Episode 2 The Big Performance

Last year, ten terrified kids found the courage

to sing to an audience of 40,000 at Proms in the Park.

# We can rule the world. #

-TERRY WOGAN:

-This is the biggest cheer of the night.

But for this year's kids, the challenge is bigger and scarier:

singing live on BBC One to an audience of 11 million

on Children In Need night.

This is the biggest thing I've ever done, and I'm scared.

Is this a challenge too far?

# Should've heard this knocked out jailbird sing, let's rock. #

I'm being hard on you because I know you can do better.

Please don't make me sing this!

Do not go into that dark place of fear.

This has got to be fantastic, and if it's not, we're in trouble.

This is The Big Performance 2.

Ten children bullied for their love of singing.

I was up on stage, and all these boys laughed at me.

Cos I liked singing better than I did football.

And they're too terrified to perform to even family and friends.

-I can't...

-Yeah, you can.

It's down to award-winning choirmaster Gareth Malone

to build their confidence and get them performing in public.

These children have lost confidence because they've been bullied.

This can give them that confidence back. Everyone has a right to sing.

Because in nine weeks' time, they'll be singing live to the nation

on BBC's Children In Need.

Last time,

these shy singers kicked off their musical tour of the country

in preparation for the final performance.

But some crumpled under the pressure of singing karaoke duets.

You OK, Joanne? You all right?

This time, Gareth hopes a visit from EastEnders star Ricky Norwood

will give them a much needed boost...

Don't lose the strength that you just built.

..as they attempt their first public performance.

It's just too many people.

I can't do it.

Today the Big Performance tour bus is in Stratford-upon-Avon,

the home of playwright William Shakespeare,

and some of the world's most powerful performances.

Gareth hopes the location

will give the group inspiration for today's musical theme.

This week you will all be singing a power ballad!

CHEERING

What's a power ballad?!

Power ballads are emotive songs of "lurve".

Artists like Mariah Carey and Alexandra Burke lead the way,

and the power comes from singing the lyrics with real feeling.

I'm happy we're doing power ballads,

cos they're my favourite category of music.

We're singing power ballads, but I don't know what they are.

Power ballad. I don't really know nothing about power ballads.

This is the first week with a theme, and there is going to be a soloist.

Any of them would find it difficult, but to be first is tough.

I don't want to do solo this week. I'm not ready for it.

If I got the solo, I wouldn't know what to do, really.

If it were supposed to be me doing the solo part, I wouldn't do it.

At this early stage, no-one is keen on the job,

but one of the terrified singers has to step up.

Our soloist is going to be...

Molly.

Oh, how you feeling, Molly? Are you going to be OK?

I thought, "Don't be me", and then he said my name,

and I was like, "Oh, no." I just was very shocked.

I'm always listening to rock music.

I love My Chemical Romance. They're just the best.

I sing in my room all the time, but not when anyone's listening.

I love musicals. My favourite one is Wicked.

They know the theme, but there's still the all-important question.

The song. Do you want to know what song we're going to be doing?

-ALL:

-Yes.

This is a good 'un.

It's really good. I think you're going to really like it.

It was originally made famous by a rock band,

but it's been changed into a power ballad by a very famous singer

who I know you've heard of, Leona Lewis.

There was a squeal over there.

This is Run.

You know that song? Fantastic song.

Multi-platinum selling artist and Grammy Award nominee Leona Lewis

is one of the world's most successful singers.

Her huge vocal range makes power ballads sound effortless,

but for our Big Performance choir, it's going to be a huge challenge.

-Molly, do you know this song?

-I know the start of it.

Good, cos that's the bit you're going to be doing.

Oh, OK.

The biggest fear about doing the power ballad is...singing!

When Gareth first met Molly,

he was shocked by her extreme lack of confidence.

So you're quite shy, aren't you? Quite nervous person.

Are you like this all the time, or is it just around singing?

It's like, people have said horrible comments to me before, so...

