THE GLEE PROJECT Eliminates 8th Contender

The competition has only two weeks remaining before revealing the winner of the second season of Oxygen's THE GLEE PROJECT and the contenders are feeling the intensity. This week the remaining six competitors were paired up for "Romanticality" week where one of "Glee's" biggest breakout stars, Darren Criss (Blaine Anderson), returned as the guest mentor. After performing "More Than Words" by Extreme, the hopefuls listened as Criss discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the group. After the contenders dubbed Ali and Blake the "couple to beat," Lily Mae, Aylin, Michael and Shanna had to step it up for the music video where they were coupled up for a performance of Rihanna's hit song, "We Found Love."

During last night's music video, the contenders were sent to detention where McKinley High's principal, Iqbal Theba, (Principal Figgins from "Glee") supervised. The couples snuck away from Principal Figgins and fled to secret hiding places during their performances – Lily Mae and Michael went to the football field bleachers, Aylin and Shanna got cozy in the auditorium and Blake and Ali got lost in the janitor's closet. Regardless of being frontrunners in the competition, Blake, Shanna and Aylin were asked to perform "Last Chance Performances" for Ryan Murphy – proving that the stakes are high and anyone can be sent home.

After Murphy pressured each contender to speak about their potential character on "Glee," Shanna Henderson of Auburn, Alabama was not called back. She was foreign to the bottom three and never faltered under the pressure. Even during this week's last chance performance where Shanna sang Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger," she had obvious talent and charisma. Although Shanna's bubble-gum charm gave her an edge, in the end it was not enough and she was sent home.

Shanna has been involved in music for over 17 years. With experience performing the tuba and trombone, she has a love for everything music. Beyond those passions, Shanna is also involved in multiple extra-curricular activities including swimming, softball, basketball, show choir, band, color guard, beta club and Spanish club. She is currently a student at Auburn University. Shanna originally auditioned for "The Glee Project" online and at the Nashville open casting call. Next week on Tuesday, August 7th at 10pm ET/PT, Dianna Agron ("Glee's" Quinn Fabray) is welcomed to "The Glee Project" classroom for the newly created "Actability" week where she will challenge the contenders during the homework assignment performance of "Addicted to Love" by Robert Palmer.
A print conference call with Shanna Henderson will take place today, August 1 at 1pm PT/4pm ET. For call information, please contact Voncella McIntosh at Voncella.McIntosh@nbcuni.com or Caitlin Goldberg at Caitlin.Goldberg@nbcuni.com.
"The Glee Project" is produced by Ryan Murphy Television and Embassy Row with Ryan Murphy, Dante di Loreto, Michael Davies and Shauna Minoprio serving as executive producers.

About Oxygen Media

Oxygen Media is a multiplatform lifestyle brand that delivers relevant and engaging content to young women who like to "live out loud." Oxygen is rewriting the rulebook for women's media by changing how the world sees entertainment from a young woman's point of view. Through a vast array of unconventional and original content, including "The Glee Project," "Best Ink," "Bad Girls Club" and "Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood," the growing cable network is the premier destination to find unique and groundbreaking unscripted programming. "The Glee Project" is a winner of a 2012 Gracie Award which honors programming created for women, by women, and about women for "Outstanding Reality Show." A social media trendsetter, Oxygen is a leading force in engaging modern young women, wherever they are, with popular, award-winning features online including www.OxygenLive.com, the real time social viewing party that is also available as an app for the iPhone and iPad. Oxygen is available in 80 million homes, and can be found online and on mobile devices at www.oxygen.com. 

Photo by: Andrew Eccles/Oxygen Media