My Kind of Country (2023): Season 1, Episode 6 - Orville Peck's Visual Storytelling Workshop - full transcript

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First love was this old six string ♪

That was handed down to me ♪

I ain't from the right town or place ♪

♪ But the West wind takes my voice
All across the land ♪

It ain't where you're born and raised ♪

♪ It's the song in my heart
That makes me say every day ♪

Yeah, I'm country made ♪

[upbeat music playing]

We are nearing the finale of the show.

So you guys are our final five,
which we're very excited about.

And so it's time for your final workshop,
which is mine.



I am known for how I tie aesthetics
into storytelling,

so it's only fitting that my workshop
focuses on visual storytelling.

And what we're gonna be working on

is the intersection of bringing
authenticity into artistry.

The artist will work with
a production designer

to create a personalized concept stage
to enhance their performance

and tell their story visually.

- Congratulations.
- Yeah. Congrats, y'all.

- Thanks, guys.
- Thank you, guys.

Thank you.

[upbeat music playing]

- What it do?
- [scatting]

What it does.

- What it did. What it Dhruv.
- [chuckles] What it Dhruv.



What it dizzle.

[Dhruv]
Now that I've moved on to the next round,

I feel incredibly happy.

I think all I want to do now
is go and eat Indian food.

Oh, man. I miss some good
butter chicken, or something.

I need to eat.

- We're finally eating Indian food.
- [people in restaurant chattering]

[Chuck] Family dinner.

[Micaela] Family dinner. [chuckles]

I'm a foodie and getting to try
all the food. Oh, my gosh.

- [Micaela] Hi, lovey.
- Hi.

I think just being here and actually just
interacting with everybody,

I think it's been a valuable lesson

to sort of learn and kind of
grow out of my shell a bit.

So, we came to an Indian restaurant
and they gave me a fortune cookie.

It's the morning of the Orville workshop,
so I'm excited for this one.

Oh, my gosh. I'm here.

If you're there at the end, this whole
thing's gonna last a lot longer. So...

[Jyoti] I hope you are there,
beyond the end.

- [Jyoti] I really hope and pray.
- I hope so too.

I have makeup to do.

- [Jyoti] Makeup? My pretty boy! [chuckles]
- You know. [chuckles]

- [Peck] Ale! Hi, girl.
- [Ale] Yay, Orville!

[Peck] I am meeting
with all the artists one-on-one.

I wanna hear about their concepts
for the stage

as well as their song choice,

because each decision they make
about these things

is gonna be really important.

'Cause after this, only four of them
are moving on to the finale.

What are you thinking of doing
for your set?

I wanna do, like, a Narnia set...
[chuckles] ...of some sort.

- Yeah. Yeah.
- Like maybe the wardrobe and, like, then...

The Narnia,

- like, lamppost.
- What's the significance of that for you?

[Chuck] When I was a kid,

when I was, like, scared or sad,
I hid in the closet.

That was, like, my safe place.
I would just cry.

So, I actually think that's probably why
I close my eyes on stage still.

Just lean into that uncomfortability
and that moment that is...

It's hard, it's difficult. I know.

I wear a mask, for God's sake.

That's what it took for me
to be vulnerable.

Hide a little bit of something
on the surface

so I could open up and show myself.

And so it's, like, I get it.

I really commend you, man. And I think
you're thinking about it in the right way.

What... What song are you doing?

The song's called, "Take Me as I Am."

- Oh, my God. Amazing.
- Yeah, a song I wrote.

- Original? Yes.
- Original song. Yeah.

I mean, that is just really
what we wanna see.

It hadn't been long ago
that I was questioning

how far Chuck would get in this process.

But seeing him at Mickey's showcase,
almost get angry in his song

and show us some raw emotions,
and I really hope that he can trust

that that's what we wanna see.

What idea do you have for your set?

I was thinking about

- be far away from home.
- Yeah.

Trying to explore
and sailing into nowhere.

- You don't know wh-where you are going.
- Yeah.

- Adventuring out.
- Yeah.

What is your song called?

The song is called "Distancia."

- "Distance." [chuckles]
- Okay.

Are you singing in Spanish?

- Yeah, in Spanish. [chuckles]
- I'm so glad to hear it.

Now that she's singing in Spanish, I'm
really hoping she lets loose a little bit,

'cause that's
what I've been waiting to see.

So, what are you thinking of
for your set that you're gonna have?

I want to create a recreation of my old
childhood bedroom that I grew up in.

The reason why is because I've written so
many songs that I have now in that room,

and I think that's where it all began.

- Yeah.
- I just wanted to, like,

create a more playful type of visual.

- Like almost reclaim it in a way. Yeah.
- Yeah. Yeah.

We're looking for well-rounded artists
who can hold their own,

and Micaela is almost there.

