Series Synopsis

A band of thirty schoolgirls brave tensions, line-up changes and heartbreak to triumph at Europe’s top music festivals. Over the course of a year, the Sweethearts face the hardest lesson of all – when to let go.

Episode Synopses

Episode 8 – The Final Countdown

“Party” is an unexpected success. The backing vocalists get a sizzling overhaul of their dance routine. Maddi’s move to the US has been postponed. The vocalists are warned to take care of their voices, as Chloe struggles through the last rehearsal before Europe.

Two thirds of the band sit out the wait in peak hour traffic, one hour’s drive away from where they need to be: their biggest fundraiser “Party”. They arrive with barely enough time to do a soundcheck and warm up. The guests arrive, but numbers are nowhere near the three hundred they need to break even.

Bree and Elsbeth’s side band, Scandal in Bohemia, opens the night as support act – then the power goes out. The room is filling up and the girls improvise just with drums and horns. Ross gets the power back on as the guests keep on coming. As Sweethearts start their main set there are over 500 guests. “Party” is an unexpected success.

Maddi’s family surprises the band with good news: they have postponed their move to the United States so Maddi can go on the tour to Europe.

At rehearsals, Rachel’s surprised to hear Janeva is not singing “Hate On Me”. The backing vocalists’ uncoordinated outfits, and lacklustre dance routines still worry Ross. He organises a dance instructor to help the girls jazz up their moves and onstage attitudes.

The band plays one of their favourite gigs of the year, Soul A Gogo. It’s Rachel’s last gig until after the band returns from Europe and the last Australian gig for the graduates and Maddi.

The band are in the home run to Europe, and their last run of rehearsals. They practice ‘Rufus Thomas Is Back In Town” especially for Porretta. Maddi struggles to hit a high E and feels she has let Ross down.

The backing singers turn a corner when they successfully premiere their dance routine to the band.

At the last rehearsal Ross reminds the girls to take care of their health. The vocalists cannot afford to lose their voices in Europe. As rehearsal unfolds, its clear Chloe is singing with a cold. It’s an issue that will come to define the European tour.

The girls’ families stage a farewell BBQ, where all the parents perform a spoof of “Secret”.

The day they leave for Europe dawns – and it hits home that this is the beginning of the end.