01x05 - Episode 5

[bunniefuu]

This programme contains
some strong language.

Previously on Project Icon...

Things are about to get real crazy.

For the last four weeks, ten
unsigned artists have been whittled

down to four to win a life-changing
record deal with Jason Derulo.

There's no amount of money
that can buy you this record deal.

Being able to release a song
with me, performing at Radio 1's

Big Weekend, this, this is huge.

Showtime!

Last week, the artists stepped
into the world of music videos...

I don't know why I'm so emotional.

Stop flirting with the cameras,
Sorry.

..Barry made his voice heard...

I didn't realise it was
The Barry Show.

..and Mia came out of her shell.

Let's go!

At Icon Studios,

the claws came out between Nnenna
and Emelle...

Some people that have, like,
Who coasted?

..and the sixth artist was
sent home.

The funky four!

Now the stakes are being raised.

You guys are going to be taking
Stop!

Going to be doing some interviews.
Also, you're going to be doing

What?!

Oh, my days!

If there was a time for you to
bring your A-game, this is it.

It's the semifinal of Project Icon,

and for the four remaining artists,
they are in touching distance

of a life-changing record deal.

I actually can't believe
that I'm in the semifinal.

It's kind of like leaving me
a bit speechless.

There is no doubt in my mind
I'll make the final.

The top three is calling me.
I can hear it. It's like, "Oh, hi."

For the semifinals, the judges
are taking it up a gear.

We're in the semifinals.

There are four artists left.

The weakest have been dropped,
but we're about to take it up

another notch.

If you're not excited about
bringing your A-game now,

you need to take your a*s home.

Now, the artists are in MY world.

We're here at Radio 1,
the biggest youth station in the UK,

for their toughest test yet.

Radio 1 has helped launch
the biggest names

in the music industry,
from Harry Styles to Ed Sheeran.

Reaching up to nine million
listeners each week,

it's a platform that can make
or break new artists.

To get face time at Radio 1
is probably the best route

into having a career.

Oh, this is so exciting.
Radio 1, baby.

This next challenge is all on us.

It's entirely judged
by your decisions, your vocals,

your song choice.
Then there's the radio interview.

So, this is crunch time.

All right?

Come on, get yourselves in!

Hi!

Thank you.
Amazing.

So, you've been told about today.
Quite a big day.

You're going to be interviewed
on Radio 1

by my friend Jack Saunders.

Now, you might know
Jack, he's a rising star at Radio 1.

I say that, he's probably
been here longer than me.

My advice here is talk
about your music, but also,

what's really important, that
the listeners get to know you.

Mia, how are you feeling about
being interviewed on the radio?

If you haven't noticed,
I listen, rather than talk.

I'm really nervous about
being judged on my personality

because I get a lot of hate
whilst I'm busking.

You're going to perform in the Live
Lounge, which is epic. Bit nervous?

Yeah, got to be.

Also as well, your songs
are going to be reviewed

by the playlist team. To get a song
on the playlist on Radio 1

is a big deal, right?

So, let's not mess about, let's
start the day with an interview.

You know I love to talk. It should
be all right. It's just hoping

I don't...I don't swear
or say anything inappropriate.

A radio interview on Radio 1,
I can do that. That's fine.

I can talk till the cows come home.

# Baby, take me

# I don't wanna have control

# I don't know me any more... #

Come on, then, Dylan.
All right, let's do it.

All eyes will be on our final four
as Jason, Frank, and Becky

will be viewing the interviews
from a hidden room.

Dylan, welcome!

Hi.

As an artist, when you step into
any interview, you want to get

your personality across,
you want to tell your story,

you also want to sell your record,
you want to sell your song.

At the end of the day, they're going
to be signed to my record label,

so I need to be sure
that they're the right person

to invest in.

I think Dylan's going to
come across really good.

He's so likeable
and he's so interesting.

I read that you describe yourself
as "a rebel on his own path,

"a lover of creative disruption."

It's interesting cos I don't know
if I necessarily hear the rebel

or the disruption in your music.

I think you haven't heard
The unreleased stuff?

The unreleased, that's where
the rebel lives.

