Episode 1 The Naked Choir with Gareth Malone

'The human voice stripped bare...'

# Ooo-oo-oooo... #

Hallelujah!

'..I think there's nothing more beautiful.'

# Standing in a crowded room and I can see your face... #

'With no instruments or backing, this is singing a cappella style.'

# Put your arms around me... #

Everything is done - the harmonies, the melodies, the baselines,

the drums - everything with the human voice.

I find that incredibly exciting.

'Up and down the country,

'ordinary people are making extraordinary music.

'with just their voices.'

'Now, in a brand-new contest, I'll be helping the most promising

'amateur singing groups become Britain's best.'

Great!

'Hundreds of gifted groups applied from across the UK,

'each with their own unique sound, and I picked eight.'

Yes, yes, yes.

'They're pushed to achieve a cappella excellence.'

Just be free!

Come on, let's go.

I worry that it's not setting the world on fire.

I think you've got your comfort zone and we're well out of it right now.

'Each week, these eight groups will compete to stay in the contest.'

'Performing live at top venues across the country...'

Nervous.

'..they'll need to sing to impress a specially selected jury

'of a cappella experts.

'Their votes decide who stays...'

I loved it.

Great rhythm, natural, freely produced singing...

'..who goes...'

I hated this. Absolutely hated it.

'..and, ultimately, who will be crowned my overall winner.'

One of the best things I've done in my life.

If we went through, I would be speechless.

That audience have been regally entertained.

You see groups like this, excited and ready to go, it makes my blood pump.

It's going to be so much fun.

Greenwich, London.

I'm kick-starting the contest

at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance,

where the first four of my chosen groups are coming face-to-face.

These are the groups whose auditions impressed me most

from the southern half of the UK.

We've got wonderful groups here,

who are talented and hungry,

and eager to succeed.

It bodes well.

There's Restless Symphony,

pop music performance students from Southampton,

who dream of making it big.

I think this is the happiest moment of my life,

and I'm not even joking.

My heart is full of unicorns and sweets...

I know, I'm not even joking!

I am so happy. Oh, my gosh!

Community choir Stratford East Singers are determined to prove

that a group who welcomes all-comers can compete at the highest level.

We're always just like, "Come and join us, come and have fun."

One of the special things about us is that we're not all the same.

Another choir wouldn't have this variety of people.

Spinnaker Chorus are a tightknit sisterhood

from the world of traditional female barbershop.

What Spinnaker has got is friendliness within the chorus.

When people come in the room, they're greeted with a smile,

a piece of cake and a cup of tea,

a shoulder to cry on, a cuddle if they need it.

Gospel Essence are a group with family at its heart,

revolving around Rebecca and her younger siblings.

Rebecca's got a great voice,

so it compliments my voice nicely.

LAUGHTER

Four groups might be arriving today,

but only three will survive this heat.

I can see in each group there are weaknesses to be tackled.

I'm looking forward to getting my teeth into that

and telling them what's what.

Time to set them their first challenge.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Oh, sit down!

Hello!

Hello!

Wow, you're high energy, aren't you?

Yes!

Good! You're going to need it!

You've done very well to earn your place in this contest.

But now, the battle to keep it begins.

I'm giving you just three weeks

to arrange and perfect a performance of a song of my choosing.

You will come back and stand on this stage,

where I am standing now, and perform to an audience of 300 people.

At this stage of the contest, I have selected songs

that will play to the groups' strengths,

giving them a chance to shine.

-Would you like to know what those songs are?

-Yes!

-Spinnaker Chorus, hello.

-Hello!

I've chosen a song for you that is a classic pop barnstormer.

It's got lots of possibilities for arranging parts,

so each of you will have something to do.

It's forceful and feisty, just like you.

MUSIC: Simply the Best by Tina Turner

-Have you done it before?

-No.

-Great!

Spinnaker Chorus are outgoing and confident performers,

and this powerful song by Tina Turner should suit them down to the ground.

The chorus are seasoned competitors on the amateur barbershop circuit.

Their annual conventions

require them to look, as well as sound, the part.

Well, we go for things that are bright and glitzy,

that are going to show up on the stage.

When you're a Spinnaker-ette

you find sequins and diamante in the most unexpected places.

# You're simply the best... #

You had a good reaction at the back there in the orange.

I love Tina Turner. I have done the odd Tina Turner impression.

Can I see your Tina Turner impression?

APPLAUSE

LAUGHTER

# You're simply the best!

# Better than all the rest

# Better than anyone... #

Oh, yeah!

# Anyone I've ever been... #

I think that's enough of that, thank you very much. Very good!

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

So, Restless Symphony.

THEY CHEER

-Hello.

-Hello!

I've chosen you a fantastic modern piece of bubble gum pop.

Let's have a listen to it.

MUSIC: What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction

# You're insecure

# Don't know what for... #

Restless Symphony are young, energetic,

and studying pop music performance, so they should have fun

with One Direction's lively hit, What Makes You Beautiful.

# You don't know

# You don't know you're beautiful. #

Very good!

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I sense a mixed reaction there.

