impressed with Ellis’s voice. Samuel was “hot, cool, relaxed.” Lindsay sounded contemporary. Alex has a large presence and range. Cameron stood out despite not actually having a singing part. The winner is: Alex. (We all saw that coming.)

The group number will be: “We’re Not Gonna Take It” The concept is a dream sequence where outsiders dream of being rock stars in a cafeteria.

Zach Woodlee is just as rushed and crazy as last week. Ellis has a particularly difficult time learning the steps and even Emily gets nervous. Lindsay and Ales start critiquing Matteo. Zach is impressed with Cameron’s surprising coolness.

Assistant Choreographer Brooke is helping on the set because Zach is off working with the actual Glee set. Hannah isn’t used to being a glam diva but she’ll go for it. (We didn’t get to see the vocal group in sequence but we get some flashbacks as Samuel struggles with his part.) McKynleigh struggled in the recording studio too, she didn’t have any fun with it. Mattheus doesn’t know how to play the drums which made him struggle. A lot of them couldn’t step out of their own characters and into the characters they have been assigned.

Lindsay has an easy time in the recording studio but she sort of comes across as a know-it-all. She quickly rubs people the wrong way and Hannah goes as far as to say she thinks Lindsay is mean. Ellis tells her she attacks her everyday and Lindsay is shocked about it.

The video itself comes out well enough that I kind of want it on my iPod.

Alex, Cameron, Marissa, Samuel, and Lindsay are safe. Lindsay feels “overblessed.” Ugh. Skill-wise I do like her but personality-wise…meh.

In the bottom is Matheus, Ellis, Damien, Emily, Hannah, and McKynleigh. Damien, Hannah, and Emily are told that they are in the middle ground and safe for another week. Most surprising is Mattheus, who was top last week. McKynleigh has a disconnect with her vocal ability, she gets “Piece of My Heart.” Matheus was to busy trying to look cool and lost his passion, he gets “Gives You Hell.” Ellis needs to stop being negative, she gets “Mack the Knife.”

They all seem to be happy with their song choices this week but they’re all still upset about their bottom three status. McKynleigh doesn’t really get what she is doing wrong so she doesn’t know how to fix it. Matheus has a hard time getting the rhythm right. Ellis is most proud of her voice so she’s excited about the chance to show it off at least.

Lindsay thinks Damien’s Irish sayings are funny. Of course, she doesn’t realize it is not sayings so much as an accent.

The moment of truth:
Ellis– Does well. She’s a character. She can do jazz, which no one on the show can really do. Her attitude is all that is lacking.
Matheus– Having heard Lea Michele sing this song on the show, Matheus has a big of a disadvantage here. I like her version a million times better but he does get very into it and I know from other instances that he can sing. They love how carried away, he’s exactly what Glee is about. (They want to sex him up.)
McKynleigh– I think she’s missed the point of what they said (which isn’t surprising). She sounds good but she has no character or personality here. She was the best singer of the night but she’s shown none of her personality. She needs to inspire the writers to write for her.

The list is up and it is time to find out who will be leaving us this week. And that person is: Ellis. (She has been in the bottom two twice, so this is no surprise.)

The Glee Project: Episode 1

The Glee Project is all about finding someone to have a 7 episode arc on Glee. Each week will focus on a quality necessary for being a cast member on Glee. A different member of the show’s cast will come on every week for pointers and judging. 12 contestants, ranging from around 18-22 years old, have been chosen.

This week, the quality is individuality, with Stevie Wonder’s song “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” and the guest judge is Darren Criss (aka Blaine). The winner of this part will get an advantage in the big challenge of the week.

The mini-challenge (called an assignment) is interesting because they have an entire one line of music to stand out from their fellow contestants. Some try to do it with a bit of showing off while others do funny faces and motions. It is nice to see how talented the group actually is.

What we learn about the contestants in the first few minutes is that one guy is very short (Matteos), one girl is flirty (Emily), one boy who sounds like a girl (Alex), one boy is Irish (Damion), and one girl looks like she is ten despite being eighteen (Ellis). Darren gives everyone a bit of feedback after they sing and Matteo (the very short one who has a very good ear) is the first winner.

The big assignment is Katy Perry’s “Firework” (which can be found on YouTube already). Matteos will have the lead and get a bit of one on one time with Darren. They will be performing and filming the song and be judged on the end result and how they handle the entire thing (they are in fact warned that casting is subjective and it is not all about technical skill).

The kids get to choose their “character” for the performance. The theme is high school yearbook photos.

The choreography session with Glee choreography Zach Woodlee teaches the moves in a rush and cuts them no slack. They are to pick it up quickly and silently. No goofing off or joking around.

They move on to vocals with Nikki Anders, the vocal producer. As she points out, they have a very short time to do any given song (45 minutes to an hour sometimes), and the studio experience is an important part.

Next they meet with Erik White, the music video director. He does a bit of name dropping (mostly hip hop and r&b singers) and then they get to work. The best competitors will make the callback list. The bottom three will have to perform something to prove they deserve their spot.

I’m a little disappointed, since I already know how this music video turns out (very good, in case you are wondering). Emily’s character seems the most redundant (she’s basically just Santana or maybe even Adrianne from Secret Life) and Matteo as a body builder seems a bit laughable.

They sit and worry about who will be in the bottom three. No one stood out as bad really. But they decide to go around and say who they think was bad, which is always a good idea, right?

Results Time:
Cameron, Lindsay, Matteos, Alex, Emily, and Samuel are told immediately that they are safe.

Of the remainders, three will have to do “last chance performances.” McKinley, Hannah, and Marissa all have some work but they are safe in the middle of the pack.

In the bottom are Ellis (tried too hard to be a kid) and she gets Broadway number “Hey Big Spender”, Bryce who gets Bruno Mars’s “Just the Way You Are”, and Damion who gets “Jessie’s Girl.”

They are all nervous for various reasons (lack of familiarity with the song, inability to reach the notes, etc).

Damion- when he speaks in his Irish accent I can think of a place that he will fit on to the show, but I am less sure when watching him sing. I don’t find his voice very impressive for the most part and wouldn’t care all the much to listen to him. (His biggest problem was his reserve.) He still came off a bit nervous because he didn’t know all the lyrics and even messed up (“I wish I was Jessie’s girl” instead of “I wish I had…”)

Bryce- musically, Bryce is stronger than Damion (though he was a bit difficult during rehearsal). The song is a tough song, which he struggled with a bit.

Ellis- once she throws out the overly-childish persona, she’s much more fun to watch and listen to. Vocally, this song suited her voice much better than the other two. There wasn’t much personality in her song though. The judges explain that they write parts based on the people (think Chris Colfer who had a role written for him).

The list is put up and it is Bryce who is not called back.