Aw, that's dreadful. I'm really sorry to hear that.

Just take a deep breath. It's fine. Take your time.

# There is a castle on a cloud

# I like to go there in my sleep

# Not in my castle on a cloud. #

Phew. You know, you've actually brought a tear to my eye.

That's really good.

That was really good.

It's tragic to see what can happen

to somebody who's shy in the first place,

a quiet person who then gets picked on.

There are other kids who've come in here and said, "I lack confidence."

That's... That's a lack of confidence.

She's been destroyed, and I think she needs building up.

Shall we all start by singing the chorus?

In nine weeks' time,

one of the shy singers will lead the group as the soloist.

Today Molly is the first to try out for the spot.

It's tough, so Gareth kicks off rehearsals with the whole group.

This is really going to require some big singing.

I'll sing a bit. It goes...

# Light up, light up. #

I'm sure you can all do that. Three, and one.

# Light up, light up

# As if you have a choice

# Even if you cannot hear my voice... #

I noticed you started off like this and you've gone,

"Even if..."

(LOUDER) # Even if you cannot hear my voice. #

I'm so scared now. I can't do it.

Molly isn't the only one lacking self-belief.

I don't want to hear my own voice,

and if I have to sing now I get all nervous and shaky.

Here we go, nice and strong. Two, three and wah!

# Light up, light up

# As if you have a choice... #

There's really great potential there,

but by not believing in themselves, they hold themselves back.

When I sing, it doesn't sound like I'm in tune

and I just keep thinking that I'm letting people down.

But it's Molly who will really have to find her voice this week.

So, Molly, this is your moment.

We are now going to do your solo, so let's start learning it.

One, two, three.

# I'll sing it one last time for you

# Then we really have to go

# You've been the only thing that's right

# In all I've done. #

I think that's a round of applause moment, don't you? Well done.

Everyone, two, three and...

# Light up, light up. #

I thought, "This is it, everyone's going to go..."

(LOUDLY) # Light up, light up. # And it was just so quiet.

We can't have a group of mice. We must have a group of lions roaring.

In a matter of hours, they'll be facing their first real audience.

Can they stop being afraid and start being heard?

You are going to need all this power in your voice

because you are going to be singing with no microphones

in the middle of Stratford-upon-Avon on top of an open top bus.

And Molly, you are going to be starting the whole thing

in front of the public.

I feel quite scared about doing it on top of the bus,

cos I don't know what people will think.

They might just think, "Ooh, look at her."

Singing without microphones in an open space is very difficult.

I think they might just get absolutely swallowed up.

There's a danger that no-one will hear them.

It's clear the kids have a long way to go in a short amount of time,

so Gareth's brought in a choir

who know all about belting out a big tune to show them how it's done.

Leeds Youth Opera!

THEY SING

They're not afraid to perform and stand up and sing,

and neither should this lot.

My jaw was dropping the whole time.

It was going through my mind, "Are they REALLY that loud?"

The Leeds Youth Opera will be joining the shy singers

on the night of Children In Need live by satellite

as part of Gareth's nationwide choir.

It's a challenge doing a choir in one room,

but getting a choir to sing at the same time all over Britain

is going to be a huge technical and musical challenge.

For Children In Need night,

one of the ten will be chosen to sing a solo.

At the end of today,

Gareth will be rating Molly's chances as high, medium or low.

12-year-old Molly has loved music for as long as she can remember.

From musicals to current favourite, rock, she'll sing it all,

as long as she's on her own.

Gareth wants to tackle her fear with some one-on-one training.

Hi, Molly.

So we're going to go through your solo,

and I want to get you feeling really confident about the solo.

-How are you feeling at the moment?

-Nervous.

The first thing I would say

is that your fringe is stopping me from seeing your eyes.

We don't get any eye contact.

If you sing like this, you can't connect with your audience.

So I've got you a present.

Clip your fringe back, and let's see what a difference that makes.

Hello! Now I can see you.