Taz, you must be a massive fan of One Direction.

I love One Direction!

I can't quite tell you how much I love One Direction.

I'd love to hear.

Really focus on making this performance

hugely entertaining, hugely fun.

Gospel Essence, I have chosen a song for you that I think

is one of the great classics of modern pop,

-and I should warn you, it's one of my all-time favourites.

-No pressure!

Let's have a listen.

MUSIC: My Lovin' by En Vogue

# No, you're never gonna get it... #

A soulful track like My Lovin' by En Vogue

is a perfect fit for a group that has its roots in gospel music.

-So, is everybody ready?

-Yes.

-Are you ready?

-Yes.

-Are you ready?

-Yes!!

Gospel Essence is a family affair.

Big sis Rebecca and siblings Louis and Paulina form its core,

and the clan is about to get bigger.

I'm 35 weeks pregnant

and I'll be having my baby in about five weeks, five or six weeks.

It could be earlier.

Depending on how far we get with the competition, it's like,

OK, she's going to have a baby during the show, so...

We hope that that is a problem we deal with,

that we do get that far, and then we deal with that problem.

How do you feel about it?

I was thinking to myself, how well does Gareth know us?

And then you proved it with your song choice.

Listen, flattery will get you nowhere!

Don't try that.

So, our final group, the Stratford East Singers.

CHEERING

This is a British soul track with a little bit of a swing to it.

It's also got a rap.

LAUGHTER

Shall we have a listen to it? Here it is.

MUSIC: She Said by Plan B

# She said I love you, baby, Oh-oh-oh oh oh... #

With their open-door policy,

this group has the widest range of singers.

She Said by Plan B has a musical variety

that should allow all of them to find a voice.

Double thumbs up?

I think it's a good reflection of us. It's fun, it's got soul,

it's British as well, which is really good.

-We're going to have a lot of fun with it.

-Good, very good.

Ladies and gentlemen, there you have it. That is your challenge.

Those are your songs.

I will be round to give you all advice and mentor you,

so very good luck, and see you all soon.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

The groups now have just three weeks before they'll be back in Greenwich

to sing off against each other.

-Do you know what I mean?

-Yeah.

That would be quite good.

The song that we've been given, I think it's just us.

How it's going to be arranged is another matter.

It's going to be heartbreaking for whoever goes home,

and we don't want it to be us.

How do you make a pop song with a full band

-an a cappella arrangement, it's a challenge.

-Bring it on.

-Yes, exactly.

-I think we need more than three weeks.

I thought today was very exciting. I am absolutely thrilled.

There's a kind of excitement and crackle about this bunch

that I'm just overwhelmed by.

I think everyone is going to take it very seriously,

but they're also going to have fun.

The countdown to show day has begun,

and all four groups are quick to get down to business.

The contestants must devise their own arrangement...

All right, girls. Let's get cracking.

Be inventive with their sound.

And incorporate crowd-pleasing choreography.

When you walk through the blah blah blah...

It's a far cry from the genre's roots in medieval choral music.

A cappella actually means "in the style of the chapel",

which referred to music sung in church without instruments.

# 100 times a day... #

By the 20th century, it had taken a giant leap forward,

emerging as the familiar barbershop style,

associated with bowties, blazers and four-part harmonies.

# Cos you make me feel like... #

Today, a cappella has been reinvented as a fresh,

exciting genre, still relying on nothing but the human voice.

With an appeal that fills stadiums around the world.

CHEERING

Of all the groups,

Spinnaker Chorus have a style closest to traditional barbershop.

Part of their challenge will be to use these three weeks

to bring their sound closer to contemporary a cappella.

You've got to go in for a contest with a winning spirit, haven't you?

That's hard when you see the competition.

They all look so trendy and cool and young and hip.

Smooth skin.

Oh, smooth skin! I'm sitting there thinking, I feel so old.

THEY LAUGH

For the last 10 years,

this Portsmouth sisterhood has bonded over cake and harmonies,

headed up by musical director Jenny.

It's not just a hobby now, it's a way of life.

My best friends, we are so tight now, the girls in the chorus.

We've been through so much together.

We've been on journeys, we've been in competitions.

You've got history, haven't you? Things to laugh about forever.

-Stop burping in her ear.

-I wasn't!

-Yes, you were!

-I wasn't!

I smelled it as well.

But saucy humour is not all the group has to offer.

I had breast cancer two years ago,

and I can't really put into words, they were just absolutely wonderful.

Every single one of them

were prepared to come and do whatever they could to help.

In my garden I've got the most beautiful rose

in a pot that they bought for me.

Every time this rose blossoms, it sounds corny,

but I just think of Spinnaker because it's just so beautiful.

This is what we do. They're just a wonderful bunch of ladies.

It's a weekend, and I'm looking forward to seeing

what they've done with the Tina Turner classic.

I think Spinnaker Chorus are warm, and they seem to be really close.

They've got a sense of fun. That's what I like.

If they can get that across on stage,

I think that will be how they'll win through.

Hello!

Hey!

-Hello.

-Wow!

I've been up all night!

