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 The tension is palpable as the main stage of the UMA falls dormant of performers, merely just the continues swirl and dancing of the spotlights, waltzing over the area and oftentimes out into the star studded crowd. The silence is cut with the sudden introduction of traditional carnival music filling the room. A cacophony of cornets, trumpets, trombones, French horns, baritones, tubas and drums jauntily play as if letting everyone know that the circus has arrived in town. This frenzy of high energy music continues to play while the stage remains empty. Over the speaker system, the disembodied voice of Mercedes' partner Erich Hess can be heard, doing his best carnival barker impression. "Sir? Sir? Yes, you sir! Step right up and see it all for ten cents, that's right for but only one thin dime you can see THE wonder of the modern age! Is she merely a spectacular human? Or something different and unknown that has been lost to the ages? Marvel at the woman who phones Apollo each day to tell him it's time to drive the chariot. Feel the very ground quake as she recounts the time she told Tom Selleck that growing a mustache is a good look! That's right, one of the most iconic, nay, historic fashion looks of the 80s wouldn't have happened without our celebrated Mercedes. We try to accommodate all schedules, but absolutely no one will be seated during the heart pounding sequence where Mercedes pets the bellies of the most vicious stray cats! For it truly is beauty that tamed the beast. For ten singular cents you can see the woman who told a timid English boy to pick up a quill pen and put his silly little stories to parchment. That little boy ? A young William Shakespeare! You'll be on the edge of your seat as Mercedes brings agriculture and the wheel to humanity! Live and on stage, all WITHOUT use of a safety net. This one is not for the squeamish!
See her today because tomorrow she will be at the molecular level. Just making sure our reality is chugging along as it should. Mercedes never rests! An honest to goodness perpetual motion machine made flesh. That's Mercedes!
Oh, and, Riley is here too." The instrumental beginnings of #1 hit and one of 2025's biggest selling songs, "No Guts, No Glory" kicks in as Mercedes and Riley run on from opposite ends of the stage, meeting in the middle. The crowd go wild for the famous pairing, whose friendship has been growing exponentially adored by the public ever since the song was released, as well as gaining notoriety and speculation through the never ending onslaught that is the showbiz rumour mill. The pair adorn casual and comfy looks for the high energy pop-punk track which requires a lot of free movement for energetic expression. Mercedes sports a white ensembled consisting of a rolled up short sleeved crop top and a tight fitting button-up skirt. Meanwhile, Riley rocks a grey Glen plaid Tom Ford jacket over a thick white tee and navy slacks also from Ford. "UMA, how are we all feeling tonight?!" Riley belts down the microphone before holding it out towards the crowd to pick up their frenzied response. "Now, if you don't mind, we're gonna skip the conversation and hit you with that combination!" Mercedes teases the audience, alluding to lines within the chorus of "No Guts, No Glory". "Hit 'em hard, M!" Riley chuckles, introducing Mercedes before she opens up the song.  It might not kickstart a revolution
But there's no harm in being a nuisance
When the cost of existing has skyrocketed
And your bundle of sunshine pickpocketed
They've lit the fuse to your dynamite
So go kiss them off, glossed with cyanide
Ding ding, I just love that sound
It's time to strap in, go another round
Black and blue 'cause I dare to believe
But I'll never throw a match just to appease
They wanna go below the belt, skip conversation
Hold your stance, hit 'em with that combination
And if they want to spend some time on the canvas
Remember they're the muse and you're the artist
Swing high, breathe slow
No guts, no glory
Swing high, breathe slow
No guts, no gloryMercedes confidently commands with her steady, powerful vocals, maintaining a great sense of enthusiasm and control as she sassily sings the opening verse and pre-chorus. The star makes use of the entire stage, strutting from length to length and looking out into the crowd as if singing the positive messages within the track directly to them. With the sheer star power she is expressing, it is easily forgotten that this is Mercedes' first time back on a world stage of this capacity in over 10 years. It's evident that she has a point to prove with her comeback performance, putting her nerves, excitement, zealousness and eagerness all to good use as she channels it into becoming the main character that she knows she is and deserves to be. During her pre-chorus, she crouches down and sings directly into the lens of one of the cameras that are running along the pit of the stage before returning to the centre to meet Riley as the come together for the anthemic chorus. The cameras highlight many of the celebrity guests as the chorus is performed, singing along to the well-known and catchy words of one of last year's biggest sellers. Mercedes and Riley sing perfectly together, achieving a solid harmony and sounding pretty much like the studio recording, with Mercedes impressively managing to regain and maintain breath control after running back across the stage.  You can be a showstopper, whole world's a stage
There's a reason they keep the singing bird caged
It won't be long before you defy all gravity
Keep your head to the sky as they alter reality
Knock down doors 'til your hands are bleeding
Break the confines, shatter that ceiling
Ding ding, it's still going down
I'm sure you've seen some things by now
Cut and bruised 'cause you aspire to achieve
Still lifting that trophy even weak at the knees