When I first met you, you told me you'd been bullied at school.

Is that something that's still going on? Still going on.

That's difficult. I know, cos I had the same thing when I was in school.

-I know how hard that is.

-Yeah.

When I was your age, I went and joined the choir,

and everyone thought that was ridiculous and laughed and teased me.

But somehow I found the strength to go,

"You know what? I'm going to do it any way."

The question is, can you find that strength?

What are you worried will happen if you sing confidently?

People might laugh at me.

Why would they laugh at you?

I don't know. They might think I'm rubbish.

Do you think you're rubbish?

Do you?

That is really the nub of why you're not standing up tall

and why you're not singing strongly and confidently.

I can see that in your eyes and behind your fringe

and I can see, "I don't think I'm very good at this."

You need to believe in yourself, cos I believe in you.

I'm impressed with your voice.

You really do have a beautiful voice, it's a lovely voice.

It's got a nice warmth to it. When you sing, I want to listen.

It's a terrible thing to be bullied

because it just reduces your sense of self.

You just want to run away and hide

and she's hiding behind her fringe,

she's hiding behind her sleeves, retreating.

What I think you need to do is to really work on this eye-contact.

I need you to look at your audience and not be frightened of them.

I've organised for you to do a performance

for an audience right now. OK?

But this is possibly the friendliest audience you'll ever meet.

So, here's your audience.

Gareth hasn't gone barking mad.

He wants Molly to overcome her fear

of looking the audience, whoever it is, in the eye.

-# I'll sing...

-SHE GIGGLES

#..for you

# Then we really have to go

# I know we'll make it anywhere

# Away from here... #

OK, hold it there, Molly.

Pretty good, but look how much of your audience is left.

In all seriousness, there's a way to do that.

# I've been the only thing that's right

# In all I've done... #

Get in there and really sing to the dogs.

Can we put the dogs back in position, and let's try that one more time.

When Molly's stood on the bus, if she's not looking at her audience

and engaging them, people will just walk on by.

Can Molly hold her gaze and the dogs' attention this time round?

# I'll sing it one last time for you

-# Then we really have to go

-Do it to your audience!

# And I can barely look at you.. #

Singing to dogs was good

cos when you looked them in the eyes they paid attention,

so if you do that to the audience it feels like you're singing to them.

Well done, that was a really good session.

I think for Molly, she knows what to do.

With the dogs, she could engage them,

look into their eyes, but I just worry

that she's going to retreat within herself

when she's in front of that audience.

Later today, Molly and the other nervous singers' rendition of Run

will need to be strong enough to pull in a crowd.

To do this, they need to connect with the song lyrics,

so Gareth's arranged a session

with Royal Shakespeare Company acting coach, Jamie.

Lovely to see you all.

I'm going to ask you in two groups of five to create

a small performance inspired by this lyric.

What this lyric seems to be about

is about someone trying to run away from something.

-Two boys running away from...

-Three girls!

-Three girls.

Why are you running away from the three girls?

Running away from love?

You're running away from love? Now, there's a story!

Mohammed's group have gone down the romantic route,

while the other group's interpretation is a bit darker,

with tales of betrayal and broken friendship.

Guys, you two are like that and then he's like this.

What are you two doing, are you two crying?

This is brilliant, this is exactly what I want to see.

Up to now, it's been terror,

looking nervous, hiding from the audience.

I want to see in their power ballads that kind

of energy and personality.

The acting is about all expressions and stuff like that

so if you think about it that way and then put it into singing,

it's easier to just sort of like relate to it.

You've got to just use all your oomph,

give it everything you've got.

Pretend like you've got away...

Help me!

Before 12-year-old Mohammed joined the Big Performance tour,

standing out in a crowd was a distant dream.

When I was a kid, I used to get bullied a lot about singing

and a lot of other things.

They made me feel like I'm not good enough, so I think

when I'm on stage that I'm not good enough.

It's knocked your confidence?