LAUGHTER

There we are.

Right, well, shall we crack on? I'd really like to hear it.

# Simply the best

# Dum dum dum dum

# Better than all the rest

# Better than anyone

# Anyone I've ever met

# Da na-na-na na

# Simply the best. #

Great!

You've obviously worked your socks off. Well done.

I worry that it's not setting the world on fire as yet.

I wondered if we might try getting people to come and stand out,

and only step in when you're adding something different, just as a game.

As traditional barber shoppers, this group are not used to

improvising, but innovation is an essential part of modern a cappella.

Let's just improvise, yeah?

# Simply the best...

# Do-do-do da da

# Do-do-do da da

# Do-do da da da

# Do-do-do da da... #

Just as an idea.

# Oh-oh oh-oh oh! #

-You know, some little improvisation type things.

-Yeah.

# Do do-do do

# Do do da da da... #

Make it more playful.

# Oooo, you're the best! #

Whoa! OK, we've never done anything like that before!

-You've never done that?

-No.

You're all like this, "Na-a-ah!"

I feel like there are no moments where someone goes, "Yeah"!

You know? Or "Wooo"!

Or "Schwppp"!

-It's a bit safe.

-It's a bit safe, yeah.

You need to throw caution to the wind and be fun.

-If you just feel, add it.

-Feel it. If you feel it, add it.

If you're not happy, there's nothing worse than someone going,

"Yeah!"

"Wooo!"

"Feeling it!"

If you feel like that's you, don't do it.

I think we held back probably because of embarrassment,

in case we made a fool of ourselves.

Boy, when someone's in front of you telling you to do it, you clam up!

You've got your comfort zone - we're well out of it right now.

Yeah.

There aren't any rules. You can kind of do anything in a cappella.

You can make noises, you can do beatboxing, you can...

You could sing like a bird, it doesn't matter.

You can do anything you like. They need to start feeling that.

The chorus have taken their first steps

towards breaking out of their barbershop straitjacket.

It's a strictly regulated world,

where even the wrong make-up can raise an eyebrow.

-Is this an important part of your singing?

-Yes.

-We've got to wear all the same.

-Do you get marked on that?

-Yes.

This year at a convention we were pulled up on...

Not having enough eyebrows.

-In what sense?

-There wasn't enough eyebrow showing,

so this is what they pulled us up on.

We have to do facial expressions big-time.

Bass singer Lesley doubles as the chorus make-up lady.

Now I'm going to give her some depth, you see.

-We take it into the back.

-Oh, hang on a minute.

-We normally would...

-Oh, God, she looks like a Dalek!

You look fine, you look great...

Oh!

It was supposed to be eye shadow!

I know.

# Baby, there ain't no mountain high enough

# Ain't no valley low enough

# To keep me from getting to you, babe... #

In Southampton, university group Restless Symphony

are attracting quite a crowd.

# Ain't no river wide enough

# To keep me from getting to you, babe... #

Hoping to become professional singers, most of the group

study pop music performance at Southampton Solent University.

under the watchful eye of their lecturer

and musical director Esther.

We teach them to be centre stage,

all of them be solo artists in their own right and own that stage.

At Esther's suggestion,

they came together as an a cappella group four months ago.

We're so used to performing on our own,

to go from being centre stage to having to share a stage

with five other people can be a challenge sometimes.

A week into the contest, and it's time for me to see

if the soloists are pulling in one direction.

I think Restless Symphony didn't have a great reaction to the song.

Not all of them loved it immediately, and One Direction...

I mean, it's not to everyone's taste.

It'll be interesting to see what they've done with it.

We can make the song big in our own right,

but I want it to be remembered as the group that have done

a One Direction song, and made the song better than the original song.

# Baby you, baby you... #

Morning!

Hi, Gareth.

How's it going?

-Yeah, good.

-Really good.

-Shall we have a listen?

# Bam bam-um, bam bam-um

# You're insecure

# Don't know what for

# You're turning heads when you walk through the door

# Baby you light up my world like nobody else

# The way that you flick your hair gets me overwhelmed

# The way you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell

# You don't know,

# You don't know you're beautiful... #

-And then they are going to "wiki wiki wow" it there.

-OK, good!

My immediate thought is I like that beginning, that's really good.

I feel like everyone's got a different idea of what the beat is.

I'm looking round and everyone is going like this...

Who is the solo in this?

-Georgie, is everyone staring at you?

-Yes.

OK, then no-one else is allowed to move, and let's all follow Georgie.

# Lady, you light up my world... #

'It's obvious everyone here wants to be a lead singer.

'But to work as a group, they need to take their cues from each other.'

-Yes, that's good.

-Lovely, yeah.

-I mean it solves it and it's simpler.

You have to work out who your running mate is, who am I with?

You two should stand next to each other.

You should be like this # Do do do, yeah. #

Sorry. I invaded your personal space, I do apologise.

If you're together and you're tight like that, it'll be much better.

These are the things that are going to make you sound like a vocal

a cappella group, rather than just six people singing harmony.

It's a big challenge, it really is.

There's six of them, they've not been singing together for that long.

