🍋‍🟩⭐️Limelight | Episode 3

NOTE: Due to recent demand, we will be switching this up for Episode 3 by shifting over to heavily text-focused episodes! This is to make things more convenient and quicker to read for viewers. THEME "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" (Judge 1's Theme) Dorothy made it to Oz...but it didn't come without hardships. She battled winged monkeys, a wicked witch & apple throwing trees to get there! Her journey was full of obstacles but she always had the Yellow Brick Road to guide her. Let music be your Yellow Brick Road and submit a song that has or could help you through all of the rough patches that life throws your way! It could just be a song that makes you smile when you're sad or something deeper!
ChloeKay - "All Night" by Fox Stevenson "I get in my head a lot and will constantly feel like the world is ending and I’m going insane. This guys voice soothes my emotions and he’s one of my favorite artists. I also love this song particular because it’s one of his less screaming songs and the lyrics perfectly describe my mood most of the time wanting an escape from reality. “I don’t want to be a human being all night” that resonates with me because I literally hate the pressures of being an adult all the time and I just want an escape." ----------------------------------------------------------------- Ratings: JUDGE 1 - 2 Points "Oof. I'm in a tad bit of the same predicament as last round…except opposite. I pretty much like all of these submissions which sounds like a great thing (and it is) but it's also sort of a double edged sword. I can't give everyone high points…and it also makes it difficult to give you constructive criticism to improve. I enjoy this song (instrumentals are a little strange but they fit the paranoia-like feel of the lyrics, I suppose) and I really like the lyrics too as they’re unique. Your notes hit home as well! I'm also always in my head. So with that being said, the competition is just really heating up and the other submissions are maybe a little more stand out and creative, I guess?" - JUDGE 2 - 1 Point "I'm going to feel terrible ranking these songs honestly. How am I supposed to rank songs low that help people get through rough times? I'm really glad that this artist is able to help you through rough times. I think this song does fit the theme pretty well but the reason I am ranking the song low is because the genre of this song is really not the type of music I gravitate towards when I am personally feeling down. When I need a song to cheer me up I don't personally see myself. This song kind of gives me the dubstep vibe that I don't really enjoy." - JUDGE 3 - 2 Points "I really hate to be negative but I just couldn’t find anything about this song that I enjoyed. It’s all over the place, both sonically and lyrically. The instrumentals clash and don’t quite go together. The lyrics aren’t doing much for me either, a lot of the song feels like it was written for the sake of being edgy or something, and it ultimately ends up feeling a bit weak. Overall the song never hits a sweet spot or finds its groove. I feel like this was a bit of a risk to submit, and I’ve said previously that I encourage and favor risks, but the problem is I still have to actually like the song. Obviously I’m not trying to trample on something that is meaningful for you. I appreciate what you said in your notes and if this song is something that resonates with you, don’t let us negative nancies take that away. We are here to judge though, and this didn’t resonate with me one bit." TOTAL POINTS: 5 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Cray - "The Place To Be" by The Scarlet Opera "“The Place to Be” by the Scarlet Opera celebrates discovering a place where people are free to embrace their authentic selves, surrounded by acceptance, belonging, and chosen family. Its messages of self-acceptance, individuality, and community mirrors the journey of the characters from Oz, who believe they are missing something only to discover that the courage, wisdom, and compassion they seek have always been within them. To me, this song captures that same spirit of inner strength. I feel it encourages listeners to embrace who they are, find people who accept them, and hold on to hope through life’s challenges. It reminds me that hardships can shape our character and deepen our understanding of ourselves, while showing that “home” is not just a place, but a feeling of purpose and connection." ----------------------------------------------------------------- Ratings: JUDGE 1 - 6 Points "Okay, where did you find this?! If it isn't in some sort of musical or musical tv show, missed opportunity! We went from two rounds of pop, rock, pop, rock, pop, rock to a round of disco, blues, dance, theatre, etc, etc. I don't know how that