Katharine McPhee Sings “Shake It Out” by Florence and The Machine

Next week’s (March 12) ‘Chemistry’ episode of ‘Smash’ finds Karen, played by ‘American Idol’ star Katharine McPhee, feeling down and out about struggling to make ends meet as a Broadway actress. In a bid to make some extra cash, the performer picks up a bar mitzvah gig, where she sings her troubles away with a cover of Florence + the Machine’s feel-good hit ‘Shake It Out.’

Listen to the song:
Katharine McPhee Sings Shake It Out by Florence and The Machine florence and the machine 150x150Apparently, Florence’s message really hits home for Karen, who has a revelation about her passion for performance, despite that whole “starving artist” thing. “Believe it or not, when I was told I was going to sing with a bar mitzvah band, I thought, ‘What could we do?’ Of course everyone thought it should be an old standard but the label and I put our heads together to think what might be very cool and also fun,” McPhee told AOL Music of the song selection process for the scene.

“We went through a bunch of songs and when I heard this last year, I knew we had to do it. Florence + the Machine’s record had not come out yet but we had heard the song and thought this would be amazing especially in this setting,” the singer/actress shared, adding, “So far this is one of my favorites.”

 

Songs Featured in Smash Episode 1×06 “Chemistry”

Check out the songs that will be featured in next week’s all-new episode of Smash airing March 12th at 10pm on NBC.  We will provide links for audio and purchase very soon.

  • Katharine: “Shake It Out” by Florence + the Machine
  • Megan + Will Chase: “History is Made at Night” - Original
  • Megan: “Who You Are” by Jessie J

Check out more songs to come this season on Smash in the Smash Upcoming Music section.

Ratings: Smash Wins 10 O’Clock Slot For “Let’s Be Bad”

…And at 10, ”Smash” (2.7/7 in 18-49, 7.9 million viewers overall compared to last week’s Nick Jonas episode which had 6.9 million viewers overall), up against repeat dramas on ABC and CBS for the first time, grew 17% week to week for a three-week high and led the 10 o’clock hour across the board.

Excluding nights with major sports, NBC has now won four straight Mondays in adults 18-49 after not prevailing on the night with regular series in four years.

Smash “Let’s Be Bad” Recap

Last week’s “Smash” was all about the show, but this week, we got into the personal. Julia’s son, Leo, got arrested and Tom had to bail him out of jail. Why? Because Julia was getting her flirt on with former fling Michael (a.k.a. Joe DiMaggio). When she finally arrived home after a diner dinner with her star, Tom insisted this be her wake-up call. Her son was arrested and she missed it because she was trying to mess around outside of her marriage. He told her to cool it. Spoiler alert: She didn’t.

Smash Lets Be Bad Recap Smash Promo Lets Be Bad Episode 1x05 014 300x200

Unfortunately, Julia’s life was about to go from bad to worse. Although he wasn’t technically arrested, Leo’s incident threw a wrench into Julia’s adoption process. At first she tried to do the right thing, giving Michael the cold shoulder at practice, but despite playing it cool at the workshop, Michael showed up at Julia’s apartment, and Leo invited him to stay for dinner. Apparently, Leo really liked Michael, and it was easy to see why, with Michael telling Leo all about how he used to smoke pot with his mom. Bonding!

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Latest Spoiler from Watch With Kristen: Will Karen and Ivy Be Friends?

Kenny in Greenfield, N.C.: I need to know if Ivy and Karen could ever be friends on Smash
Not anytime soon. But wait it out, because something is coming up on Smash that’ll unite both Ivy (Megan Hilty) and Karen (Katharine McPhee), and that could possibly lead to a tentative friendship. It’s definitely enough for them to have a number together, but that performance has to do with the Marilyn musical, so it won’t exactly be them holding hands singing “We Are Family.”

Promo of Smash Episode 1×06 “Chemistry”

Check out the Smash 1×06 promo video.  Synopsis: Ivy (Megan Hilty) faces major problems as her voice begins to fail her. Julia (Debra Messing) struggles to avoid Michael (guest star Will Chase) – but she can’t. Eileen (Anjelica Huston) explores her inner hipster at a downtown dive bar with her new pal Ellis (Jaime Cepero), while Karen (Katharine McPhee) is an even bigger fish out of water, as she books a side gig at a bar mitzvah on Long Island. Jack Davenport, Christian Borle, Raza Jaffrey and Brian d’Arcy James also star. Will Chase guest stars.

What Did You Think of Smash Episode 1×05 “Let’s Be Bad”?

What did you think of “Let’s Be Bad?”  Are you still on Team Ivy?  To start, take the following poll:

What did you think of Smash "Let's Be Bad" (EP1x05)?

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Then, reply below in the comments and let us know what you really thought of the premiere.

Get even more into the discussion by speaking out on the Smash forum.

Next week’s preview to be added very soon!

Song Composers Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman Want To Make Viewers Hum

Smash‘ song composers Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman have won a Tony and a Grammy. What they want now is for their ‘Smash’ songs to catch on.

The great promise of “Smash” was that it offered a glossy insider’s look at Broadway. The equally great challenge was to create original yet authentic show tunes for the musical about Marilyn Monroe embedded inside this NBC drama.

Song Composers Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman Want To Make Viewers Hum Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman Smash Song Composers

“Our job is to make it feel authentic to the theater,” said Scott Wittman, who composed the original songs with Marc Shaiman. The Tony- and Grammy-winning duo, whose list of credits include Broadway’s adaptations of “Hairspray” and “Catch Me If You Can,” had months to compose songs for the pilot. By episode eight, they had a backlog.

“For a while it was like, ‘Oh, yeah, we got this. It’s a breeze,’” Shaiman recalled. But that didn’t last. The time frame for creating musical numbers for later episodes would shrink to as much as 48 hours.

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Official Press Release: Episode 1×07 “The Workshop”

“SMASH”
“THE WORKSHOP”
03/19/2012 (10:00PM – 11:00PM) (Monday) : “The Workshop” – BERNADETTE PETERS GUEST STARS – Everything comes to a head as Eileen (Anjelica Huston), Derek (Jack Davenport) and the team present “Marilyn The Musical” to would-be investors. Ivy (Megan Hilty) is under pressure to perform, while her mother, Broadway star Leigh Conroy (special guest Bernadette Peters), undermines her at every turn. Karen (Katharine McPhee) must decide between the workshop and a meeting with a big-time music producer. Julia (Debra Messing) and Michael (guest star Will Chase) must face up to the consequences of their actions. Jack Davenport, Christian Borle, Raza Jaffrey, Brian d’Arcy James and Jaime Cepero also star. Bernadette Peters and Will Chase guest star.

The Smash: Season 1 Episode Guide has been updated.