The Fox Network musical comedy drama, Glee, did a good job of coming up with out-of-the-box performances featuring famous songs spanning different generations. The show came up with the most unique of concepts that oftentimes featured episodes that focused on the repertoire of a certain artist. The series’ acclaimed showrunner, Ryan Murphy, certainly knew how to step up his game and leave us entertained for a good six seasons. We were exposed to different music genres and introduced to such a talented ensemble of actors that made us the series’ regular cast. Individuality was a common theme in the show, and this was constantly portrayed in the most inventive of ways. High school can be tough time in a person’s life, and the series made us feel that we were not alone. At the end of the day, the musical numbers just highlighted the premise of the show that had a lot of heart and soul to it. Here are five of the most powerful performances on Glee, in no particular order:
5. Don’t Stop Believing
There was no other song that captured the series more than this popular rock song by Journey. It was performed a number of times throughout the series yet still remained to be goosebumps-inducing each time. The message of the song was also relatable to the series that followed the journey of a high school glee club called the New Directions. The time the new glee club members first got together and performed the song is hard to forget. It evoked an innocent time in their lives where everyone was still hopeful about the future. It was an inspiring performance that taught us to dream big and be brave enough to get out of our comfort zone.
4. It’s All Coming Back to Me Now
The Celine Dion classic was a confluence of a powerful vocals and a dynamic melody that can only be carried by the most talented of singers. The highs, lows, and pauses throughout the song made us feel all sorts of emotions throughout, and it was a proud moment for the series when the performance of one of its glee club members, Rachel portrayed by Lea Michele (Scream Queens), gave justice to one of Dion’s masterpieces. The song was performed during one of the glee club’s show choir competitions, which made the performance even more edgy and compelling. A lot of things were at stake for the glee club, and Rachel gave her all to the performance that could potentially save their glee club from being cut off from school funding. It was also a proud moment for Rachel who, despite her mad vocal pipes, still had a lot of insecurities to deal with.
3. All That Jazz
The iconic song from the Broadway hit, Chicago The Musical was performed by Rachel and Glee guest star, Kate Hudson (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days), who portrayed the role of Cassandra, a NYADA dance teacher whom Rachel had to impress. The performance turned out to be a face-off between the two characters, and one that we don’t mind watching over and over again. The song was recreated to be feel sensual and snappy at the same time. We also got to see another side of Rachel in the episode, as she went through leaps and bounds in order to get a shot at being accepted into NYADA, a fictional prestigious arts college. Cassandra did not go easy on Rachel, and this made their performance even more exciting to witness.
2. Rumour Has It/Someone Like You Mash-off
Make no mistake in covering an Adele song. The vocal range of the British popstar is no walk in the park, and one small mistake can set the whole thing off. This is why we were all pleasantly surprised to find not only one, but two Adele songs featured on the show. The mash-off was performed by two of the show’s underrated singers, Santana, portrayed by Naya Rivera (At the Devil’s Door), and Mercedes, portrayed by Amber Riley (Single Black Female). The two women killed the performance, as expected, and proved to the naysayers that the New Directions had what it takes to be show choir champions.
1. Defying Gravity
The series had a penchant for covering famous Broadway songs, and one of them was from the sensational musical, Wicked. The performance highlighted the musical prowess of Rachel and her best friend and fellow Glee club member, Kurt, portrayed by Chris Colfer (Struck by Lightning), which was also very timely as Wicked told a beautiful story about an unexpected friendship. Rachel and Kurt set on to perform more songs together, including more Wicked hits, and their collaborations made our hearts happy every time. The earlier seasons of the show always felt nostalgic to go back to. The characters were still studying within the same four walls of William McKinley High School, and the weight of the world was still way above their shoulders. It was a simpler time where the realities of life were still far enough to be daunting, and this performance highlighted this special moment in the glee club kids’ lives.