They don't know how each other's voices work at the moment.

When you're doing the same thing as someone else in a vocal

a cappella situation, you need to tune into them

and that means eyeballing them and having fun together.

We're doing this bit together - and that's totally lacking.

There are all focused totally on themselves.

Every now and again they look up as if to say, there's a group here.

They really need to be a unit and they don't feel like that.

Taking a break from their busy rehearsal schedule,

Anita has popped home to Kent.

She moved here from Nigeria

when she was 16 to join her mum, Doris, who's a care worker.

Hello, OK, my darling, baby, come on in. Mwah! Come on.

Come on in, come on in. Are you all right?

Your hair! I like it.

You look lovely. Come in.

-Mum, can you not do that? Are you going somewhere?

-Somewhere?

-Yeah.

I knew you were coming so I said I would look good for you.

'Doris doesn't share her daughter's passion for music,

'so when it came to choosing her university course,

'Anita was a touch economical with the truth.'

I just told her I was doing engineering,

something technical, you know, so I can build bridges and stuff.

But, no, she found out that it was music and she was like,

"Are you sure about that? Is music going to put food on the table?"

I had no choice really than to accept what she's happy with.

I did my little bit of talking to her, encouraged her to see if

she's going to do something else, but she chose what she wanted to do.

There's nothing I can do about it. She's got that lovely voice.

-Thank you.

-You don't even know.

Wish I could say the same about you.

Wait till I tell you something about me,

where did you get it from?!

My mum is my number one fan.

She's my biggest fan when it comes to my music. She...

-You can't make the show, can you?

-I'm working.

There's no-one to cover my shift.

I'll just say I'm very proud of her.

-To be honest.

-Aw. Thank you.

-Do you want to watch a video?

-Yeah.

In Cheltenham, Fizz is drumming up some support from her

number one fan, little sister Lexie.

SINGING

-Look.

-Wow!

Whenever we have rehearsals, we often record ourselves singing

and I always send the little clips, the sound bites

and the small videos to Lexie.

LEXIE SINGS ALONG

They've always been an inseparable team and...

Fizz always wants to share a room with her

and I've said we've got room, do you want me to move her?

And she always says no, I always want to be with her.

-Would you like a kiss?

-Would I like a kiss?

Yes. Go on, then.

Thank you.

# Shosholoza... #

2012 was a great year for Stratford in east London.

It was the year of the Olympics

and the formation of Stratford East Singers.

# Shoshaloza

# Kulezo ntaba... #

Anyone can join this community choir,

which makes it the most diverse group in the contest.

# Kulezo ntaba Stimela... #

Just everyone is smiling, that got on or off,

just like a big, big difference,

and they sang beautifully.

The singers have busy working lives

but manage to fit in rehearsing and the occasional trip to the pub.

-What do you want then?

-Kronenburg, please.

Aged 19 to 68, they range from retirees to a teacher,

to hard-working single mums.

Our choir is not auditioned, everyone is literally welcome.

I think if it had been an audition choir...

I don't know if I'd've got in.

-Exactly.

-Would you have got in?

So Abby is the baby and we've got mummy Antoinette.

Yeah.

-We're very enthusiastic and...

-Ecclesiastic?

That's the word!

-You can get pills for that.

-OK.

Knocking the group into shape is Byron's job.

THEY SING

When not leading the choir, he works as a community music teacher.

I think singing in general is just good for the soul.

I feel like I've found my calling, if that makes sense.

I grew up in south London.

We lived on an estate so sometimes it could get quite rough

and you were exposed to things at an early age that you wouldn't

necessarily expect a child to see.

# Everyone's got a price... #

My mum always encouraged me

and my brother would always encourage me to kind of continue

with music and that kept me focused and stayed me on a good path.

He can play instruments

and also he can use his favourite instrument which is his voice.

I don't know how he can hit the highest note,

even I can't even do that myself.

Stratford East are a community choir. They're a family.

I'm interested to see whether that's an advantage because they're

warm and lovely or whether it's a disadvantage

because they're not musically good enough.

THEY SING

-Hi!

-Hello!

Hello! CHEERING

-How are you doing?

-All right, how are you doing?

I'm all right, more to the point, how are you?

-How's the song coming along?

-Good...

LAUGHTER

Ahhh! OK, let's go.

# She said I love you boy I love you so

# She said I love you boy, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

# Oh... #

THEY RAP

# No, no-no-no, no-no-no

# No, no-no-no. #

Great! That's great, well done.

I was very excited by the rap.

-I think we got some balance issues, I couldn't hear a bloody word.

-Yes.

If you can't hear the soloist, you're too loud.

Because at the moment it feels like you're all just kind of going,

# Oooooh, yeah. #

Great, I love my singing. I come here after work and I-I let it out.

There's a way to sing with energy and excitement that's quiet enough

we can hear even Byron singing in his falsetto.

-# She said I love you boy, I love you so

-Ooooh

# She said I love you boy, oh oh oh

# Ooooh. #

Right. Immediately, when I went like that...

Something happened to your eyebrows. You all went...