She just has to dive a little deeper

and just let us into everything
she's feeling, no matter what it is.

I feel like I'm still going through the
discovery phase...

- [Peck] Yeah.
- ...of myself and stuff.

I heard a rumor that you're
gonna be doing an original song.

Yeah, um, I mean,
the song that I'm doing is "Butterfly."

I wrote this song about a specific person.

It's somebody that I really, really love.

I'm gonna put everything out there.

They see all of me.

That's a scary thought,
'cause what if they don't like it?

I'm recreating a darkroom.
That's another side of me.

I like taking photos.
I like photographing people.

Telling visual stories through the camera.

And I've been away from home
for a long time,

and just having a picture of my mother
and my family there,

- it's almost like them being with me.
- Yeah.

- So, I'm doing John Legend's "So High."
- Okay.

John Legend was, um,
one of the first artists

I kind of learned on guitar how to play,

and I feel had a place in me
wanting to be an artist.

But I would say everyone was so moved
by what you did in Mickey's showcase.

You know, obviously,

- I'm from South Africa too...
- Mmm.

...I think continue to always bring
your Xhosa culture...

- Yeah.
- ...and, like,

- I wanna see that same spirit...
- Yeah.

...if you're doing a cover,

- a ballad, no matter what.
- Yeah.

Wandile had an incredible breakthrough
at Mickey's showcase,

and so now he's gonna have to bring
at least that same energy to my workshop.

What I had in mind was the idea of that,
over the last two years especially,

I have done nothing but make music

- in my bedroom.
- Yeah.

[Dhruv] Over that time,
I've kind of felt like

my mind is like the room,
but an unkempt mind.

It's like an overtaken mind.

And from there, I find my light
in the forest that I've created over time.

I love it.

And the song that I'm doing with it, um...
[stammers]

- Yeah, what song are you doing?
- I'm doing "Bad Guy."

You know, we're getting down to it now,
and four of you are going through.

And so, like, make sure,
in doing this cover

in this point in the competition...

I don't wanna even remember
it's a Billie Eilish song.

- Yeah. Absolutely.
- We gotta see you at this point, you know?

[Dhruv] I'm not the most visual person,

so this is a great challenge in terms of
trying to express ourselves and, you know,

to bring out a side of us that sometimes
we aren't ready to show.

- Thank you so much for your time.
- All right.

Yeah, of course. I can't wait to see it.

- Let me know if you need anything.
- Thank you. [chuckles]

- I always need something. [chuckles]
- [laughs]

[Chuck] Will you take me as I am ♪

I'm on my way ♪

That's the point where we do
the peaks and valleys thing,

- the dynamics.
- [Chuck] Yeah.

So, when you get to that bridge part,
you can soften it up a little bit.

Not too much, but just so there's
a distinct difference,

- between the bridge and the chorus.
- All right.

[Chuck] Eric's somebody that,
before meeting him, I knew about him.

He's somewhat of a legend.

So, anything he says, I just respect.

Make sure you match
the energy of the song.

That's gonna be one of the ones
that they really...

- Kill. [Chuck laughs]
- ...kill.

I'm gonna be performing an original song
called "Take Me As I Am."

I wrote it just kind of
getting frustrated with, like,

always explaining myself to people.

Kind of breaking out of
whatever judgments they have of me.

So high ♪

Need to work on... [clicks tongue]
...the "oohs" at the end there.

- Yeah. The "oohs..."
- Just need to...

- ...and I think longer even, if you can.
- You know what...

Last week I documented the artivist in me.

- Well, now I'm documenting the love.
- [vocalizing]

And "So High" was a song

- I used to cover right at the beginning...
- Yeah ♪

...so that's the significance.

It's nostalgia and love. You know?

Your original was so compelling,

it's almost like I wanna make sure
we bring a little bit of that extra oomph

- that you gave none of the covers...
- [Wandile] When it goes in...

...because it was your own.

- It was like...
- Mm-hmm.

...if you could bring that somewhere.

My gut is to not actually learn it
exactly like he's doing it

so that you can just take those spots.

Like, anytime we do a-a word
like an "ooh" and an "aah,"

that's a good way for the same feeling
to come across,

- but it'll feel more like you.
- Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Do you want to try that?

I mean, I'm gonna keep running it,

but I wanna try maybe seeing
if it's an energy thing going up.

- My shoes are scraping the sky ♪
- [Wandile] If anything I've done,

- I've shown there's a lot of...
- The sky ♪

...different pockets of me as an artist.

And I think, with this choice,
is that you can't box me. You know?

There's that ballad Wandile
that needs to be explored,

so how can I bring a new Wandile
that they haven't seen?

[Micaela]
...fly, flew in front of my eyes ♪

I am singing "Butterfly"
by Micaela Kleinsmith. [chuckles]

It's about somebody that I really love,
the way I felt in a specific moment,

and the way I feel now. [chuckles]
I'm always wearing my heart on my sleeve.

