Since its debut in 2009, Glee has been a beloved television series, particularly for its musical numbers. Its cast of characters, all members of the fictional McKinley High School glee club, belted out hit songs from a variety of genres, creating memorable performances. But did they actually sing in Glee?
Glee’s Musical Legacy
Glee’s musical numbers were iconic, and the show’s cast and crew earned a variety of awards for their work. The show was nominated for 19 Emmy Awards and won four, including Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for its song “Loser Like Me”. The show also won two Grammy Awards for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media and Best Song Written for Visual Media.
The show’s musical numbers were also popular with fans, with many of the songs receiving radio airplay and charting on the Billboard Hot 100. Some of its most popular songs included “Don’t Stop Believin’”, “Defying Gravity”, and “Somebody to Love”.
Examining the Reality of On-Screen Performances
So did the cast of Glee actually sing in the show? The answer is both yes and no. While some of the cast members were trained singers, many were not. For those who could not sing, the show used a technique called “auto-tuning”, which digitally alters the vocals to make them sound better.
The show also employed a number of professional singers to provide backup vocals. These singers would record their parts in the studio, and their voices would be added to the on-screen performances. Many of the show’s biggest musical numbers were pre-recorded in the studio with professional singers, and the cast members would lip-sync to the pre-recorded tracks on set.
Glee was a beloved show with iconic musical numbers. While some of the cast members were trained singers, many were not. The show employed a variety of techniques, such as auto-tuning and pre-recording, to make the on-screen performances as impressive as possible.