That pretty much fixed it straightaway.

This is your area of weakness, if you can't hear him.

Either cut something or somebody is too loud.

I think you're capable of it, but it'll just take a bit of work.

There's something so honest and lovely and warm about hearing people

sing for the sheer joy of it, that's what a community choir is to me.

But here, there's a level of precision

that we need to compete with the other choirs.

Just over ten miles away, Romford, Essex,

is home to the soulful harmonies of Gospel Essence.

# Lights will guide you home... #

So I set the group up about five years ago to basically sing gospel

music at weddings.

I roped in the family, got Louis and Paulina involved.

-I can't sing that.

-You can't sing at all.

'There are eight years between siblings Rebecca, Louis

and Paulina, who aren't without the occasional squabble.'

That was too funny.

What did you just do?! Did you just cut the cake for yourself? OK, cool.

-It's like a quarter of the cake!

-It's a slice.

At the beginning it was hard to find a balance

because it's like, you can't tell me

what to do in public as well as at home.

# Let the madness in the music get to you... #

The thing is I'd actually class my sisters as friends, if I'm honest,

I genuinely do get along with them.

# Living off the wall Life ain't so bad at all

# Living off the wall Live your life off the wall

# Living off the wall. #

To fulfil her vision for Gospel Essence,

Rebecca needed to look beyond the family home.

I met Lowell at a karaoke party and thought he'd be good for the bass.

I count myself very lucky that I'm together with this group of people.

Only through music, you know!

Then I did some backing singing and met Michelle.

-That's how she got involved.

-Are you confident in your part, young man?

-Yeah.

-You got it locked down? You've got some dirty notes in there.

Quite a few dirty notes actually.

It's such an expression of who I am to sing. It's a joy.

Hello. We're in a competition! A little competition.

What I'd really like to see from Gospel Essence is something

energetic. They've got such a cracking song, a sassy song.

There's so much going on, # Do dah do dah - deep! #

It's just one of those that's all over the place.

OK, I'm excited. I'm looking forward to this. Hit me.

# What makes you think that you can walk back into her life

# Without a good fight

# I just sit back and watch you make a fool of yourself

# You're just wasting your time

# No, you're never gonna to get it, mmmm bop! #

-Immediate thoughts.

-Yep?

-Good. I wanted to be in it.

Hats off to your rhythm section, I've got to say that's the boring part.

There's two ways to do that, there's # dum dum dum # -

"Why didn't I get a better part?"

Or there's what you did, which is to take care of it

and constantly checking out, am I in the groove?

What I am most concerned about with you is the performance aspects.

For a gospel group you're incredibly static at the moment, aren't you?

I don't want you looking like a group of accountants

and bank managers on stage,

just really diligently counting all the crotchets and quavers.

Why don't we set up a catwalk. Get some chairs. All right.

You're going to come out from behind the curtain, you're going

to strike a pose right here and then you're going to do the walk.

# You're never gonna get it. #

In whatever fashion you feel, you know, in the vibe of the song and

then you're going to do a little pose,

and then go back in the same manner.

OK?

# Aaaah

# No, you're never gonna get it... #

How are you doing?

# No, you're never gonna get it... #

Have a bit more fun!

# Had your chance to make a change... #

Take charge. That's it.

SINGING CONTINUES

If ever a group of people needed to go clubbing or dancing, it's you.

I'm not getting crackle from you yet. You know?

You don't bound in going like, yeah, we're here, we're sexy! I want that.

I want to feel like that...energy.

Gospel singing and being sexy don't normally come together

so it's something that we're going to have to bring together.

-In a nice tasteful way.

-I didn't want to be too sexy.

-Yeah, yeah.

-I didn't want to scare everyone.

-No, I'm sure...

I'm confident we're going to bring the thunder.

I'm really excited about this group

because I feel they're actually contenders in the contest.

IF they can master this element of performance.

It's now just one week until the groups return to Greenwich to

compete in front of a live audience and a specially selected jury.

In seven days these seven jurists will decide which group will

leave the contest.

Their expertise is drawn from a range of musical backgrounds.

# Shakira, Shakira... #

Representing University A Cappella is Joel Fishel from acclaimed

Oxford group, Out Of The Blue.

A cappella isn't easy.

If you're in the middle of a harmony part, you can't go out of tune.

As soon as that happens, you're busted

and it collapses the whole performance.

From the world of gospel,

award-winning choir director Karen Gibson.

I want to see a level of rhythmic dexterity, something that

shows me that actually these groups, they're musicians,

and know what they're doing.

Adding in barbershop, a vocal expert, a performance coach,

a beatboxer and a leading music producer, ensures this jury

will represent and scrutinise the full range of disciplines within

modern a cappella.

With just a few days left before they face the jury,

the groups are cramming in rehearsals.

# Never gonna get my loving Mmmm bap. #

THEY RAP

Trying to organise more and more rehearsals, I think

pretty much every other day we want to be rehearsing

to make sure that we do the song justice.

I feel privileged I get a chance to perform to the nation, you know.

That's a big deal.

I'm proud of what we've come up with,

I'm hoping we just turn up and blow everyone away.