There are several places
where you do the runs.

- I don't feel like the song needs that.
- [Micaela] Okay.

We need some sustained notes
and just more so showcase your tone.

'Cause if you do a specific lick
more than once,

people tend to think you're...
Uh, "That's a one-trick pony."

[Micaela] It's... It's a little scary
being so exposed.

These guys have never seen me
play guitar before

and they've never seen me
do an original in person.

So, there is a little bit of a concern,
but I think that'll show

- a different side to me.
- Kind of felt like Eden ♪

What have you done to me? ♪

- [laughing] Aw, Eric!
- [sighs] Ooh.

That, like...

It's the simplicity of
just singing the words.

Letting the song sing itself.

I promise you.

If you do that, that is a showstopper.

- Okay. Got it. [chuckles]
- [chuckles]

[in Spanish] ♪ Lo que anhelas
Lo que sueñas ♪

[vocalizing]

[in English]
This song of mine called "Distancia,"

it has to be a lot with moving forward

and left all your old life behind
just to pursuit your dream.

- [humming]
- [guitar tune playing]

I don't know how to end that.
Like, it's, like, too aggressive.

[scatting] Any of those would be options.

I think the rehearsals are helping me
a lot with "you don't need to be perfect,"

allowing me to be more relaxed
about what I'm doing.

[in Spanish] ♪ Lo que anhelas
Lo que sueñas ♪

[vocalizing]

[in English] And then?

- [scatting]
- [Ale scatting]

Finally, I can just express myself
at my first language.

I think it's very important

so that you can connect the most
with your essence.

- [Beatty] Let's start with that shape.
- Okay. Right.

[Beatty] And let's go from the chorus
with that shape.

So... [scatting]

- Okay. All right.
- [Beatty] The second time around.

Okay, let's try it.

Bruises on both my knees for you ♪

To me,
this song felt like a train of bad guys.

Like, the movement of all the things
that bother me, my anxiety, my sadness,

my procrastination, my lack of motivation
sometimes, and everything.

First off, are you okay
with the arrangement of it?

- Does it sound fine to you?
- Yeah. You Dhruved it.

- [Dhruv chuckling]
- Ah.

[Beatty] You Dhruved it.

[Eric] You Dhruved it up.

[chuckles] Dhruv is in the heart.

[Peck] Today, I'm at Worldwide Stages,

meeting with production designer
Natacha Aubier-Hatch.

The artists have all met with her
to discuss their own conceptual stages.

And today, not only will they be seeing
an artistic rendering

of each of their concepts,
but they will be able to see a little bit

of the stage and the progress as well.

It's not usual for a young,

emerging artist
at this level to be able to build a stage

and a whole concept and a world.
So, it's pretty exciting stuff.

- That's it. Come on, take a look.
- Ooh. Ah, I love it.

My concept for my stage
is my childhood bedroom.

Having it black-and-white
represents me being in the past.

I had to go through, like,
a very big journey of self-discovery

'cause I am a queer human being.

Me being in full color is, like, kind of,
uh, coming into my own.

I love this so much, guys.

I feel just enveloped in the color.

This is a setting you'd see
outside a house.

[Peck] Exactly.

Like, as if it was done inside out.

[Peck] Yeah.

[Peck] It's pretty special, right?

- A safe place for you to do your art.
- Yeah.

[Wandile] My concept is to recreate
a darkroom feeling.

My love for photography
helps my love for music,

and my love for music
helps the love of photography.

We'll make sure your mom is standing

- right in the center.
- [Wandile] There she is. I like it a lot.

[Natacha] Let me show you your world.

- [Chuck] Yeah. Oh, fire.
- [Peck] It's gonna be so sick.

That's so sick.

We're developing this set with Natacha,
and the first rendering I saw...

[stammers] ...she's captured it.

First time I ever have a custom stage.

[Peck]
Is it close to what you were hoping?

[Chuck] It's better than I was hoping.
This is sick.

So you're gonna have
that shiny mirror floor,

so it's gonna reflect all the elements.

It's so cool.

I like to put this items that reminds me
of being far and traveling.

[Peck] How do you feel?
Is it everything you were thinking?

- Yeah. [chuckles]
- Yay!

[drilling]

[spraying]

Going into this performance for me is just
about keeping my heart connected to,

like, who I am.

And I'm me because of my mom.

- So, I wanted to just, like...
- Hi.

- ...catch up with her.
- [Chuck's parent] How's everything going?

It's good. [laughs]

- [Bettie] I'm excited, Chuck.
- [laughs]

I remember you singing at church one day
when you were 11 or 12 years old.

I was just so shocked.

