Featured Songs:
1. "People Like Us" by Kelly Clarkson
2. "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" by Tori Kelly from Sing
3. "Take a Look at us Now" (reprise) from Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile
Three competitors left, and only one of them would make it to the finals.
Tack the roller blading break dancer, the Manden twins and their death defying stunt riding, and Count Crescendo, the internet singing sensation formerly known as ShyGuy29.
Tack went first. His popping and locking was practically flawless as he flipped and skated into so many great stunts and finished in a split.
Then, it was the Manden twins' turn.
They rode their hover-cycles and did many stunts of great dares. Flipping from one cycle to the other, spinning in the air, and finishing by flying through three flaming hoop, each from a different direction at the same time.
Crescendo prepared backstage as the Manden twins performed their big finish. And according to the judges, that act would be a tough one to beat.
"Good luck out there, Crescendo." said Quinn.
"You're gonna need it to beat us." Lynn said.
The twins laughed as they walked away.
Crescendo could see they were trying to intimidate him, but he took a deep breath and walked up on stage to begin his act.
"This song goes out to all the misfits out there who need their spirits lifted up." He declared.
And the lights went out as he began his song with a single spotlight.
Crescendo:
We come into this world unknown
But know that we are not alone
They try and knock us down
But change is coming, it's our time now
Hey, everybody loses it
Everybody wants to throw it all away sometimes
And hey, yeah I know what you're going through
Don't let it get the best of you, you'll make it out alive
The lights got more colorful as Crescendo started to feel the rhythm in his body and clapped his hands to the beat.
Oh, people like us we've gotta stick together
Keep your head up, nothing lasts forever
Here's to the damned to the lost and forgotten
It's hard to get high when you're living on the bottom
Oh, woah-oh-oh, woah-oh
We are all misfits living in a world on fire
Oh, woah-oh-oh, woah-oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us
Hey, this is not a funeral
It's a revolution, after all your tears have turned to rage
Just wait, everything will be okay
Even when you're feeling like it's going down in flames
Oh, people like us we've gotta stick together
Keep your head up nothing lasts forever
Here's to the damned, to the lost and forgotten
It's hard to get high when you're living on the bottom
Oh, woah-oh-oh, woah-oh
We are all misfits living in a world on fire
Oh, woah-oh-oh, woah-oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us
Oh, woah-oh-oh, woah-oh
You've just gotta turn it up loud when the flames get higher
Oh, woah-oh-oh, woah-oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us
Meanwhile, backstage where the other competitors watched from the screens...
The other competitors watched as Crescendo sang, danced, constantly changed his appearance, and was earning lots of cheers from the audience.
"He's good, isn't he?" said Lynn.
"Too good." Quinn said.
The Manden twins, like all competitors in the performing arts industry, were determined to make it to the finals. And this particular pair was ready to win by any means necessary... including sabotaging their competition.
So, they came up with a plan for the next performance, assuming Crescendo didn't make it to the next round.
"And the next performer forced to leave tonight is..."
The lights turned red as the suspense grew and grew by the second.
"Tack Mistens."
The Nautolan was filled with despair as he learned he was not going to make it to the semi-finals, but Crescendo hugged him and told him he was amazing for making it this far.
"You'll get far someday," said Crescendo. "Like my grandma always said, 'if you believe in yourself and keep doing what you love, great riches will follow.'"
But the twins thought Carmine was saying that just for so, especially as the audience and judges were aww-ing at how sweet and encouraging he was being to the one who did not make it. Carmine knew what it was like to be rejected for being different and be told you weren't special enough to make it. And even though they were competing against each other, Carmine wasn't going to let anyone feel bad about themselves for not making it on the first go.
So, when the night for the semi-finals came, they came up with a plan to make sure Count Crescendo lost the final round. As the favorite to win, according to the show's current ratings of each performance, Count Crescendo was going to perform first.
Being the children of engineers, Quinn and Lynn knew a thing or two about mechanics. So while everyone was getting ready for Crescendo's performance, they start sabotaging the equipment so his music wouldn't work right when it came time for him to sing.
And sure enough, when it came time for Crescendo to perform...
The light shined on Crescendo as he started slow.
Everybody's got a thing
But some don't know how to handle it
Always reachin' out in vain
Just takin' the things not worth having
But don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, mama
'Cause I'll be standin' on the side
When you check it out, oh
Crescendo waited a moment. His music was supposed to start right now. So, he sang the last line again.
When you check it out
Still, nothing. And then he heard in an earpiece he wore that something was wrong with the speakers and there was no time to fix them.
Uh oh!
But then Carmine started to think. His speakers suddenly stopped working the night of the semi-finals? There was no way that was a coincidence. Carmine wanted to scream that the Manden twins had to be cheating. But if he just shouted it out, it would make him look bad, and there was no doubt the twins would probably hide the evidence.
Still, Carmine needed music to perform. Luckily, he did not really need speakers to make his music. So, he sang the last line one more time a little louder
When you check it out
Carmine stomped his foot three times, and upbeat music began to play from out of nowhere as the stage lit up in bright colors
They say your style of life's a drag
And that you must go other places
Just don't you feel too bad
When you get fooled by smiling faces
The crowd started to cheer as Crescendo performed, but the twins were shocked that Crescendo had music now.
"What the hell happened?" said Quinn.
"I don't know! I thought we cut all the wires in the speakers." Lynn said.
"Well then, it looks like we gotta resort to something more drastic."