That would be amazing.

In Portsmouth, Spinnaker Chorus are embracing my advice to improvise.

We're going to try some vocal percussion, erm,

it's not something that we normally do.

So be prepared to be amazed.

I really love percussion.

It's got to be something that I can do that doesn't involve...

IMITATES PERCUSSION

Stuff like that, you know.

Has anyone thought of any, like, beatboxing, rhythms

or anything like that that we can put in to maybe add to the

ding-dong part.

Tsh-tsh, that's your lot!

LAUGHTER

-She's got some!

-Oh!

SHE BEATBOXES

Yeah, I like that!

Can we chuck that in...

LAUGHTER

It's like letting your hair down, really.

We've never had that chance to go and experiment before.

Vocal creativity is important in this contest but the groups will

need other tricks up their sleeve to create a memorable performance.

How are you?

I want that evening,

when you're all in front of those 300 members of the audience,

I want it to work and I want you to put on something entertaining

but I also want you to represent yourself, as well.

How are you making it feel like Spinnaker Chorus?

We're women, so clothes are important to us, we are women.

Clothes are important to me too but...OK, granted.

Gillian is our wardrobe mistress and she's put together a brief of us,

ideas, what she wants us to wear.

Look at this, it's with bullet points and everything.

Oh, yeah!

So, we're going white lace.

Blue denim jeans with lace diamante embellishments?

LAUGHTER

Now, this is the detail I'm...I would second.

You should choose jeans which are comfortable and fit you well.

No muffin tops!

LAUGHTER

I've got plenty of muffin top!

God, she doesn't pull any punches, does she?

I know many ladies are self-conscious

about their bingo wings.

LAUGHTER

But please don't be offended

if someone suggests you should cover them up.

LAUGHTER

I mean, I've worked with a lot of groups and the question is always,

very early on, before we've even learnt the music,

-what are we wearing?

-Yeah.

-But this takes the biscuit.

The feedback that Gareth Malone OBE gave us last time, cheeky sausage,

was that we all look like a bunch of bankers and accountants.

With my criticism ringing in their ears,

the pressure is on for Gospel Essence.

Rebecca has delegated the job of choreography to Paulina.

Just start in a straight line, get into your placement and sing.

Let me see you all from here again?

It's just embarrassing!

Do it again, do it again. This is wasting time!

I'm just getting frustrated because it's on Saturday,

we don't have a lot of time and it's taken us,

like, an hour just to get the beginning part right.

It's OK, just breathe. Do you want a cuddle?

-No.

-Are you sure?

-You do need one.

-I do.

To ramp up their on-stage charisma,

musical director Rebecca has employed a novel tactic.

She said, take on a character,

so during the performance,

I am Snake Eyes.

He is a bad man, from the wrong side of the tracks,

who believes that he will always get it.

The ladies claim that you're never going to get it, well,

obviously, at one point, you did get it...

LAUGHTER

So, there's a lot of arrogance on our side.

Yeah!

From Romford to Stratford...

it's all work and no play for the Stratford East Singers.

They've been focusing on dynamics or volume, after I asked them to stop

drowning out their soloists.

Yeah, that's good. That's a nice start.

Yeah, it's really hard to hold them back and not sing as loud as they

want to sing.

To nail it, they've been rehearsing every available minute.

No breath, no breath, no breath, no breath.

Oh, the pressure's on, the heat is on, everything's on.

We just have to believe in ourselves, be positive

and actually practice, practice, practice.

Right, let's go from the top one more time

and then we'll have a little bit of a break.

CHOIR SINGS AN INTRO

I am feeling knackered but excited!

I can't wait to take a nap and a bath, with some extra salts.

HE SHUDDERS

Erm, good. Look, here's where I'm at with this. I feel like, A, you're

really tired, you just look it.

You look tired, you sound tired. So, I just heartily recommend, don't

rehearse any more tomorrow. You don't need it - it's not going to get

any better with more practice.

It's show time!

Well done, see you there, thank you.

APPLAUSE

They worked too hard. Stratford East just overdid it.

These guys are definitely the vocal underdogs,

they're a little bit rough around the edges

but they do have this spirit that could carry them through.

I think, I'll only know on the day.

We need an audience.

The all-important performance day has arrived.

The four groups are back in London

but only three will be staying in the contest.

Before the night is over, one group will be sent home.

This is so close, it's so close, each group has got something

totally different, totally unique but they're all good

and it really will come down to taste.

You want to see my feet? Look, I put fake tan on my feet,

cos it's the only bit of my skin on that's on show.

Look how brown they've come out! They don't normally turn that brown!

You've just got to go for it now. We've learnt what we can learn,

I think, just enjoy it now and do our best.

I just want my waters to break but not right now!

Soon.

As soon as you walk on that stage, it's like,

"This is the time of my life!"

-Stratford East!

-Singers!

-Stratford East!

-Singers!

-One, two, three!

-Woooh!

I can't call this, I honestly have no idea who's going to go out

because each one is special, each one has something.

The stage is set

and soon these 300 seats will be filled.