I knew you had a beautiful voice.
But it was your destiny to be a singer.

[Chuck] Mother,
she was the singer before me.

And then, you know, life,
so she stopped pursuing certain things.

It was tough for her.
And then I get to do it.

[Bettie] I love singing,

and I always thought that I
was going to be the next Mahalia Jackson,

and I knew that I had
a gift that God had given me.

So, I... I knew
that you were gonna pick it up.

And actually, I would always pray, uh,

for God to just give you
the chances that I never got.

Well, thank you.

She's encouraged me every step of the way,
and I wanna make her proud.

I love you. I'll talk to you later.

- I love you more. Bye, Chuck.
- Bye.

- Bye. [chuckles]
- [chuckles]

Today is performance day for my workshop.

We have given them the opportunity
to tell their story,

not just through song, but visually.

And I think it's gonna be a very exposing,
interesting showcase.

[Peck] Come take a look.

Okay. Okay.

[Peck] Your mom looks beautiful up there.

[Wandile] The moment I saw the stage,
it was really cool.

And seeing those pictures
is completely nostalgic.

I'm so excited to be
playing on that stage.

It's lit just, like, so gently like that.
It really tells the story.

- It's well lit.
- [Peck] Yeah. It's lit.

[both laughing]

- [Ale] Whoa!
- [Peck] There's your world.

- Yeah, I'm loving it.
- [Peck] It's so beautiful.

It's so gorgeous.

- [Peck] Come take a look.
- [Chuck chuckles]

[both chuckling]

[Peck] Look at the closet.

[Chuck] This is insane.

- [Peck laughs] I mean, we were just...
- This... You're brilliant.

- Wow, that's so sick.
- Thank you.

My eyes were watering. It wa...
It was cool. It was, like, great job.

For my workshop, I wanted to provide
the opportunity for these artists

to show some top industry professionals
where they're at as artists

and what they're doing,
so I brought friends of mine.

- Hey. What's up?
- [Peck] Hey, guys!

[Peck] Cameron Duddy,
who is a member of the band Midland,

is an amazing country musician.

And he also is a very acclaimed
music video director.

He's worked with Bruno Mars,
Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez,

and of course, me and Shania Twain.

[Duddy] Doing great.

- [Peck] Give me a hug.
- Hi, how are you?

[Peck] Catherine Hahn,
who is an amazing stylist.

She works with Post Malone, Lil Nas X,
and she's also my personal stylist.

She has an amazing eye.

- [Peck] Jay, what's up?
- [Joyce] Hey, buddy.

[Peck] And finally, Jay Joyce.

He is one of the most sought-after
producers in country music.

Having worked with some of
the biggest names in country,

I'm very excited to see
what he thinks of everyone here.

- [Peck] Thank you so much for coming.
- Yeah.

All right,
ready to go see these performances?

- [Guyton] Yes! We are ready, let's go!
- Okay, follow me. Let's go.

[Wandile] Last performance went well.

I got some great response from the scouts.
So, I'm gonna have to figure out

how I can bring myself
to this next performance.

[Dhruv]
Here I am, halfway across the world,

trying to constantly tell myself
that I can do this.

You know,
even when I doubt myself all this much.

To go on to the next step
would just be an incredible achievement.

[Micaela] I'm so nervous.

It's scary when you put yourself out there
for people to judge.

- [Duddy] Wow.
- [Guyton] This is so cool!

[Allen] Is that a wax figure
or is that really Chuck?

[Duddy, Peck laugh]

- That's a cool set right there.
- [Guyton] I mean, this looks awesome.

This set here,
it's a little piece of Narnia.

During my parent's divorce
when I was eight,

it was like a big time for me.

When I was scared or sad,
I used to go in the closet and cry.

You know, and now I'd grab
that little eight-year-old kid

and I was like, "It's okay."

I've been struggling to show my emotions.

I don't show it the same, but I have to.

And, you know, to be the best me.

[intro to "Take Me As I Am" playing]

♪ Like a heart left on my sleeve
These tattoos cover me ♪

♪ Like names carved into a tree
All these memories ♪

♪ Wake me up and rinse my eyes
Baptized today, I'm free ♪

♪ One thing that I'm gonna do
Is be all I can be ♪

- If you can lift your head ♪
- [Guyton] Mmm.

Then you can rise on up ♪

Right now, I am standing here ♪

Oh, take me as I am ♪

Oh, take me as I am ♪

Won't you take me as I am? ♪

Like a stranger in a foreign land ♪

That's how I feel in Tennessee ♪

♪ The good Lord made us equal
But it don't feel that way to me ♪

I'm on my way to a brighter day ♪

Won't you hold my hand? ♪

It'll be okay ♪

Right now, I am standing here ♪

Oh, take me as I am ♪

Oh, take me as I am ♪

Won't you take me as I am? ♪

Right now, I am standing here ♪

Oh, take me as I am ♪

Oh, take me as I am ♪

Won't you take me as I am? ♪

- Ah! And the lights! Yes, Chuck!
- [Peck] Yeah! Come on, Chuck!