Is there anyone in the semifinals
Um...

Just say no, Dylan.

..I think I probably would work
with them all.

There would be a hierarchy of
who I would work with first and...

I know
I could write a cracking song

with Mia. And then I feel like
Nnenna has that

sweet, soulful sound.
And then next it would be Barry.

Describe your usual, typical day.

I wake up, go to the gym,
get the head in the right space,

come back, have a green smoothie

cos then I feel like...I feel like
it's doing something good.

Have a coffee because
who doesn't need a coffee?

And then it's like, you know, I have
to do a bit of...have to do a bit

of the admin work, you know.

It's just a little bit
too drawn out.

It's long-winded, you know.
Not engaging enough.

I have a real life. I've got mates
that have got dramas, boyfriends,

girlfriends falling out.
I have this problem.

I waffle in interviews
and I've really had to learn

to be like, "I've made my point,
shut my mouth."

Oh, is that it? Oh, thanks.

The answers needed to be concise
and collected.

I really enjoyed that. Actually,
I feel like it was a bit too short.

I thought it was going to go on
a bit more, have a bit more banter,

more chat, but, like, the short
and sweet nature of it,

I really enjoyed.

The semifinals.
No, I'm the winner.

You can just say that, it's fine.
Don't worry about

You
must be feeling like an icon, then.

I was an icon before
I walked in here.

Barry always is very confident.

I wonder if people would take it
as confidence or arrogance.

What do you feel like made you
an icon before you walked in, then?

Are you
Yes, absolutely.

Are you competitive, Barry?
Yeah?

So, you have the confidence,
you have the feeling

of who you are as an artist, but
I think if we take you back to being

Oh, God.
You're not... Oh, you've looked,

haven't you?
This will be interesting.

What was 14-year-old Barry like?

14-year-old Barry was
a musical theatre nerd.

I wanted to be onstage
on the West End and probably doing

all the female parts,
not the male parts.

Did you know who you were
No, I didn't.

So, glam rock comes into
Yeah?

Is this a big thing for you, is it?
Yeah, 100%. Back in the '70s

and the '80s, these men
put on this make-up and heels

and they'd be onstage and they'd be
very camp and boisterous.

I found a lot
of inspiration in that.

Well, Barry, look, congratulations
on coming this far.

Thank you so much.
Thank you for having me.

I thought he interviewed well.

Is he overconfident?

Jack was saying, "Oh, you're very
confident," and I don't want that to

come across as, like, a c*ck.
I don't think I am the best,

I just know that I'm good.

Do you feel like
you got yourself across

and your personality and everything
Yes, absolutely.
I think I did. I gave

a little bit of that Barry Hendy
charm, a bit of the humour and also

made the points I wanted to make.
He's a good interviewer, isn't he?

Knows what he's doing.
Yeah.

Pretty fit as well. He's all right.
OK.

I'll tell him that.

How are you?
I'm very good.

I love your outfit. You look great.
Thank you.

Next in is 18-year-old busker Mia.

Lots of deep breaths.
It's going to be fine.

She's so nervous.

What is your style of music?
You know, for people that might not

I do, like,
dance. Definitely Becky Hill.

I'm also a busker.

And when I'm out busking, obviously,
you don't want to do dance music.

I want her voice to be
Yeah!

Are we giving it a chance, though?
Let's see.

I heard that you met Barry earlier
and he's quite convinced

Barry IS very
convinced he's the winner.

Are YOU convinced he's the winner?

No. I'm going to be honest
and say no.

Oh!

Confidence can be the thing
that destroys us the most.

What the f*ck
Right.

I don't get that.

When you shade artists and you say
negative things in interviews,

that can be career suicide.

Well, look, Mia, we're here to
talk about you, first and foremost.
Do you know what I mean?

Straight off the bat
with slagging Barry off.

Whilst I've been on this show,
I've been put down quite a lot.

Who's been putting you down?

Not to name any names, but...

..Barry.
Yeah.

She's still going on about him!
This is aw... This is really bad.

I want to know about her.
It's not about anyone else.

What if Barry gave you a ring and
was like, "Hey, let's collaborate"?