As well as an audience,

friends and family have arrived from around the country.

-Bonjour!

-Cuddle, cuddle!

-I like your lipstick!

-Thank you, do you want some?

-Ahhh!

We're already super proud of all of you!

-Good luck!

-Thank you.

Lexi's visit brings home the fact that not everyone's

family can be here for the big day.

I'm so proud of them and I'm not even their mum.

Your family's so proud, you do yourselves so proud.

Mummy Essence.

I'm proud of all of them, especially Rebecca..

because she started all this by herself.

Be confident, show them what you can do. Good luck!

As people prepare to take their seats, the jury arrive.

Above all else, they want to be entertained, but pitch, timing,

tuning and blend will all be scrutinised.

If you have one voice that's

of a different colour or texture,

a bit like the light bulb in the

Blackpool illuminations,

if there's one out,

that's the one you look at.

The jury will also appraise how

groups look in terms of presence, staging and choreography.

A strong choreographic performance is critical now,

modern audiences expect that.

We've all seen things like Glee

and Pitch Perfect on the screen,

so that's what we want to see in performance.

With the jury in their seats, it's show time!

Extremely nervous, extremely nervous!

SHE GASPS

No bankers and accountants here, darling! Can you see?

You can see!

A little bit nervous now.

It's feeling very real at this point.

Hello, London! Hello!

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

Hello, thank you very much!

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, members of the audience,

friends and family, I'm sure you are itching to get on with it.

This is Restless Symphony!

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

I think this is going to be great!

# Baby, you light up my world

# Like nobody else

# The way that you flip your hair

# Gets me overwhelmed

# But when you smile at the ground

# It ain't hard to tell

# You don't know

# You're beautiful

# Ba-ba-da, ba-ba-da, chicka-cheek-ah

# Ba-ba-da, ba-ba-da

# You're insecure, don't know what for

# You're turning heads when you walk through the door

# Don't need make-up to cover up

# Being the way that you are is enough, enough

# Everyone else in the room can see it

# Everyone else but you

# Baby, you light up my world like nobody else

# The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed

# And when you smile at the ground, it ain't hard to tell

# You don't know that's what makes you beautiful

# Oh, come on, you got it wrong

# To prove it right I'll put it in a song

# Hey! Na-na-na-na-na-na

# You're beautiful

# Na-na-na-na-na-na

# That's what makes you beautiful

# Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na

# Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na

# Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na...#

There go the audience. It worked.

# That's what makes you beautiful! #

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

They commanded the stage at the end!

Just at the end, I felt like they really won it!

If they could have had that energy at the beginning,

it would have been amazing!

That was the best feeling in the world! Oh, my God!

Next up, Spinnaker Chorus.

# Dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum

# Dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum, dum-dum, dum-dum

# I call you when I need you My heart's on fire

# Dum-dum, dum-dum

# Come to me, come to me

# Wild and wired

# Dum-dum, dum-dum

# Ooh, you come to me

# Give me everything I need

# Oooh-ahh

# In your heart I see the start of every night and every day

# Oh, baby

# In your eyes I get lost I get washed away

# Ba-ba, ba-ba

# Ooh, just as long as I'm here in your arms

# I could be in no better place

# Ba-ba-ba, simply the best

# Bam-bam-bam-ba

# Better than all the rest

# Bam-bam-bam-ba

# Better than anyone

# Bam-bam-bam-ba

# Anyone I've ever met

# Each time you leave me I start losing control

# Walking away with my heart and my soul

# I can feel you even when I'm alone

# Oh, baby, don't let go

# Ding-ding-ding-ding

# Na-na-na-ah

# Na-na-na-ah

# Wow, wow, yeah

# You're the best! #

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

I think they won the audience over. They got them clapping but there was

a dodgy moment there, when they started clapping, I thought

that could really throw the timing off...not bad.

Weren't they wonderful?!

Now to our next group,

performing a unique take on one of my favourite ever tracks,

this is Gospel Essence!

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

# Never gonna get, never gonna get it

# Never gonna get my loving

# Hmmmmm-bap

# Bap-bap-bap

# I remember how it used to be

# You were never were this nice You can't fool me

# Now you're talking like you made a change

# The more you talk the more things sound the same

# What makes you think you can just walk back into my life

# Without a good fight

# I just sit back and watch you make a fool of yourself

# You're just wasting your time

# No, you're never gonna get it

# Not this time

# No, you're never gonna get it

# My loving

# No, you're never gonna get it

# Had your chance to make a change

# Mmmmm-ba

# Now you promise me the moon and stars

# Moon and the stars

# Save your breath, you won't get very far

# And maybe next time you'll give your woman a little respect

# Then you won't be hearing her say

# No, you're never gonna get it

# Not this time

# No, you're never gonna get it

# My loving, yeah

# No, you're never gonna get it

# Had your chance to make a change

# Mmmmmm-bap! #

And now it's time for a breakdown.

# Never gonna get it

# Never gonna get it never gonna get it...#

Slight wobble.