I don't even know what it would feel like
right now to be you.

Playing a song for three strangers
in such an intimate setting,

I mean, that takes a lot of bravery.

I've used intellect my whole life
to break down barriers.

But in doing that, I never healed.

I feel this way.
Why do I look this way to somebody else?

- That's where it comes from.
- [Hahn] Aw.

The transformation has been crazy.

I feel like you're in your own skin now,

not because you're fighting against
what people want you to be

or hiding from anything.
This is just who you are.

It's pretty dope.

[Chuck]
After the performance, it felt good.

It felt the best of all of them so far.

But you have to be willing to do things.

Be the best that you can be.

The song choice is "So High."

And last week,
I was casting out the spirit of fear,

- but the opposite of fear is love.
- Yes.

And the things that remind me of love

are the things that make me comfortable.

And I like taking a lot of photos
and living in the memory,

so there are photos that here I've taken.

- That is my beautiful mother.
- [Guyton] Wow.

- Can you see it?
- [all] Yeah.

So, that's who I want
to remembered for.

As a person who just shared love,
and walked with love.

[intro to "So High" playing]

♪ Baby, since the day
You came into my life ♪

♪You made me realize
That we were born to fly ♪

♪ You showed me every day
New possibilities ♪

♪ You proved my fantasies
That love could really be ♪

Let's go to a place only lovers go ♪

To a spot that we've never known ♪

♪ To the top of the clouds
We're floating away ♪

And oh, this feels so crazy ♪

Oh, this love is blazing ♪

Baby, we're so high ♪

Walking on clouds ♪

Ooh, this feels so crazy ♪

And oh, this love is blazing ♪

'Cause, baby, we're so high ♪

My shoes are scraping the sky ♪

Ooh ♪

Yeah ♪

So high ♪

- [all cheering]
- [Allen] Yeah, Wandile.

- [cheering continues]
- [Guyton] Yes, Wandile.

I love that you treated the performance
like a music video.

It's like we weren't here.
It's like you weren't looking at us.

- I thought that was dope.
- Yeah. Thank you.

[Hahn] You just seemed
really comfortable up there.

We're learning more about who you are

through all these pieces
you have on your set.

The performance really went well for me.

If anything,
I've shown variation as an artist.

So, I'm happy.

- [Guyton] Hi.
- Hi.

- [Peck] Hello.
- [Joyce] Wow.

As you see, I'm on a boat. [chuckles]

Um, the song is called "Distancia,"
"Distance."

And talks about being far away
from your lovers.

So, I just write this song on the flight
from Chihuahua to Mexico City,

while I was looking outside through
the window and I was watching,

you know, the clouds and that
pretty sunset that just reminds me

of the place where I came from.

[in Spanish]
Entre kilómetro y kilómetro ♪

♪ Te extraño mucho más
Y es que no hay cosa que no sepas ♪

Que no te haya dicho ya ♪

♪ Entre un minuto y otro
El tiempo lento pasa ♪

♪ Y mis deseos por verte hoy
Se han vuelto a acumular ♪

Y entre un mar de luces ♪

Creo escuchar ♪

Tu voz entre las nubes ♪

Y yo queriéndote encontrar ♪

[vocalizing]

Entre preguntas que no haré ♪

Y respuestas que aún no llegan, ♪

♪ La certeza de un te quiero
Se encuentra firme pero en espera ♪

♪ Que el misterio de tus ojos
Me revele lo que piensas ♪

♪ Lo que sientes, lo que callas
Lo que anhelas, lo que sueñas ♪

[vocalizing]

[scatting]

- [all cheering]
- [Ale chuckles]

- [Guyton, in English] So great.
- Thank you.

- [Duddy] That is a striking image.
- [Peck] Yeah.

[Peck] It almost looks like
her album cover. You know?

Right. And that was a beautiful song.
Even when you don't fully understand it.

[Joyce] I thought it was a great song.

I think you got a real future
in, uh, songwriting,

and, uh, I'm a big fan of left-handed
guitar players, so I'm sold.

- [all laughing]
- Aw. Thank you. [chuckles]

I felt like I got to see you today
for the first time.

Such a pleasure to watch. Thanks, Ale.

- Thank you, Ale. Thank you so much, Ale.
- [all cheering, applauding]

[Ale] Because I'm losing,
like, the vocabulary,

I don't feel like I...
I can express myself speaking in English.

It was the first time that I just felt
like being myself completely.

So, my concept,
this is kind of, like, a recreation,

reimagined version
of my childhood bedroom.