I've always had really low self-esteem

and I've never, ever been really confident at all.

How will Mohammed and the others cope when they discover

they've got to act out their scenes in front of a star from EastEnders?

The biggest problem is that as soon as there's pressure, they fall apart.

And all the things you've taught them fade away.

You are going to perform these later for a man called Ricky Norwood,

who plays a character called Fatboy in Eastenders.

-Oh!

-Oh, my God!

You've heard of him, right? You have to do a lot of work

to make sure these are really polished up,

because he's going to be your audience.

I'm so excited! I absolutely literally adore him.

I don't think I'll be able to perform in front of him,

because, like, I think I'll just giggle and that again.

Both groups want to impress Ricky.

But what advice do the stars have for engaging with their audience?

When I'm acting out a performance and putting meaning into it,

I think about the lyrics and the situation when I wrote the song.

Hopefully, it'll come across in the performance.

Every song has got a story.

And it's not just about singing the right notes.

It's about conveying the story and getting the emotion across.

Can the groups keep their cool

and convince Ricky they've connected with the song lyrics?

SCREAMING

-How are you doing?

-Hi.

-What's your name?

-Mohammed.

-Don't, don't be... Don't be scared.

-It's just so amazing!

Ricky, have you got some advice about putting meaning in the performances?

You're all going through stuff. Use the stuff you know,

and it'll be believable and it will be great.

-Ricky, are you ready to see the scenes?

-Absolutely.

Group One are up first with their tale of love.

Until today, Mohammed has wanted to be noticed,

but been too afraid to stand out. Can he find the guts now?

Next time, when I say run, we run!

Um...

People are staring.

With all eyes on him, Mohammed has frozen.

Take a deep breath, Mohammed.

It's going to be fine. Can you remember your line?

-I'll try again.

-Why don't we start again?

And you know what guys? Remember your characters, yeah?

Mohammed, you're not Mohammed on stage.

That way, you can separate yourself from the performance

and from your nervousness - leave the nervousness here.

Take a deep breath and go for it.

-All right?

-Here we go, take two.

Second time around, can Mohammed cope with the pressure?

Next time when I say run, we run!

As we give a long goodbye to love, I love you.

-I don't want to leave you.

-Yes, we got you!

-No!

EASTENDERS DRUM ENDING

Well done! Very good.

Ricky being there amplified how scared I was.

I was getting even more scared

cos I love EastEnders, cos lately I've been watching it a lot.

I was quite surprised Mohammed faltered, because in rehearsals

he's been right in there, really going for it. He just fell apart.

It's Group Two's turn. Will they suffer the same fate as Mohammed?

-I know we'll make it anywhere.

-I don't have a choice.

I can't even stand the look of her.

SCREAMING

As we say our long goodbyes, you make it so hard not to cry.

But which group's interpretation of the lyrics are the most popular?

-Ricky, what did you think?

-I like how they used the words from the song

and put that into their performance.

-There was meaning, wasn't there?

-Yeah.

-They were going for it.

-I think we've come to a decision.

-Good.

-I think we've got it.

-Wooh!

-Wooh, the nerves are kicking in now.

-So Ricky...

-Yes?

-Are you ready to announce the winner?

Yes I am. I wish I had a drum roll now.

Oh, give me some, give me some, give me some!

And the winner is...

-Group One!

-Come up on stage and accept your trophies.

Mohammed, my friend, well done. All right?

Don't lose the strength that you just built. OK? All right.

Some of them were incredible in those scenes.

I'm hoping they use this experience of putting meaning

into a performance with acting,

that they can do that with singing.

Before the group sing to the public for the first time,

there's one more stop to make.

Soloist Molly's fear of people laughing when she sings

is so extreme, she can't even perform in front of her family.

But all that's about to change.

I've got a performance challenge for you.

You'll be performing

for your brother, your other brother and your sister.

-I am?

-Oh yes!

I'm feeling very nervous about performing in front of my siblings.