# Never gonna get it Never gonna get it

# Never gonna get it Wow-wow-wow

# Never gonna get it Never gonna get it

# Never gonna get it Never gonna get it

# Never gonna get it Never gonna get it

# Never gonna get it Never get it! #

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

I don't know if it was on fire but it was polished.

Would you Adam and Eve it?

This is the final group for this evening. Ladies and gentlemen,

I give you The Stratford East Singers!

-APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

-Hold tight!

Who knows?!

# She said I love you boy

# I love you boy

# She said I love you so oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

# She said I love you boy I love you so

# She said I love you baby oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

# Oh-oh-oh

# She said I love you more than words can say

# She said I love you baby-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay

# Ah

# She said boy I loved you from the start

# When I first heard love go down

# Something started burning in my heart

# Dee-da-da-da

# I said stop this crazy talk

# Dee-da-da-da

# And leave right now and close the door

# Dee-da-da-da

# She said I love you boy I love you so

# She said I love you baby oh-oh-oh-oh-oh...#

THEY RAP

# So now up in the courts pleading my case from the witness box

# Telling the judge and jury the same thing that I said to the cops

# On the day that I got arrested I'm innocent I protested

# She just feels rejected

# Had her heart broken by someone she's obsessed with

# The jury don't look like their buying it and making me nervous

# And I'm screw faced like I'm trying it

# Their eyes fixed on me like a murderer's

# They wanna lock me up and throw away the key

# They wanna send me down even after I told them she

# She said I love you boy I love you so

# She said I love you oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

# Bam-bam-bam Bam-bam-bam

# She said I love you more than words can say

# She said I love you baby-ay-ay-ay

# Bam-bam-bam Bam-bam-bam

# No no-no-no

# No-no-no No-no-no

# No-o-o-o-o! #

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

Not perfect, it came apart at times but that's pretty strong stuff.

It had an energy!

The fate of the groups is now firmly in the hands of the jury.

Spinnaker Chorus. I thought they just had a great performance style.

They were loving it from the first second of what they were doing.

I do think that they played it a little safe.

I'd like to hear them step outside their comfort zone a little bit.

Great harmonies. I thought it was very well blended together.

I don't think we could have done any better

and I'm really, really proud of the girls.

Gospel Essence.

I loved it, great rhythm, natural, freely produced singing.

The soloist, she had a great voice but she didn't have much charisma,

I wanted her to engage me.

It is crunch time.

We're either going to be having even more challenges ahead of us

or we're going home and I think we want the challenges, so...

Restless Symphony.

A wonderful effort from a more inexperienced group.

I do think that there were some tuning issues

throughout their performance.

That may have been due to some nerves that I was seeing on stage.

We just did our best and I hope they're going to see this.

Stratford East Singers.

I thought their lead soloist was very good,

although the choir, because there's quite a number of them,

I think there's 15 in all, overwhelmed him a bit.

The rapping was great but I think it was too fast.

I felt they've got a musical voice of their own

and they've got something they want to say.

I think if we went through, I would be speechless!

I would be speechless and I think I'd have to buy everyone a drink

and break the bank!

OK, jurors, it's decision time!

Ladies and gentlemen, members of the jury, welcome back.

The results are here.

I want to point out that these results are in no particular order.

The first group to make it through...

Gospel Essence.

CHEERING

Congratulations to Gospel Essence, everyone!

The next group staying in the contest is...

Stratford East Singers.

CHEERING

Congratulations, the Stratford East Singers!

Very well done, everyone!

Boom!

THEY SCREAM

That leaves Restless Symphony and Spinnaker Chorus.

The jury thought this was an incredibly tough decision.

They felt that the group that should stay in the contest is...

Restless Symphony.

CHEERING

That means, Spinnaker Chorus,

I am so sorry but we have to say goodbye to you.

Restless Symphony, you may leave the stage, thank you very much.

CHEERING AND SCREAMING

And one final round of applause, please, for the Spinnaker Chorus!

Thank you so much!

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

You may now leave the stage.

Help!

We got through! So excited!

So exciting, I don't really have words, apart from just yay!

We're just crazy excited, we're over the moon!

We can't believe we got through!

Mum, we got through!

LAUGHTER

Immensely proud of the girls and I'm pleased for the other choruses,

they were obviously over the moon.

We're just so chuffed to...I'm going to cry, sorry.

Don't cry, cos we'll all go.

Are you all right?

No!

Aww, aww, I'm sorry.

Jenny, are you all right?

Yeah, I'm all right.

I am really disappointed for you and I did think you did really well.

You know, perhaps you didn't totally let your hair down

and shake off that barbershop thing, I don't know but you know what?

There was some lovely tuning, there were some great harmonies.

I think you can go home proud of what you did.

What happens on a stage, it's about bravery and taking risks

and if you don't do that you're playing it safe

and unfortunately that's what did it for Spinnaker.

'Next time, I head north for my second regional heat...'

Hello and welcome!

'..where four new groups begin their battle to stay in the contest.'

I think we have put a lot of work in

but I think we've probably got quite a lot more to do.

It's mental!

I think they might have just wrecked something really good.

It doesn't look like you know it.

HE SIGHS