happens but it just did. Sorry for using YOUR critique for this…but take note on variety everyone! Anyway, their vocals here are on point and I love some of those super clever lyrics …but especially the vibes! Normally I would comment on a few of these songs having nearly identical themes but this is The Place To Be tonight and I actually don't even care because they're BOPS!" - JUDGE 2 - 7 Points "It's getting really hard to rank these songs. This song is such a fucking bop and this would defitnitely uplift me when I am upset. The chorus and the lyrics are so amazing and fun. This is a FUN song. It honestly reminds me of a song I would hear in a musical or the end credits of a movie and the bad guy isn't dancing but then he starts jamming out because the song is just so catchy. This is such a catchy fucking song, I really really enjoy this a lot." - JUDGE 3 - 5 Points "You had my favorite take on the theme this round. I absolutely loved that you connected this song to the characters from The Wizard Of Oz, and when I listened to the song, I immediately understood where you were going with that. I try to make my rankings a combination of creativity, theme, and overall song quality, with song quality being where this fell a bit flat for me. Not saying the song is bad because I think it is quite good. I just personally did not get as much from it as I got from the three songs I ranked above you. Ultimately this song feels EXTREMELY broadway (I have a feeling you might like next round) but it is decently catchy and fun to listen to." TOTAL POINTS: 18 -----------------------------------------------------------------
KaliMinaj - "Heaven's Not Too Far" by We Three "Losing a parent is a journey no one is ever prepared for. There isn't a shortcut through grief, and some days it's hard to see a way forward at all. Heaven's Not Too Far became that reminder for me that even though someone is gone physically, the love they gave us never really leaves. This song doesn't make the pain disappear, but it gives me comfort on the days I need it most. It reminds me that grief and love exist together, and that the people we've lost continue to shape the way we live. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, this is one of the songs that helps me keep putting one foot in front of the other. To me, that's exactly what the Yellow Brick Road is, a source of hope that guides you through life's darkest moments until you find your footing again." ----------------------------------------------------------------- Ratings: JUDGE 1 - 7 Points "Compose yourself, Judge 1, compose yourself! Okay…..I usually listen to songs before reading notes but due to the nature of this theme, I figured submissions would have more meaning if I read notes first. Your notes made me tear up. I'm pretty fearless but the thing I fear most is losing a family member. I can't imagine and I'm so sorry! Then I listened to the song and teared up again. It's so personal, raw & real. I think there are a few parts of the song where the lyrics don't particularly flow….but I also don't think that's important in this scenario. It's strange because when creating this theme, I made it a point to put a fun, upbeat song as the example because I figured that basically everyone would submit deeper, tearjerker-type songs and I hoped for variety. Then it turned out that…not really anyone besides yourself and maybe one other went this route. That makes this submission stand out all the more to me. So, thank you!" - JUDGE 2 - 5 Points "Wow, two fantastic songs back to back? I am really fucking lucky. This song fits this theme perfectly. You can listen to this song when you are missing a loved one who has passed away and I can defitnitely see this song cheering people up about the fact that their loved one has passed away. This is a great song that I feel like describes the loss of losing someone in a positive way. Losing someone you love is one of the hardest things to get over but I could 100% see myself listening to this song after someone I love has passed away and this would make me feel better. Great job!" - JUDGE 3 - 8 Points "You really knew how to get me this round. I’ve got to say that my heart goes out to you, and it’s beautiful that you’ve opened your heart to us and shared this song with us as a reflection of what has given you comfort through the dark days. As soon as this song started playing, I fully understood why you connect so strongly with it, it’s a very nice song. I was really hoping for a submission that emotionally resonated with me this round, and your song/notes did that for me. This song was a breath of fresh air this round." TOTAL POINTS: 20 -----------------------------------------------------------------