Oh, God, no.

Like,
if the press picked up on this,

this would be negative headlines
about this whole situation.

Thank you.
That was great.

Rule one, do not say anything
negative about anybody else

in your interview.

I'm shocked.

How was it?
Yeah, it was really good.

Less scary than what I thought.
Told you you'd be fine!

To go on and to be like,

"No, I'd never collaborate with him,
no way."

Barry's energy has been
very negative towards me

this whole competition and obviously
the judges would be listening to

my interview and might agree
with me,

hopefully, that he might not be
the right person to work with.

That was probably the example
of the worst interview

you could give.

You don't want to risk your career
just by throwing somebody else

under the bus. This is slap dab
in the middle of cancel culture.

You can literally be cancelled
for one single sentence.

Yeah?
I'm good, yeah.

Last to meet Jack is
soul-singer Nnenna.

Nnenna has looked, at times,
almost apologetic and so nervous

and so I'm very interested
to see how she handles this.

Step up, Nnenna.

Hello.
How do you feel?

Do you feel like an icon yet?
Oh, no, no, no, not just yet.

Why do you think that is?
Cos I haven't won just yet.

You think it takes winning
Absolutely.

How competitive can you get?
You know what? I'm gonna be real.

I'm a silent k*ller.
Honey!

Yes, she is.

Who's been...who's been coasting?
Who's been coasting?

I loved that!

Are you willing to kind of
do someone a little dirty?

Oh, no, that's not my character.

You're a music teacher. You're a DJ.

Do you think doing too much
is ever a problem?

I mean, we've all got to pay
our bills.

What are the realities of
being an independent artist?

You have to literally be
your own biggest cheerleader, 24/7.

If I was in my car, I would
Yes. Same.

What have been the hardest
moments for you?

I was about 19, 19, 18,
I'd just finished the Brit School

and I didn't know what the hell
I was doing, so I stopped singing.

Did you feel like you lost
Absolutely.

I literally didn't know who I was.
You felt like a failure

when you weren't singing,
For me,

I'm going to be real. The fact that
I didn't stop, I'm already winning.

I mean, this is the most confident
I've seen her in a long time.

I literally want to share my voice
to the world.

I'm a soulful babe from East London
and I want people to know that.

It's important, you know,
women who look like me,

that we can have, you know...be
on a platform and share

Hey, look,
Nnenna, it's been a pleasure

Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for being here.

Thank you.
Take care. Thanks.

It just feels like she walked
in there, like, "Yeah, I'm

"a semifinalist and I've totally
Here, you know,

we've seen the elegance,
we've seen the confidence.

She came in and she knocked it
Yeah.

It's BBC Radio 1. You're Going Home
with Vick and Jordan.

Well, listen, gentlemen,
I appreciate you guys having me.

We're excited to get stuck into it.

To help music manager Frank decide
who has commercial viability,

today he is meeting
the BBC Radio 1 playlist team.

This is the boiler room of the music
industry and the people that decide

who gets played on the radio.

My name's Chris.
I'm head of music for Radio 1

and I chair the Radio 1 playlist
meeting every Tuesday afternoon.

And these guys are on that team
and we all spend Tuesday afternoons

deciding and debating
which new songs and which artists

are going to go onto
the Radio 1 playlist.

When I was signed to my first record
deal, my first single didn't get

playlisted, and soon
after that, I was dropped,

so that kind of shows you
how important radio is.

I'm really excited to get your take
on these songs that I sent to you.

How about we start with Nnenna?

# Caught yourself a good guy... #

First to go is soul-singer Nnenna
with her original track, Good Guy.

It's a vibe, isn't it, that?
Just feel so instinctively

that I know what she's about.

I think there is a lot of potential
for her to be commercially viable.

You can easily imagine Nnenna
getting played on 1Xtra

or on Radio 1's Future Soul.

It's really important
that the playlisting team likes

who we sign as an artist.

They're going to be the people
introducing these artists

to the mainstream.

How about we go next to Dylan?

# Why d'you have to ruin
Why d'you have to ruin

# A nice day? #

Next, Dylan with his indie track
Nice Day.