- [Guyton] Wow.
- Yeah, I just wanted to, like,

really strip it down.

And this song is one of the songs
where it kind of all started for me.

I think that this original is kind of
going to show that I'm not only a belter.

I'm not only a singer-singer, you know?

I can hold it back,
but it is just me and my guitar.

Like I don't have anybody else there
to help me out,

so that's a bit nerve-racking.

[intro to "Butterfly" playing]

Butterfly flew in front of my eyes ♪

♪ Never seen such a sight before
But now I have ♪

Butterfly ♪

Saw you in a garden ♪

Kind of felt like Eden ♪

What have you done to me? ♪

Spread your wings ♪

And show me your light ♪

Show me your life ♪

I wanna see your colors ♪

Shining so bright ♪

In the sky ♪

♪ Butterfly, butterfly
Don't fly away ♪

Butterfly, butterfly ♪

Tell me you're here to stay ♪

Butterfly, butterfly ♪

Fly right into my arms ♪

Butterfly, butterfly ♪

Don't fly away ♪

[vocalizing]

Butterfly, saw you in a garden ♪

Kind of felt like Eden ♪

What have you done to me? ♪

- [all cheering]
- [Peck] Yeah, girl!

- [chuckles]
- [Duddy] Are you actually playing?

- Yeah.
- Was that prerecorded? Wow.

[Peck] Yeah, she's playing. Yeah.

It's our first time
seeing her play as well, actually.

- Yes, Micaela.
- And I've been playing guitar since,

um, eight years old,

and I still can't do it that well. So,
from that perspective, I'm impressed.

But to be honest with you,
I was just so impressed

by your restraint
and control in your voice.

You could be sitting on a completely
white stage, or in a black void,

and it would still have been pretty powerful.

- So, you have something very special...
- Yeah. I get what you're saying.

...so that's a great thing.

It's crazy sometimes
what an original song can do.

Yeah.

For me, original songs isn't writing
a song that everybody's gonna love,

'cause everybody's not gonna love
everything you do.

It's about writing something you love
that'll connect with the right people.

And that butterfly represents you.

Like, your process, you know,
you came in here as a caterpillar.

- Like, you know, you...
- [chuckles]

[Allen] Again, like,
you did, like, you had a...

- you had a great voice, you know?
- The visual, yeah. You did.

But you could still tell
you were a little...

Now it's just like, you like,

"Yo, this is Micaela.
Get used to it or don't. Here I am."

- And I think that's fire.
- Thanks, guys.

I have been this scattered person.

Found myself locked in my room
over the last two years.

Trying to make music.
Trying to make things.

Trying to make dreams come true.

And, you know,
I just let everything take over,

and this is my unkempt mind.

Wow.

I'm gonna be singing
"Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish.

Like anything, I look at it as a challenge
to try and make it my own.

If I had written it myself,
this is how I would have written it.

[intro to "Bad Guy" playing]

White shirt now red, my bloody nose ♪

Sleeping, you're on your tippy toes ♪

Creeping around like no one knows ♪

- Think you're so criminal ♪
- Okay.

Bruises on both my knees for you ♪

Don't say thank you or please ♪

I do what I want when I'm wanting to ♪

My soul, so cynical ♪

♪ So you're a tough guy
Like-it-really-rough guy ♪

♪ Chest-always-so-puffed guy
Just-can't-get-enough guy ♪

♪ I'm the bad type
Make-your-mama-sad type ♪

♪ Make-your-girlfriend-mad type
Might-seduce-your-dad type ♪

I'm the bad guy ♪

I like it when you take control ♪

Even if you know you don't own me ♪

I'll let you play the role ♪

I'll be your animal ♪

I'm the bad guy ♪

And I'm the bad guy ♪

I'm the bad guy ♪

Bad guy ♪

And I'm the bad guy ♪

Oh, I'm the bad guy ♪

- Wow. Wow.
- [Guyton] Whoo!

You knew we were having company.
You should've cleaned this shit up, bro.

[all laughing]

I don't know what you're up to
on that guitar, dude.

- It's like... [chuckling] It's so wild.
- Like, what on Earth? What in tarnation?

Also, like, I don't even remember
the original version of that now.

You know what I mean? Like, it's...

You just always
make everything so your own.

- [Guyton] Yeah.
- Yeah, dude, like, 'cause you're legit

keeping the rhythm of a drummer,
a bass player and a guitar,

- but at the same time. And singing.
- It's crazy.

- I'm very insecure right now.
- [all laughing]

Thank you so much.

I love that you sound like you
on that song,

and I'm excited to hear you sing like you
on your own material in the future.

- [Peck] Yeah.
- Really, thank you, guys, so much.

[Dhruv] I played the song
and it's so energetic, I feel it.

I've played with some anger,
some vigor and everything,

and felt like I belonged there.