KnowUh - "Are We All We Are" by P!nk "Life has a funny way of making us question ourselves. Whether it's work, relationships, or just trying to figure out where we're headed next, it's easy to get caught up in everything that's going wrong. When that happens, this is one of those songs that reminds me to stop taking life so seriously for a few minutes. P!nk has always had a way of blending chaos with confidence, and "Are We All We Are" feels like an anthem for embracing the imperfect, unpredictable journey we're all on. To me, it says that none of us have it all figured out—and that's not something to be ashamed of. It's something to celebrate. Sometimes my Yellow Brick Road isn't about finding the perfect answer. It's about surrounding myself with music that reminds me to keep showing up, keep laughing, and keep being unapologetically myself. If we're all a little beautifully chaotic, then maybe that's exactly enough." ----------------------------------------------------------------- Ratings: JUDGE 1 - 1 Point "Listen…I do love P!nk. I also really love the relevance of these lyrics, especially in the world we live in today. Your notes are very accurate too. And lastly, Anthems are always fun. That being said, I think that this submission was just a little outshined in a couple ways. It doesn't really stand out as being different or unique as a large majority of this round's songs do. P!nk is also just so well known. This cast is ahead of themselves and are really upping the ante. I just fear that this submission is not quite keeping up! My score is not based solely on artist either. It's a combination of many things, also including replay factor, song quality, etc!" - JUDGE 2 - 2 Points "I think this song fits this theme 100%. Although this song is not something I would gravitate towards, I 100% can see why someone would listen to this song to help cheer them up. I think P!NK is a very talented artist and this song shows her strengths. The reason why I am ranking this a little lower is due to the fact that P!nk is already such a popular artist. - JUDGE 3 - 1 Point "Why??? Why, why, why, why, why, why????? I swear Judge 1 and I mentioned in like five different critiques last round that we didn’t want to see popular artists. And you gave us P!nk? That was already the first strike for me, but to be honest, even if this song was by an unknown artist this still would’ve gotten only 1 or 2 points at most for me, because I didn’t enjoy anything about this song. It is on theme…I will give you that. I get why it would resonate to somebody out there. But the only thing I felt when listening to this song was annoyance. I just couldn’t bear listening to “are we all we are are we all we are are we all we are” chirping in my ear. This song felt extremely generic, and it doesn’t help that I was thinking of all of the famous P!nk songs I’ve heard that are a billion times better than whatever this was. And I don’t know whether or not I’m gonna be the only one of us that brings this up, but your notes sound very AI generated. I’m not accusing you of anything, but if you are writing the notes can we at least try to make it sound like a human wrote it?" TOTAL POINTS: 4 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Lewis - "Fabulous" by MEEK "I have chose Fabulous by Meek for my next submission. To me this isn't just a song, it's a mood shift, when my life gets too much this helps me find my center again. It's the perfect reminder that no matter what kind of chaos is going on in my life (therapy, heartbreaks, setbacks etc), I can still stand tall, look ahead and keep powering on. It is the ultimate reminder that you're the main character of your own journey. My favourite lyric is "beauty is pain, but when I feel beautiful, I barely feel the way is", it acknowledges the hardship but shows how you transcend from it. When you choose to focus on your own power and self worth, the obstacles along the path start to feel a lot less overwhelming, much like our dear friend Dorothy choosing the yellow brick road (little link to the theme title because i love to do that). Overall, it's self empowerment and songs like these play such an important part to remind me how far I have come." ----------------------------------------------------------------- Ratings: JUDGE 1 - 5 Points "This made me smile! Being in the “no fox given” stage of life, I can totally relate to the lyrics! It's funny because this isn't my typical style but there's something about it that is just very appealing. It almost seems like it's meant to be kind of funny/joke-y but at the same time not? You know what I mean? Maybe not but it makes sense in my head and my thoughts are foxxing fabulous so just trust me on this one. I don't even really know how to help you in future rounds because there's nothing that I dislike with this. It's just that I happen to like a few other submissions a little