Really good and I love the fact
that it's less than three minutes

long, so well done to Dylan.
That works at radio, right?

It's playful, it's
catchy. The hook, straight away,

I've got it stuck in my head now.

Like, I could hear that on
our radio station for sure.

OK, Dylan.

# So take up... #

Third is glam rock artist Barry
and his song Yellow Roses.

# Take a bite... #

I think the experience
I had listening to it

was so different from
what I expected, having read

the biography because it flags
that his favourite genres are

punk rock and glam rock...
Punk rock and glam rock, yeah.

..and that couldn't be more
I think if that song came

through the Radio 1 playlist
meeting this afternoon,

I would say that's not radio ready.

So, Mia's next.

# You know I'm in your head... #

Last to go is 18-year-old Mia's
dance record Over You.

# Oh, oh, over you. #

The commercial kind of dance singer
in her is there,

it's such a busy market
for these kind of songs.

I would say the chorus maybe needs
a little bit more of a punch.

This is one of the more
radio-ready tracks.

I hope that's been helpful.
Incredibly helpful.

Thank you very, very much.

The deeper we get
into the competition, right,

there's nowhere to hide.

Some artists have been hiding,
but guess what?

Everybody's going to be exposed.
Everything's going to be exposed.

How was the radio interview?
Really cool.

Through there is Radio 1's
Live Lounge.

Even the biggest artists
in the world get nervous

because you're on air
live to millions of people.

There's a famous girl group
who were in the Live Lounge recently

and one of them was actually sick
just before we went on air.

Following in the footsteps
of Billie Eilish and Dua Lipa,

this is the artists' last hope
to secure a place in the final

by performing their own arrangement
of an iconic song

in the world-famous
Radio 1 Live Lounge.

A Live Lounge is terrifying.

There's just nowhere to hide.

It's you, your voice
and a very small band.

This setting highlights
vocal performance.

Just to add extra pressure,
from a booth,

the judges will be watching
each of the semifinalists

perform their cover song.

He looks nervous, but this
should be Dylan down to a T.

It's a fun, cheeky, happy
Harry Styles tune.

# Things haven't been quite the same

# There's a haze
on the horizon, baby

# It's only been a couple of days

# And I miss you

# If you're feeling down

# I just want to make you
happier, baby

# B-b-b-baby, yeah... #

I love creative freedom,
but the judges are going to be

dissecting every decision that you
made to make sure it was in keeping

with your identity, your artistry,

and so it's kind of nerve-racking
knowing that you're being judged

to that extent.

# Talkin' bout anything
you wanted... #

Movement wise,
it was awkward to me.

I'm OK with awkward movement

cos everybody doesn't have it
Don't try it then.

# All this late night talking. #

I thought it was good.
I thought it was OK.

Yeah, I thought it was pretty bad.
I thought it was quite imaginative

what he did with the record.

The first part,
it being so stripped back,

left him out there by himself.
Only OK for me.

I thought the vocal performance
was very mediocre.

You know, it was a bit disappointing
for me.

Taking centre stage next
is 25-year-old Nnenna.

When I walked in, I looked
to my right and then you see

the three judges just sitting there
and it was just like,

"Don't even look over there.
Just focus on everybody else

"in the room."

Ready.

You look it, babe.

One, two, three.

# It's bad b*tch o'clock, yeah

# I'm thick, 30
Thick, 30

# I've been through a lot

# And I'm still flirty
OK

# Cos I'm about to get
into my feelings

# How you feeling?

# How you feeling now?
Oh

# Cos I'm not the girl I was
or used to be, uh

# b*tch, I might be better... #

That's what I'm talking about!

# Turn down the lights

# I got a feeling
I'm gonna be all right

# OK
OK

# All right

# Cos it's about damn time

# I'm coming out tonight
I'm coming out tonight

# Yeah, yeah

# I'm coming out tonight
Yeah

# I'm coming

# It's about damn time. #

Go, Nnenna!

Thank you guys so much.

She chose the right song.
Mm.

She smashed the vocals.