We're very, very curious to know
what your thoughts were on... on everybody.

There's a theme here. [inhales sharply]

And that is everyone is working
from their own kind of bedroom,

and that's, I guess,
where you start writing

a lot of your first material is...
is in your bedroom.

So, that would make sense.

It seemed like it was
getting inside of everybody's head.

- [Guyton] Yeah.
- And how they kind of relate to the world.

- [Guyton] Absolutely.
- Yeah, I agree.

I think the sets
are all like their safe place,

and it was interesting seeing them being

- so open and raw.
- [Guyton] Yeah.

We can start with Chuck.

Oh, take me as I am ♪

[Joyce] I thought that was the best
of the original songs, I thought.

I mean, as far as it
having some commercial hook and stuff.

[Peck] Totally.

He looked great, he sounded great,
he grabbed us, he looked at us,

and brought us in his world.

I think his stage is really powerful,
you know?

Like coming from one world into another.

- I've always really liked Chuck.
- Yeah.

But, like, tonight I really saw someone,
and I thought I can see this person

- just being so successful...
- [Guyton] Absolutely.

[Peck] ...like ready to go start a career
in country music.

- Yeah. Yeah.
- Yeah.

[Peck] Let's talk about Wandile.

Ooh, this feels so crazy ♪

[Guyton]
I thought Wandile's set was stunning.

The pictures on the walls,
like, everything was a piece of him.

His mother, like, that was all

- beautiful to me.
- [Peck] Mm-hmm.

Whoever's, you know, growing this artist

needs to give him the room to do that,
because he's really good in that space.

[Guyton] Unfortunately, it wasn't one
of the strongest performances for me.

I didn't feel like he let us in.

Yeah. Did you guys get a strong sense
of who he is as an artist and a person?

This young man had a lot to offer
and is a sensitive soul...

- [Guyton] Yeah.
- ...and I think there's a lot to mine there.

I felt like that was a bad song choice.

It wasn't his strongest.

- Yeah. Song choice is so important.
- [Guyton] It matters.

- [Peck] Yes.
- At this point, you just gotta be smart.

As an artist, you gotta tell yourself,
"Look, this is a competition,

- and we gotta put your... The best song."
- [Guyton] So what is the best song for me?

Yeah. It wasn't...
It didn't feel... feel true to him.

What did we, uh, think about Ale?

[in Spanish] ♪ Entre preguntas
Que no haré ♪

[Duddy, in English] Spanish, like,
it's such a beautiful language, it's...

And... And to hear it sung to you even when
you don't fully understand it anymore,

there's a time and a place for that.

I honestly feel like her guitar
gets in the way.

I love Ale.

But looking at her performances,
her strongest one was with someone else.

It felt like she needed Dhruv to come out.

She has every potential to do that.
She's so incredible.

And, I mean,
it can't go without saying that, listen,

she's doing this entire competition
not in her first language.

- [Guyton] Yeah.
- [Peck] She really has to think,

and I see that with her.
She's always thinking.

If Ale's gonna make it
through to the next round,

I think the thing she's gotta take on
if she's gonna wanna win this competition

- is like... Yeah.
- [Guyton] Is to let go.

How did we feel about Miss Micaela?

Butterfly flew in front of my eyes ♪

[Guyton] I have
been a fan of Micaela's voice...

[Peck] Oh, yeah.

...but today I saw her coming into herself
singing her own song.

[Duddy] Mm-hmm.

[Allen] Today, I saw an artist.
I saw a singer.

- [Guyton] She's relatable.
- I saw a songwriter.

[Allen] She showed that she can entertain
without running around...

And she just sat there
on the edge of the bed.

...with that hard-ass mattress,

- and she sang. [chuckles]
- [laughs]

And then, finally, Mr. Dhruv.

♪ So you're a tough guy
Like-it-really-rough guy ♪

- You know I am a huge fan of Dhruv.
- [Peck] Mm-hmm.

He's a musician's musician.

So guys like Jay and I
will always geek out on dudes like this.

He is such an incredible artist.

- He's thinking all the elements.
- [Allen] Yeah.

He knew what he wanted.

- He knew how he wanted to look, you know?
- [Joyce] Yeah.

Like, he has a real clear idea
of who he is.

I think, for me, like,
the word is, like, believable.

And it had a sort of late-night vibe to it
that I thought

- was just a really great song.
- [Guyton] Yeah.

Dhruv is so great.

Musically, Dhruv is here.
Everyone else is here.

Today, I felt like Dhruv was here.

He took a song that I didn't think was
a great song choice, but he still, like,

- took that song and made it his own.
- [Guyton] Yeah.

This one's so hard.

- It is. [sighs]
- [Guyton] Thank you.

Hundred percent.

- Thank you so much.
- [Joyce, Hahn] Thank you.