They wanna go below the belt, skip conversation
Hold your stance, hit 'em with that combination
And if they want to spend some time on the canvas
Remember they're the muse and you're the artist
Swing high, breathe slow
No guts, no glory
Swing high, breathe slow
No guts, no gloryThe audience erupt in a furore of whooping and cheering as Riley takes centre stage for his section of the song. Despite being a seasoned veteran of the pop world with almost 15 years under his belt, this is Riley's first time performing outside of the band. The UMA stage being his first venue is a big achievement with a lot of anticipation and expectation. Many fans and close friends in the industry are aware of this and actively rooting for one of the industry's sweetest stars. Riley exceeds all expectations, possibly sounding even better live than he does on the studio recording. The live setting allows Hamilton to experiment and push more, showing off his unexpectedly powerful voice. Those in the know are aware of his talents but the casual general public at large who may only know Weekend as a unit or Billy as a solo entity are delightfully treated to the hidden prowess of Riley. He makes great use of his natural vibrato and large vocal range, adding in little flourishes to the track. As he enters his pre-chorus, he makes punching gestures towards the camera in keeping with the boxing metaphors of his lines. He heads down the runway section of the stage, seeming like a real solo star for the first time as he takes command and wades deep into the audience who have all eyes on him. Mercedes graciously hangs back but still radiates star quality as she poses seductively behind Riley, placing a hand on her hip, swinging her hair back and serving face as she looks out onto the crowd. As he sings the last lime of his pre-chorus; "weak at the knees", Riley adds more vibrato and tremble to his voice as he comically pretends the crumble onto the stage, holding his knees. 
If your balls of steel get stuck down their throats
Let 'em sweat it out up against the ropes!
Swing high, breathe slow
Don't pull, K.O
Swing high, breathe slow
Don't pull, K.O
Swing high, breathe slow
Don't pull, K.O
Swing high, breathe slow
Don't pull, K.O
Ding ding, I just love that sound
It's time to strap in, go another round
Ding ding, it's still going down
Stone cold composure in the seconds outAs the chorus kicks back in, Mercedes returns to his side and the pair duet with each other as Riley remains down on his knees and Mercedes towers over him. The pair serenade each other with much more gusto this time, both artists adding in their own little sprinkles of pizzazz with their vocal runs and quips. As Mercedes leans forward, Riley leans backwards and vice versa before she reaches down and cups the underside of his face. With this, Riley spritely jumps back onto his feet just in time for the song's bridge to kick in. Considered the apex of the song, having built into a steady crescendo, the instrumentation spirals off into a crashing punk-rock frenzy. Mercedes and Riley practically boom down the microphone during their back and forth with the distribution of their lines, showcasing incredibly powerful and commanding voices as they lead a chant throughout the entire UMA arena. Bouncing up and down on their feet, the cameras pan around the entirety of the audience who also appear to be standing and dancing along to the high energy peak of bustling pop-punk smash. At the end of the bridge, Riley takes his last note and impressively holds and extends it beyond what it is on the actual record, allowing his impressive range to take flight as he effortlessly climbs the scales and back down again with a little vibrato trill. People watching will definitely be reconsidering their perception of Weekend vocal rankings after this.  And if they want to spend some time on the canvas
Remember they're the muse and you're the artist
Swing high, breathe slow
No guts, no glory
Swing high, breathe slow
No guts, no glory
Swing high, breathe slow
No guts, no glory
Swing high, breathe slow
No guts, no gloryAs the beat winds down and the come together for the final, more subdued sounding chorus, Riley and Mercedes slowly inch towards one another from their respective sides of the stage. They don't look out towards the crowd or any of the film crew for the entirety of this part. Instead, their attention is focused solely on one another as they delicately proceed towards one another as they sing together. The frantic energy of the song's bridge has subsided, allowing listeners and onlookers to pay close attention not only to their raw and isolated live vocals but what the pair appear to be doing. Although the chaos and carnage of the upbeat punk hallmarks of the song have subsided, the tension in the air still manages to supersede to a new level of fever pitch as the audience sit on tenterhooks, wondering what exactly is about to happen. The last line of the song is sung and Mercedes and Riley are now standing mere inches away from one another, face to face. Cheering and whistling can be heard from the crowd as the witness the intimate spectacle in front of them. For almost a year to the day since the song dropped, Riley and Mercedes have been the subject of tabloid and social media fodder in regards to a secret romance on account of how close they seem to be for a male and female dynamic. As silence falls, they remain looking into each other's eyes for a moment. Their heads tilt slightly and, as it would appear, Mercedes and Riley lean in to kiss one another on the main stage of the UMA! However, at the last minute, Mercedes gives Riley a fake slap on the cheek. He turns his head out to face the audience after the impact, raising his microphone to his mouth and saying his famous closing line of the song in his best American sports commentator impression. "Whoa! Flush on the chin of the challenger!" |