Her whole thing is about female
empowerment and, like, to choose

THAT Lizzo song, which is
all about female empowerment,

deliver it in that way,
where she is incorporating

the backing vocalists,

you know, she's really engaging
with them women up there.

Every time I hear her sing
a popular song, I like her more.

And if you take a current song
like that and then you put that

Nnenna stamp on it,
I mean, come on, it's game over.

It was incredible.
Can I do it again?

Too late.

Next to perform is Mia,

and after her radio interview,
this performance will be crucial

for any chance of a place
in the final.

One, two, three, four.

I think Mia is unaware
of how disastrous her interview was,

so she needs to k*ll
this Live Lounge to move on.

# If I was an astronaut

# I'd be floating in mid-air

# And a broken heart
would just belong

# To someone else down there

# I would be the centre
of my lonely universe

# I'm only human

# And I'm crashing down to earth

# I'm up in space, man... #

Drum and bass as well.

# Up in space, man

# I searched around the universe

# Been down some black holes

# There's nothing but space, man

# And I want to go

# Home. #

Pretty good.
That gave me goose bumps.

Yeah, that was really good.
Thank you.

I was wondering about the song
choice, but, you know, once it got

Mm.
..it made all the sense

She just has
a very current voice.

She completely made
that Live Lounge her own.

Last to perform and prove
they have commercial viability

is glam rock artist Barry.

Yes.

To sign to my label, I need to find
ready-made artists who can be global

superstars and who can survive
in the mainstream.

I'm not sure I see that right now
with Barry and his glam-rock act.

The mic is off the stand.
He's ready for it.

He's ready for battle.

I never do covers, so to do a cover,
it's irritating cos this song's

very wordy. I think it's just, like,
if I don't feel the words,

I'm just going to forget them.

# If you wanna run away with me
I know a galaxy

# And I can take you for a ride

# I had a premonition
that we fell into a rhythm

# Where the music don't stop
for life

# I can see it for us
Yeah, I feel it in the energy

# I see it written in the stars

# We can go wherever
Yeah, we'll do it

# Never, never...

# Too far... #

Damn!

# Yeah, yeah, I want you

# Moonlight

# You're my... #

Why is it so aggressive?

# All night
Come on, dance with me

# Hey
You, moonlight

# Hey
You're my starlight

# I need you

# All night

# Come on, dance with me

# I'm levitating. #

Wow.

Yeah.
That was pretty...pretty bad.

The beginning was very strange.

Oh, it was all really bad!

Thank y'all.

I really liked the arrangement
of the record.

I hated what he did with the vocals.

He also forgot the lyrics
for a minute, right?

Yeah.

He was so upset at being levitated.

He was mad as hell.

I'm happy I've made it this far.

I mean, I just performed
at Live Lounge.

f*ck the words, but I performed
at Live Lounge. It was great.

Well done. How are we all feeling?

I had fun,

and I sounded great, I think.

I really do hope it's not me
singing in the bottom two

and singing to save my arse because,
I mean,

I just don't want to be there.

I wanted to have a good time,

bring the party,
engage with the band,

just enjoy myself
Yeah.

So, yeah, I think...
I think that'll be all right.

You said you enjoyed it as well.
Yeah, I really enjoyed it.

It went a lot better
than what I thought.

I didn't forget any words.

Barry forgetting his lyrics and
potentially being in the bottom two

is probably the best thing

that's happened to me
over the past three weeks.

Barry, are you happy?

I'm not not happy.

But I'm annoyed at myself
because I forgot some words.

Hopefully I masked it enough and
kept dancing and looking at the band

that the judges won't even notice.

I don't want to be
in the bottom two,

but I think it's going to be me.

And if it is, bring it on.
I'm ready for a fight.

# What you know about
living on the top?

# Penthouse suites
Lookin' down on the opps

# Took him for a test drive... #

In Manchester, the semifinalists
gather to find out

who is in with a chance of
a record deal

and who is being dropped.

Hi.

Hey.

OK.

Sadly, Frank can't be with us
cos he's not feeling well,

but he's given Becky and I
his feedback

on how he thought you did
in the challenge.

