<🎧 Song Recommendation: Drunk by Ed Sheeran>
...
Jax: [10]
Rex: [10]
Aria: [10]
Von couldn't restrain his grin after seeing the numbers flash on the massive screen. A perfect 30. It was expected given the standing ovation and the effusive praise they had just received, but that didn't make it any less special.
"We did it!" Sofie squealed, pumping her fists into the air with joy.
"Of course you did, sweetie," Aria replied with a radiant smile. "It's a pity we're limited to just 10. I would have definitely scored you above that if the system allowed it. The blend, the energy, the bravery to remix a classic... it was simply masterful. I'm already looking forward to seeing what you four bring if you make it to the Star Mansion. You've set the bar incredibly high in this round."
Von and his team bowed one last time and exited the stage.
***
While the next team was being set up, the Judges took a short recess. The production assistants rushed in to refill water glasses and provide some needs, but the trio at the desk was too busy buzzing with excitement.
Rex leaned back and removed his glasses to clean them. "That is exactly what this show needed. A viral moment."
"Absolutely," Aria agreed, checking her pad. "The raw footage is gold. You can't fake that chemistry between them. It's surely gonna implode when we air this episode."
"It will raise the stakes as well," Jax added. "Up until now, we never expected to get something of this level. But they've shown us we should set our expectations higher. We're gonna become more strict with the judging now."
"Good," Rex said, replacing his glasses. His eyes glinted. "It was about time we did this. Let's see who crumbles."
***
The rest of the day passed by in a haze of nerves and performances. By 7:00 PM, all 200 remaining contestants were gathered in the main hall once again.
The air was stifling. Everyone knew what was coming. This was the unveiling of the updated leaderboard after the Group Round.
Considering this was the penultimate round of Hollywood Week, the margins for error had vanished. One bad score now would surely make things difficult.
"Everyone, breathe," Michael said from the front of the room, sensing the collective panic. "Like I said before, there's no need to panic. It's never over until it's over."
No one took his comforting words seriously. Comfort won't win them the contract. They just wanted him to turn on the damn screen.
Michael sensed the mood and nodded. "Alright. Let's see where you stand."
The massive screen behind him flickered to life. Names and numbers fell down like a digital waterfall before locking into place.
[1. AURA NOVA: 60 pts]
[2. ALEX HALL: 57 pts]
[3. GREGORY WILLIAMS: 57 pts]
[4. CELINE SMITH: 56 pts]
[5. JULIAN WEST: 56 pts]
...
[9. SOFIE TAYLOR: 52 pts]
[10. VON VARLEY: 52 pts]
...
[22. CONOR PRINCE: 46 pts]
...
[200. JAMES CRUZ: 33 pts]
A heavy silence fell over the room.
For many, there was relief. It was very clear that majority had failed, so they were grateful to find themselves not falling lower than their former spots.
But for others, the reality was a cold bucket of water. The gap between the top rankers and the bottom was becoming a chasm. To jump into the Top 24 now would require a miracle.
But one name dominated every whisper in the room.
Aura Nova.
No one could believe someone would get a perfect 30 in the first round, and another perfect 30 in the group round? That realization enough was terrifying.
Von, however, was focused on something else. He scanned the names. Julian and Celine were tied at 56 points. That meant their supergroup had only scored a 26/30.
'A 26 is great,' Von mused, rubbing his chin. 'But considering they have two of the supposed favorites in one team, it's underwhelming. Were the judges really that harsh today? Or were they just not good enough?'
Still, he couldn't complain. Rank 10. He had climbed from the depths of Rank 84 into the elite tier.
He did the mental math quickly. To guarantee a spot, he needed at most a 25 in the final round. That meant his chances were still in his hands.
"You've all seen your scores," Michael's voice cut through the murmurs. "That should let you know exactly how much effort you need to put in for the final push. As you can see, you are surrounded by monsters. If you want a key to the Mansion, you have to take it from them."
Most contestants offered wry, nervous smiles at the monsters comment. It felt all too true.
"Alright," Michael continued, walking over to the glass bowl on the pedestal. "Let's see what we got for the last one."
He reached in, his hand swirling through the plastic spheres. .
Michael pulled out a blue ball, cracked it open, and unfolded the paper inside.
He read it, his eyebrows raising slightly.
"The song is... To Fade Away by The Silent Ones."
A ripple of recognition went through the crowd. It was a famous, heartbreaking ballad.
"For this round," Michael explained, "You are all to sing the same song. The goal of this round is simple: to move the Judges. To replicate the raw emotion the original duo sang this song with, and deliver it to perfection."
"But the Judges can't hear all 200 of you in one day. So, your performances will be spread across three days. The lower rankers will go first tomorrow. The Top 50 will perform on Day 3."
He smiled professionally and dropped back the ball. "There you have it. Your last hurdle to the Star Mansion. Good luck."
___
A/N: So sorry for the lack of updates! 😣 I traveled somewhere and I'm finding it difficult to write given the current situation here... But I'll be back on the 31st, so you can expect stable updates from then. Thanks for reading! 🙇♂️💖