better!" - JUDGE 2 - 9 Points "NOW THIS IS A GOOD FUCKING SONG! This song is a perfect fucking song for this theme and I honestly reasonate with this song a lot. My favorite lyric in this song is "I'm back in therapy but I look fuckin fabulous", No matter what is going on in someone's life, you are still fabulous no matter what. She honestly kind of sounds a bit like Marina and I enjoy Marina. If I was feeling down or sad about myself, I would 100% listen to this song. This honestly is probably my favorite song submitted so far. You did a REALLY good job!" - JUDGE 3 - 4 Points "This may not make much sense, but I feel like the idea of this song works better than the song itself? There’s just something about it that I didn’t quite love listening to, but I like what the song is, or at least, what it’s trying to be. Self empowerment was a good road to go down (wink wink) for this theme, because it hits the theme head on in a way that I respect more than others who may have tried (and failed) to make a song work for a theme that doesn’t quite fit. I like the structure of this song and how it keeps building itself up until it lets go at the end. I just don’t think I’d feel compelled to listen to this ever again. Was this submission fabulous? No. But it was fine." TOTAL POINTS: 18 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Lexus - "Kill The Lights" by Alex Newell "Sometimes the only thing that you need to cross the yellow road is some good company. This song represent to me the desire to be with someone that accept you just the way you are, someone that "set you free", that "don't turn away from the heart and the proof" and of course someone who "doesn't fight the love you have inside". Knowing the person behind, Alex, and all their struggle with identity and discrimination makes this song the perfect choice to me, it embodies walking that road with so much FIERCE!!!!! and puss, I mean you saw it on glee, Unique was a character but at the same It was Alex with a different name and you can't deny that the song is really good" ----------------------------------------------------------------- Ratings: JUDGE 1 - 4 Points "Did you just submit Disco? Lol! This round is incredible! This song is absolutely super groovy! Play this in a room full of people and I think everyone would be up shaking that thang. I love the energy and just the old-school disco/dance vibe that it gives off. The lyrics are such a strong message for any and all too! Be yourself! I wish I could just kill the lights and blind the judges to give out multiple top scores but I cannot. You definitely understood the assignment here and I hope that you don’t get too upset w/ this score! Very tough round to rank again!" - JUDGE 2 - 3 Points "Alex Newell is genuinely so fucking talented, and this song is a FUCKING BOP! However, I don't really know a certain situation in where I would listen to this song to help cheer me up, I think I would just listen to this song on a regular basis. I personally don't really think this song fits the theme that well which is why I am ranking it low even though I really enjoy it. Ranking is getting hard. Alex Newell has such an addicting voice that I can't stop listening to when I hear one of her songs. I hope your next song can follow the theme a little bit better though but this was still a really solid pick!" - JUDGE 3 - 3 Points "I don’t really know what to make of this. It’s a fun song. It’s enjoyable. I enjoyed listening to it. But as a submission for this round? I don’t know. I’m not seeing how this is a song that’s gonna help you through life’s rough patches, and I don’t think your notes did it justice. I think that maybe you could’ve made it work by telling us that this song cheers you up when you’re sad? Because that would reflect on your personal journey through life. But you instead explained the song as an expression of wanting to be with someone who accepts you for you. And while that is a very nice explanation that goes really well with the song, I unfortunately did not feel like it went well with the theme. To me, it feels like you just wanted to submit this song, and you tried to muster up a reason as to why it fits the theme. But it didn’t quite work for me. In the future I’d recommend searching for a song that fits the theme, instead of searching for a reason that a pre-picked song fits the theme." TOTAL POINTS: 10 -----------------------------------------------------------------