This challenge was
so important to us

because not only did we get
to see you in a live capacity,

we also got to see how you chose to
show off your personalities

in an interview environment as well.

Dylan, we felt like your interview
was OK.

Your answers were long-winded,

and it just didn't leave enough room

to really get to know you
or your music.

We loved the fact that you chose
a Harry Styles song,

but we just felt like
your performance was OK.

It's kind of a big deal
when you're trying to perform

to do a song that you like,
but then you know you're being

judged on the left-hand side
by all the judges

and your peers are on
the right-hand side.

That's not a normal setting for you
to be singing a song, like...

So I feel like if I did it in
a different environment,

I probably would have felt less,
you know, under the microscope.

Barry, during your radio interview,

you seemed a little arrogant.

And there's a very fine line
between confidence and arrogance.

I think it's kind of a wall
that I put up and it's like,

if I walk into something
and I tell myself I feel confident,

I do kind of teeter-totter
on the c*ck

and I don't want that
to be the case.

The only way that people
are going to connect with you

is if they see their
vulnerability in you.

Your Live Lounge performance...

..you started off too low
in the verses.

By the time that we actually got to
where your range sits really nicely,

it felt a little bit shouted.

There were a couple of lyrics
that you forgot, too.

Were there?

Don't know about that!

We kind of expected more from you.

It is what it is. I mean, I haven't
been in the bottom at all.

So if this is my time,
it'll be my first time

and hopefully the best time.

Mia, we were shocked
by your radio interview.

To say that you wouldn't work
with another artist professionally

is the biggest industry no-no.

This highlighted
how immature you are.

To slate someone on the radio
is kind of mad.

Yeah, she kept that one very quiet,

and I kind of want to know
who she's talking about.

Mia, it was a shame
that your interview was so bad

because your performance
was outstanding.

You didn't miss a note.

I'm a bit upset.

Throughout this whole competition,
I've tried my best

to be the nice person here,
and I just...

..I just let it all out
in the wrong moment.

Nnenna, I just got to say one thing.

Mm-hm?

Wow.

What a time to show us who you are
in this competition.

We loved your radio interview.
It was interesting, it was fun,

and at no point did we want
to turn you off.

Your Live Lounge performance
was insane.

You made me feel empowered.

You were fierce,
you were fabulous.

You did so amazingly well.

Oh, guys! Thanks, guys.

I'm blown away from
Jason's comments.

It's just nice to hear him
say something nice about me.

It's been a couple weeks.

Frank spoke to the playlist team

and this is what they had to say
about all of your songs.

Nnenna, they said that you
have a really strong vocal

and a really strong song

and as an artist
you could really go places.

Dylan, the team thought your song

was pretty much ready to be played
on the radio.

They thought it was a perfect fit
for their listeners.

Oh, my days.

Oh, man!

That's so sick. Thank you.

Mia, they liked your song,

but they just felt like the chorus
needed some work.

You have great potential
as an artist,

but the dance music scene,
as I know, is incredibly crowded

and is tough to break through.

Barry, they said strong vocals,

but there's a huge disconnect

between who you say you want
to be as an artist

and how your music sounds.

They think your music
needs more work

before it's right
for the Radio 1 listener.

With feedback delivered,

it's time for the judges to
tell the four remaining artists

who is going to be in the final
and who is going home.

One of you grabbed this opportunity
with both hands.

Nnenna, congratulations.

You made it to the finals
of Project Icon.

Finalist!
Yeah, I'm gassed, I can't lie.

I'm so happy.

Now comes the hard part.

Out of the last three of you,

two of you are in danger
of being dropped.

Me, Jason and Frank found this

one of the toughest decisions
we've ever had to make.

The first artist
in the bottom two is...

..Barry.

I'm feeling anxious, obviously,

but I'm going to sing my heart out.

The next person...

..is Mia.

I knew that it was going
to be my name.

I need to remember to stay
true to myself

and don't let these little slip-ups
ruin things for me,

cos that's what it's done.

That means, Dylan,
you made it to the finals,

but you made it
by the skin of your teeth.

You need to bring it next time.

No excuses.