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, baby
'Cause I'll be standing on the side
When you check it out
When you get off your trip
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
(Come on)
The twins started sneaking behind the scenes and tried sabotaging the lights. But Carmine made more lights with his musical magic making things happen.
Everybody needs a change
A chance to check out the new, yeah
You're the only one to sees
The changes you take yourself through
Oh-oh-oh-ooh-oh-oh-oh
And Crescendo made his wings appear once again and began to fly all around, getting the audience to sing along. The twins tried looking for whatever wires or special effects he was using, but were shocked to find none.
"What kind of black arts is this?" Lynn said.
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Oh
Pa-pa, pa-pa-pa-pa
Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa
Pa-pa, pa-pa-pa-pa
Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa
Crescendo continued his performance with all the great dancing and flashing of new outfits, and each thing the twins tried to throw at him, literally and figuratively, he managed to avoid with a little magic touch he added to his routine.
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, mama
'Cause I'll be standin' on the side
When you check it out
When you get off your trip
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, mama
'Cause I'll be standin' on the side
When you check it out
Don't you worry
Crescendo got ready for his big finish. This was the semi-finals, and he had to make it count.
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, mama
'Cause I'll be standin' (I'll be standin' for you)
Oh-oh-ooh-oh-ooh
Oh-oh-oh
Don't you worry 'bout a thing
The crowd gave a standing ovation as Crescendo finished perhaps his best performance yet! But the twins were more perplexed than ever! How was Crescendo able to avoid every single method of sabotage that they threw at him?
"Don't worry, there's no way he'll beat us. Not after the routine we've got in store." Lynn said.
But, as the twins were about to begin their routine, Byron Dyaz had an important announcement.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it's come to my attention that our security team has caught some interesting footage backstage before tonight's competition began. Roll it."
And so, on the big screen, security footage was shown of the twins sabotaging all of Count Crescendo's equipment before the performance and they were the real reason the music was delayed. They cut the wires in the speakers, messed with the electrical circuitry for the lights, and they tried to make Crescendo trip by throwing things at him and even spilling slippery stuff onto the stage floor, which was discovered by some of the crew slipping on it backstage, the trail leading to where they stood.
"As you can see, the Manden twins cheated!"
The audience gasped.
"You don't understand!" Quinn began frantically.
"I think we understand very clearly that you two cheated."
The audience boo'ed.
"Get off the stage, cheaters!" said one audience member.
"You stink!" said another.
"Quinn and Lynn Manded," said Lady Purry. "I think we've all come to an agreement when we say..."
"You are disqualified!" said all five judges together.
"Which means..." Byron said. "Ladies and gentlemen, heading to the C.G.T. finals is... COUNT CRESCENDO!"
The crowd cheered as security escorted the twins off the stage and Count Crescendo was brought up to be congratulated for his efforts and making it to the finals.
Carmine embraced his wife and daughter in a big hug as they gathered in the hotel suite they were given for the time being. Everyone who made it to the semi-finals was given a suite in the best hotel in the area.
"Look at this, Carmine!" Caroline said, turning on her computer. "Count Crescendo is really blowing up."
And sure enough, Caroline was right. All of Count Crescendo's performances were posted online and going viral all across the galaxy! People kept sharing, commenting, and even making their own remixes of his songs and performances. People even made videos to support him winning Coruscant's Got Talent.
"Daddy gonna win. I know it!" Lamenta said.
Her parents chuckled at how cute she was.
"That still has yet to be decided, Lamb." Carmine said, picking up his daughter. "But win or lose, we all got to have a great time on this journey thus far. Not to mention the place Mommy works will be getting lots of publicity."
"Mr. Rockus is definitely enthusiastic about all of this." Caroline said. "He's already been contacted by various investors to further your career and start setting up a tour, but most of them are only interested in investing if you win the competition tomorrow."
That put a whole new kind of pressure on Carmine's shoulders. It was hard enough just to make it past the first round of performing. Now he had four more top performers to beat, and his entire career was at stake at this point. Tomorrow, he would either win the competition and become more famous than ever, or lose and take longer to achieve his dream.
"Geez. Even when I'm doing well, the world just finds another way to add to the pressure." Carmine said. "I hope all this work we put in isn't all for naught."
Caroline wrapped her arms around her husband's shoulders and said, "Carmine Amadeus Jinn, don't you ever think like that. You are the most amazing singer I have ever known. Unlike some other singers, you are true in every song you do. You put more than just a voice into your song. You have real feelings from real events. Heck, you even encouraged the competitors who didn't make it to continue going after their dreams even though you were competing against each other. And you have so many people ready to support you, including your family. Regardless of what happens tomorrow, or what those fans say, you will always have your two most important and loyal fans by your side."
Of course, Carmine knew Caroline was talking about herself and their daughter. The couple kissed each other passionately, and Lamenta hugged them both.
Lamenta:
Maybe we started pretty small
Take a look at us now
Carmine and Caroline looked at their daughter as she sang the little song she and Carmine sang before. Caroline then caressed her husband's face and joined in.
Caroline:
Take a look at us now
Carmine:
Suddenly standing ten-feet tall
Take a look at us now, take a look at us now
All:
Though we have no way to stay afloat
We were scared they'd say, "That's all she wrote"
We're ending on a sky-high note somehow
Carmine:
Baby, you were all it took
All:
So take a look at us now
Carmine spun both his girls in his arms and plopped onto the bed with them, all three of them laughing. Suddenly, Carmine was starting to feel really good about the finals tomorrow.