melanie - "Waterdicht" by Hannah Mae "so i’m fully aware that i’m taking a huge risk here….. but if u aint down to take risks tf u doing?? i wanted to stay true to the theme as much as i possibly could, as well as submitting a song that i LOVE.. and waterdicht is absolutely a song i enjoy that got me through really tough moments at times. reading this ur gonna be like girly whats the risk, well the risk is that this is a song in my own language; dutch! i’ll add a translation for you guys too but first i want to get into what the songs about and how it’s helped me blablabla. im so sorry judges i can never keep it short i keep yap yap yapping. anyways, this song is basically telling you that it’s okay to cry and let it all out and that there are people willing to help you. you don’t always have to be strong and carry the burden within you alone. and that was definitely a reminder i needed when i was going through tough times, but honestly it still lwk is. i feel like not only me but most of us feel like emotion is weakness and we carry our problems alone, but for me this song was a wake up call that it’s okay to cry, scream and talk about it which is what i ended up doing whenever smth was bothering me and whenever i did so much weight was lifted off my shoulders like DAMN. so this song has definitely been my yellow brick road post-therapy and such and yah. like it actually helped me to feel comfortable opening up more and talk about my struggles and show vulnerability such as crying and made me realise i don’t always have to be strong, it’s okay not to be okay all the time." ----------------------------------------------------------------- Ratings: JUDGE 1 - 8 Points "No risk, no reward. Do NoT bE aFrAiD tO sUbMiT fOrEiGn LaNgUaGeS! I know nothing but English and a little Spanish but still feel the same emotions whether I understand the lyrics or not. Sometimes when I don't understand, it's more enjoyable because I can simply listen to the music instead of trying to pick apart what the song/lyrics mean. That being said, I am glad that you translated for us since the theme sorta requires you to do so. Her voice is absolutely stunning and I could listen to this song repeatedly. It's super comforting. I know you mentioned it may not be a perfect translation, but “You don't always have to be waterproof” is so powerful and hits me personally as I have a tendency to hold things in but the truth is that it actually does feel really good to cry sometimes! I want to give 9 points to like 3 or 4 of you. I think your pick is just so creative and meaningful. My head tells me go with this, my heart tells me another….and my gut tells me another yet. Ugh….idk." - JUDGE 2 - 6 Points "I'm going to be honest, I don't really like songs that aren't in english a lot because I can't understand the lyrics..but this song is 100% an exception. This song is truly beautiful, the lyrics are gorgeous and this fits the theme in such a beautiful way. You are right, it's okay to scream and cry. Emotions are okay to let out and show to others and this song really helps show that - JUDGE 3 - 7 Points "TAKE! RISKS! PEOPLE! THANK YOU for expressing your willingness to take risks to make yourself stand out above the crowd. I’m pleasantly surprised that we already have a foreign language submission only three rounds in, and I’m also very glad that you provided a translation! This song really worked for me. Her voice is beautiful, the lyrics are beautiful, your notes were beautiful and it fits the theme really well. However, when it came down to my top three submissions, it was very close and I had to get nitpicky. I do appreciate the risk of submitting a Dutch song, but aside from that, the song itself felt a little more basic than the two songs I ranked above it, and that’s why I have you third, however I still really enjoyed this and I think you did a great job this round." TOTAL POINTS: 21 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Space - "Something to Hope For" by Phoebe Ryan "I am submitting this song because, besides it being an absolute BANGER, it fits the theme perfectly. This song is about finding hope after feeling emotionally lost and hitting rock bottom. Phoebe shares how she persevered through those difficult times/relationships, and that journey eventually led her to someone who made all of the struggles worth it!! I think a lot of ppl can relate to this when it comes to dating bc it can take A LOT of heartbreak, disappointment, and obstacles before finding the right person. When that finally happens, it can make all of the difficult experiences along the way feel like they had a purpose. IMO, that's exactly what this theme is about, continuing down your own yellow brick road and trusting that the struggles you're facing now, can eventually lead you to something worth hoping for" ----------------------------------------------------------------- Ratings: JUDGE 1 - 3 Points "This is super cute! I really love her voice! Her lower register has an almost raspy/gritty quality to it but the upper register is polar opposite and so feminine and sweet! I think that's what stands out most about this submission to me. It's very fairytale-esque & I do love