There was a slight moment
in the pause before they said Mia

that they, like, could have
said Dylan.

And I was like, it could go
either way right now.

But it didn't,
and I'm really pleased.

Barry, Mia,

it's time for you to go and
get ready for what could be

your last performance on
Project Icon.

It's time to Sing To Save Your a*s.

This has to be the song that keeps
their asses from going home.

I'm going to try my best to
show them who I am as an artist.

I'm going to give them a new,
original song that they
haven't heard before

and just want to prove to the judges

that I am someone that
they could work with.

Singing against Mia
is going to be hard

because I do see her like
a little sister.

But I'm not the kind of person
that holds back.

I'm here to compete.
I'm like a wrecking ball.

If you want this -
want this -

then prove it to us.

Make us pick you for the final.

Barry, you're up first.

Mia, you can have a seat.
OK. Thank you.

This is the moment
where I will shine,

cos it's my own song.

It's my lyrics, it's my words,
it's my emotions.

So hopefully I can deliver that
to the judges and they can see

exactly the reason
I was brought here.

To prove that Mia and Barry
can be signed to my record label,

they need to show me how commercial
they can be musically.

I need to understand
that their artistry

can have huge, huge, long-term
commercial success.

Well, in the words of Frank...

It's showtime.

That was very in-sync!

First to sing his song
3 In 7 is Barry.

This is my song
and I am good enough.

So I just need to bring that
same energy to this performance

and say, "This is me.
You can take it or leave it."

Ready.

# She's so nice

# I don't know why these thoughts
crossing my mind

# Circle on my back and on my thighs

# Dreaming up scenarios where

# You'd stay all the time

# And there's a three

# In seven chance

# You might love me, but

# Say you love me

# Just say you love me

# Cos there's a

# Three in seven chance

# You might love me back. #

Thank you.

Barry, that was lovely.
Thank you so much.

You may put your mic back
and sit down.

Mia, you're up next.

My original song that I'm performing
for the elimination

is called Heart On Fire.

It's actually the first song
I ever wrote.

I'm going to sing
to my best ability.

I'm going to show them who I am.

I'm going to give them
this personal thing of mine.

And I think now it's just my time

to prove to them that I'm worthy of
being in the final.

Second, and the performance that
could decide her place in the final,

is Mia, singing her song
Heart On Fire.

Mia's going to have to put on
the performance of her life

to have any chance of
making it to the finals.

Mia really needs to
seize the moment.

# Should I say thank you

# Or f*ck you

# For the way
that you were never there?

# I'm writing this song to

# Show you

# It's not you
who made me dye my hair

# Forget about you

# You can't set my heart on fire
any more

# I'm not an ugly crier like before

# Now it's funny, you're the one
that's broken on the bathroom floor

# You can't set my heart on fire

# Any mo-o-o-ore. #

Wow.

No doubt does Mia have
an incredible voice.

Vocally, she's very strong.

But what I don't know is
if she has that it factor,

and can she distance herself
and stand out in a very noisy

and difficult pop mainstream space?

From the moment that
I started this competition,

I didn't think I'd be capable of
getting to the final.

And now that I'm literally in
touching distance of the final,

I want to be there so bad.

You both gave us some serious
thinking to do.

Jordan, can you take all the artists
downstairs to the studio?

Certainly can.
Follow me, guys, come on.

What the f*ck do we do?

Yeah.

Yeah.

I would much rather leave here

knowing I did an incredible job
on my last song,

then walk away feeling like
I didn't deliver enough.

What a day. What a day.
What a day.

Well, that was a battle
for the ages.

Mm-hm, wasn't it just?

How did you feel it went?
I think we both did really well,

and whoever does make it
to the final,

I think would deserve it.

I thought you both smashed it.

It was nice to see you both sing
It really was.

Well, I asked you for a fight
and you gave it to me.

Not physical.

I would beat you.
Yeah.

I thought this was
Yeah.

This was vulnerable.

This was someone that had
a story to tell,

and I was interested.

I just don't know whether
he is built for the charts

or whether he's built for Broadway.

I did think Mia's song
Mm-hm. Me, too.

