“This Time” the song that Glee star, Darren Criss penned for fellow cast member, Lea Michele to sing on the series finale, is considered to be a contender for an Emmy nomination in the Best Original Music & Lyrics category.
In a video interview with Deadline.com, Darren discusses how, when he tentatively brought the idea to write an original song for the show to the producers, they were very receptive to the idea.
Once Darren got the go ahead to compose a tune, he asked for some guidance from the producers. He wanted the lyrics to have meaning. When he was told the song would be Rachel Berry’s final goodbye to McKinley before leaving for New York City, the creative process began in earnest.
“I wanted to make sure, whatever she was singing about, she was going to personify everyone else’s journey,” says Darren, who describes listening to Lea sing the song for the first time, like an out of body experience. “Listening [to the] demo, I just remember weeping. I immediately called Lea and said ‘thank you, this could not have turned out better.'”
Watching the scene being filmed packed an even more powerful punch for Darren. “It was a very very emotional day,” Darren confesses, “It was also the last week or so of the show. Emotions were very tender anyway. It wasn’t just Lea, [it was] everybody.”
“It had a lot of meaning for us, as the family of Glee,” says Darren.
As it turns out, the song’s meaning touched people beyond the confines of Paramount Studios where the musical comedy was filmed. Darren has already been sent a few Youtube videos of the song being sung at high school graduations. “I’m so glad [This Time] is resonating with people,” he says. “That’s the most you can hope for as a a songwriter.”
While I fully expect a song from the Empire soundtrack to take the trophy, it would be terrific if Darren got a nod. “This Time,” was one of the emotional highlights of the Glee finale, and a fitting summation of the not only how the cast must have felt as they said goodbye, but the show’s loyal fans as well.
Currently Darren is in the midst of a 12 week engagement in the lead role of Hedwig and the Angry Inch on Broadway. His run ends on July 19.
Watch Darren Criss talk about “This Time.”