fantasy! I worry a tiny bit though as this round is pretty solid and after the first few listens, I found myself forgetting to remember this song….which actually makes me a little sad because I do think it's a really nice one!!" - JUDGE 2 - 4 Points "This is a really solid pick as well, I agree that this song fits the theme good, I think your notes perfectly explain this song, finding hope after hitting rock bottom. It can take a lot of trial and error in finding hope after you have hit rock bottom because you can feel like that you don't deserve it, but when you find the right person who gives you the strength to get out of rock bottom, that is something beautiful. Great job! This was a good song. The chorus is amazing, the lyrics are good. The reason why this is lower is because I like the songs that are higher than this one a little bit more." - JUDGE 3 - 6 Points "This song kept growing on me the more and more I listened to it. I have to admit that when you called this song an “absolute BANGER” in your notes I was expecting a high energy song, only to be met with…a dreamy slower tempo indie pop song? That might be why my initial perception of this song was a bit lower, but I’m glad that I let this song keep growing on me because I ended up liking it a lot. I really like that Phoebe Ryan lets the deeper side of her voice, as well as the higher side both shine through. The way the song effortlessly floats into the bridge feels straight out of a dream. I like your explanation on how the song fits the theme. It could potentially be argued that you had a similar take on the theme as the person who submitted “Kill The Lights” which I ultimately thought didn’t fit the theme. What made this song work is that Phoebe is actively detailing her journey from “rock bottom” and the “end of the line” to having someone that came “running to the rescue,” which I felt really worked for the theme." TOTAL POINTS: 13 -----------------------------------------------------------------
TheBreeze - "Shooting Stars" by Rival Sons "I'm using shooting stars as my analogy for my yellow brick road. Whenever I'm out at night, no matter what kind of low mood I feel, watching one pass by immediately captures my attention with a sense of curiosity. I go from in awe thinking about how huge our planet is to a sense of comfort remembering that what I'm going through at the time will pass by too. This song is deeply personal to me in relentlessly advocating for what actually matters in life. It uplifts me on those days where I really need help seeing the light, so of course I'm going to submit it for Limelight." ----------------------------------------------------------------- Ratings: JUDGE 1 - 9 Points "Had to giggle reading your notes because, ironically, I have a mild obsession with space. Perseid meteor shower is active. Don’t miss it! Anyway, I feel like this song took us to Church!! Love this rock, almost bluesy style! It reminds me a little of one of my current favorite bands at the moment who shall not be named just in case someone has them stashed away to submit later. The optimism in it is intoxicating as well. When listening through the submissions the first time, my instinct was to give this 9. The more I listen through, the harder it is to pick one. But as they say…always go with your gut… :P" - JUDGE 2 - 8 Points "This is a really good song, I am honestly really impressed by this pick. I really enjoy the lyrics and the background instruments a lot and I think this song fits the theme really well. I think this song is extremely powerful and the lyrics are just beautiful and I just really enjoy this song a lot. The vocal harmony in this song is breathtaking, this is a really good fucking song. Great job!" - JUDGE 3 - 9 Points "You defied every expectation I had this round. I would’ve never guessed that someone would submit a blues song for this theme, and that’s what makes this submission so brilliant. It also helps that I enjoyed every single second of this song. The first thing that caught my attention were the choir-style vocals that made it feel extremely uplifting, as if I wasn’t alone traversing the yellow brick road of life. The song went from good to great when those drums came in at 1:25. I hate that I don’t have much more to say about this song. It was just so enjoyable to listen to. An easy choice for my top spot this round." TOTAL POINTS: 26 ----------------------------------------------------------------- And with that, I'm very sorry KnowUh but you have been eliminated from Limelight! :( Noah truly I was very excited when I saw you apply and honestly call me crazy but for the most part, I actually enjoy your music taste quite a bit! Thank you very much for playing <3 --- CONTESTANTS ChloeKay Cray KaliMinaj Lewis Lexus melanie Space TheBreeze --- ELIMINATED brookie KnowUh