But...but I thought his vocal
was better than Mia's.

I do expect you to get to the final
instead of me

because you have an up on me, that
I've been in the bottom twice now.

Don't do all that self-doubt stuff,
cos I do it, you're not allowed!

No, it's not self doubt.
It's boosting you.

I don't want you to boost me.

You need to boost yourself
OK.

Mia's song felt like
a commercial hit,

but it would have been nice
to have, like, one, like, big note

cos she has it in her.

The way she writes
Yep.

..will be her biggest asset.

I actually felt like this was
her trying to prove to us

that she deserves a place
in the final.

I would say that there is
a long way for her to go,

in terms of her confidence.

But, again, this is her being
18 years old.

Do you think you should have been
in the bottom two?

Yeah, absolutely.

Mia, what about you? Do you
Yeah, I...I agree.

They did literally say
that I was immature.

Why do you think they said
that you're immature?

Because obviously, you guys know

I was so nervous about
Right.

I kind of just saw it
as, like, a general chat.

And then they always say, be honest.

But I was very honest with
everything I was talking about.

Can I ask who the artist was

that you said you didn't
want to work with?

Absolutely not.

It's slightly weird that Mia
won't tell us who she slated

in that interview,
which makes me think

it's probably me, Nnenna, or Dylan.

That's kind of shady!

So there's only one more spot
in the final.

Who's it going to be?

Before us are two incredibly
talented artists.

You put your heart and souls
in those performances,

but there is only one place left
in the final of Project Icon.

Of course I want to win the
competition. That's why I came here.

I didn't come here to go home
before the top three.

But whatever happens, I am so proud
of myself for even being here,

for even making it this far.

Unfortunately, one of you has to be
dropped from Project Icon.

And that person is...

..Barry.

You should be super proud of
yourself for getting this far.

But for now, please take your mic
and find your way home.

Thank you, guys, so, so much
for this experience.

It's been amazing.

I came in with a guard up
of who I thought I needed to be

to prove myself,
and I'm leaving a better person

than when I walked in, and
I didn't quit and I didn't walk out

and I did it and I smashed it.
And I'm so proud of myself.

I didn't expect that.

Time and time again, you've
proved yourself as a songwriter.

You've proved yourself as a singer.

You've got such a bright future
ahead of you. So congrats.

I'm one step away from
a record deal with Jason Derulo

and that is absolutely ridiculous.

Before Mia reveals her place
in the final to the others,

she has one last matter to settle.

I do want to be honest with you
Oh, God.

OK, you know how you asked earlier
about who it was in the interview?

I'm going to be honest
and say that it was you.

What did you say, though? Cos I want
to know if it was shady or not.

He asked me if I would see myself
working with you.

And I said no, because...

..I feel like we have very different
personalities.

Come here! I'm so proud of you.

I want
you to go and smash it, seriously.

Go and smash that final.

Cos if I'm not going to
f*cking smash it, you better!

Cos you know I would have.

I would have f*cking murked
all you b*tches.

I believe in myself a lot right now.

I'm up against two
absolutely amazing artists.

But I still have a lot of
faith in myself that I could win.

Who do you think's going to
come back?

If I'm being brutally honest,
I'd say Mia.

Like, watching those performances
back-to-back,

Mia's song just hit.
Like, really hit.

It's difficult because obviously

this is Mia's second time
in the bottom.

Hey!

Hey!

Oh, Mia! Well done.

Take a seat.
What happened?

When Barry left,
I literally said to Becky,

I was like, "Are you sure?"

I just wasn't expecting at all.

Who's going to win?

Well, I don't know.

I think I can win this one.
I really do.

I believe in myself. I'm
going to back myself all the way.

Guys, you're in the final.

The final!

Here we go.

Not the pillows!

Come on, Dylan.
Come on.

It is go time, baby.
It's the finals.

On the final of Project Icon...

We turning the heat all the way up.

There is a lot that could go wrong.

Might go home.

Nerves...

I was like, "Bro, you got
to calm the f*ck down."

..fear.

The stakes are really high.

What artist wins the
life-changing record deal?

So nervous!

The winner of Project Icon is...