I'm worried about what they'll think about my singing.

For Molly, this is huge. She's never had the confidence to do this.

It's a scary thing for her to do. I think it's really necessary.

Here's your soloist! Molly, come and stand here.

Put your hair clip on, so we can all see your lovely face.

Nice, loud voice.

Molly's self-belief has been crushed by bullies.

Can she finally forget her past?

# I'll sing it one... #

Shall we start again? OK. Take a deep breath.

After a faltering start, Molly must find the courage and her voice.

# I'll sing it one last time for you

# Then we really have to go

Molly's got through the first verse. But can she do the big chorus?

# Light up, light up... #

(GARETH) # As if you have a choice >

# Even if you cannot hear my voice...

SHE TRAILS OFF

Keep going.

# Louder, louder

# And we'll run for our lives

# I can hardly speak

# I understand

# Why you can't raise your voice to say. #

There were a few fluffs, but Molly succeeded in singing to her family.

-What do you want to say?

-Your voice is beautiful.

I am really proud of you. You even made me cry. It's brilliant.

-Give me a hug.

-Go and have a hug!

Seeing Molly sing was just beautiful. You know, I'm speechless.

To see Molly perform to me for the first time was absolutely amazing.

It was very nerve-wracking, because I didn't know

what they were going to think, and if I was going to mess up.

I know it's just my brothers and sisters,

but still, I want to get it right.

That's a really big moment for her.

The fact is, she's singing with more and more confidence.

I just hope she doesn't stumble in front of the public.

In nine weeks' time, the shy kids must sing

in front of 11 million viewers on Children In Need.

Today they're facing their first public audience

in Stratford-upon-Avon.

-Gareth crams in some last-minute practice.

-Two, three, and...!

ALL: # Light up, light up... #

Charlize, stay with me. It's going to be fine.

Catching sight of the busy street where they're performing

sends waves of fear through the group.

I know it's scary,

but we are going to do this, and it is going to be fine.

A small crowd is gathering, but are the group ready to face them?

So many people. I don't know. It's just too many people.

I'm feeling quite scared and nervous.

I'm just going to try not to mess up, and just try my best.

Everyone's nerves are kicking in, and Ricky's earlier

words of encouragement for Mohammed have gone out the window.

Look how many people there are outside now. I'm really scared.

I can't do it.

Molly needs support from the whole group

if she is to get through her solo.

This is their first public performance, and it's a tough one.

It really is. They're very, very scared.

-Is everybody ready for this?

-ALL: No!

OK, deep breath, take the plunge. We're going to go for it.

Hello, ladies and gentlemen! Lords, Shakespeare.

The young people that you are about to see performing,

this is their first public performance.

Can shy Molly find the strength to engage this audience of strangers?

# I'll sing it one last time for you

# Then we really have to go

# You've been the only thing that's right

# In all I've done

# Light up, light up

# As if you have a chance

# Even if you cannot hear my voice

# I'll be right beside you, dear

# Louder, louder

# And we'll run for our lives

# I can hardly speak

# I understand

# Why you can't raise your voice to say. #

Well done!

You did it!

Molly, everyone!

They did it!

No-one laughed, they didn't let themselves down,

and the relief is obvious.

I think the performance went very well, and I could do it again

and again and again, because I feel so good after it.

I've never sang in front of people before.

My mum doesn't even know what I sound like, really.

It was amazing. I just loved it.

When people clapped us, I just felt so proud of myself.

We had tears before, during and after.

I feel like there's a really long way to go with this group,

but it's going to be amazing.

There's such potential here, and when I consider

where they've all come from... Molly, she did so well.

That was a tough job, to go out there and do the first solo.

Based on that performance,

Molly has a medium to high chance of being the Big Performance soloist.

Next time, Gareth has his work cut out as the group

take on an unfamiliar style of music.

It's rock 'n' roll week!

With a little help from the King himself,

can they pull together to impress their first professional audience?

I feel really sick. I just can't do it.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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