It is such a pleasure
to have you guys here.

- [Peck] Jay, so nice to see you.
- [Jay] You too.

- [chattering, chuckling]
- [Hahn] All right. Safe travels.

It's crazy, hey? We're the top five.

- Top five?
- [Micaela chuckles] That's wild.

It happened so fast.
It feels like this month, like, ran by.

[Ale] All of them are so talented.

And someone got to go home
and you don't even know who will be.

So, my anxiety goes up.

[pop music playing]

What's going through my head
is what everyone's going through, I think.

It's who is going home.

But at the same time, I'm like,
damn, I killed it. [chuckles]

So, I think I made it really tough
for them to critique my skill level

or to critique my artistry.

[pop music playing]

[Dhruv] I always had a goal
before I got here. I told myself, I said,

"I want to make it to the final."

And if I didn't do that,
I'd probably feel a little devastated.

I don't mean to sound sad about it,

but it's just the truth
of what a defeat can do to you.

Oof.

Guys, it has been such a privilege
to get to know each and every one of you.

This is insanely hard

and our decision was,
like, literally splitting hairs.

And I hope that...
[inhales deeply] ...you guys know

it's very hard
to lose someone at this point.

- Yes.
- And I hope you know that as we say...

- This is just a stepping stone.
- Yes.

[Peck] You can all know that you have
already shown, not just us,

but soon everybody that'll get to watch,
incredible sides of yourselves.

As artists, as people, as musicians,
you can be so proud,

every one of you, at this point. You know?
Really. Truly.

The artist that is not gonna
be going through

to the finale next week is...

Wandile.

- I'm so sorry, my dude.
- Yeah.

[Peck] We love you so much.

- [Guyton] Thank you.
- It's all good.

- [Guyton] We love you so much.
- [Peck] You are so incredible.

You know, I think it was...
particularly, just song choice.

I mean, I knew I was taking a risk
coming with the ballad,

especially after last week.

But, I'd go a hundred percent
in again with it.

[Wandile] For sure.

For sure. For sure.

[speaks indistinctly]

[Wandile] Love you, dude.
Gonna miss you guys.

- [Peck] We love you, buddy.
- [Wandile] Thank you so much. Thank you.

- [Allen] Ooh. [sighs]
- [Peck sighs]

[Guyton] His last workshop was the best.

And then today, he went back
to what he'd been doing.

He didn't push it.

[Wandile] I learned a lot about myself.

I learned a lot of lessons, you know?
Which is really cool.

Those are things I'll never forget.

- Congratulations to each of you.
- [Micaela chuckles] Yay.

- You have all so deservingly earned it.
- [Guyton] Yes, thank you. Congratulations.

I think you guys
can go forth to the finale

and know that you all know what to do now.

[Allen] Mm-hmm.

It took me, like, a while to process
all the things that happened.

And I don't know what to believe,
if it's true or not.

I'm... I'm still shocked.

- [Peck] Come on, y'all.
- All right.

Big group hug.

- I'm so excited for you guys.
- Thank you.

- Ah, man.
- Thank you so much, man.

Today's show felt the best for me.
Changed a lot of things in how I practice.

So, I wanna do that again and take it
to the next level, whatever that is.

- Thank you, bro.
- [Dhruv] Thank you, really.

I was like, "Bad Guy"?
[clicks tongue, laughs]

- [both laugh]
- [Dhruv] But I tried my own thing on it.

- But you killed it though.
- Really?

[Allen] I ain't gonna lie.

[Peck] I hope for all of them,
they maybe got some clarity on something

that they were struggling with
before they had came.

And we're going into the finale
and there's nowhere to hide now.

[Peck] Go get some rest,
It's gonna be a hard week. [laughs]

[all chattering, laughing]

[Peck] After weeks of showcases
and intense workshops,

four artists
fought their way to the finale.

I am a ball of nerves at the moment.

[Dhruv singing]

[Peck] And now it's almost time
for the final showdown.

[singing]

[Peck] Each of the artists
has three chances to prove themselves.

A group number.

[all singing] Country ♪

All right. So, we got some work to do.
We got some work to do.

Ah.

[Peck] A cover.

♪ Young. Bury me in satin
Lay me down ♪

[Peck] And an original song.

[singing in Spanish]

[audience cheering]

[Peck, in English] Performing in front of
the scouts and their biggest audience yet.

But are you guys nervous though?

[Peck] But only one can win
the grand prize of $100,000

and the global support of Apple Music...

- Enjoy the show. Take it away, y'all.
- Yes.

[Peck] ...so the world can hear
their kind of country.

[Wandile, in Xhosa] ♪ Yhey Yheyi
Yheyi Yheyi ♪

[Peck, in English]
To hear more music from Wandile,

go to My Kind Of Country on Apple Music.