[man narrating] Celeste was born in America in 1986.
Considering her parents' background, education,
and socioeconomic status,
being somewhat on the losing side of Reaganomics,
the name of Latin origin seemed an especially poetic choice.
It carved her out some predetermined destination,
a route which to travel by.
And many years before "Celeste" rolled off the cultural tongue
like a principled anecdote one senses they were born knowing,
she might not have been described as all that special
or conspicuously talented.
However, she did possess that proverbial "something,"
which on occasion captured the attention of her teachers
and young peers.
Despite what naysayers later perceived of her ingenuity,
she was actually a very savvy businesswoman.
In the beginning, she was kind and full of grace,
and at least she wrote her own lyrics.
No one could take that away from her.
She would be 13 going on 14 years old
in the year 2000,
the dawn of the new millennium.
[gunshots]
[car engine starts]
[footsteps]
[pop music plays on radio]
[vehicle approaching]
[pop music continues, faint]
[objects clatter]
[car horn blares]
[instruments tuning up]
[people chattering]
[woman] Morning.
- [boy] Good morning. - [woman] Good morning.
- Hello. - Welcome back.
- Good morning. - Hi. Happy New Year.
Therese, did you change your hair?
Uh, my sister cut it. She's a hairdresser.
Oh. Does she work in town? I want a cut like that.
Really? Uh, well, she lives out of state.
She was visiting us for the holidays,
but I can let you know when she's back.
Would you mind? Sometimes you feel like a change.
Sure, I can.
- Hello. - What's up?
- Good morning. - [girl] Hi.
- Hi. Welcome back. - Good morning.
[school bell rings]
Okay.
Welcome back, everybody.
- Did you enjoy the break? - [several voices] Yes. Yeah.
- Did you enjoy the break? - [all] Yes.
Well, I received news from Vice Principal Kane
about our homeroom computer appeal.
[boy] What is it?
I want to wait and share it once everyone's arrived.
We're waiting on, um, Eric and Elyse.
[boy] Well, they're probably gonna take a while.
Why is that?
Aidan, let's not start the year off at odds.
Whatever you're saying to him, you can save it for after class.
[girl] He's here. I saw Eric five minutes ago.
- All right, then. We'll wait. - Are we getting desktops?
- I said we'll wait. - Excuse me.
Yes?
My name is Cullen Active.
What?
Yes, Cullen, I know.
- [gunshot] - [students screaming]
[Cullen] Celeste?
Celeste, go stand in the back with the others.
Is she breathing?
[Cullen] No.
Celeste, you need to get up
and step away from the windows, because in a few minutes
there will be an explosion.
[girl] What are you doing?
Why are you doing this?
[students screaming]
Stop! Stop!
I'm standing.
I'll stand.
[students gasping, sobbing]
[Cullen] Now everyone, please shut up and be quiet.
[screaming]
[Cullen] Go back inside!
[sirens wailing]
[students screaming]
[Celeste] Cullen?
Cullen, please let us go.
I killed plenty of people already.
I'm sorry. I can't do that now.
[Celeste] Please. At least let everyone else go.
I'll stay here with you.
And what are we gonna do?
We'll pray together.
[student sobbing]
- Shh. Everything's gonna be... - [automatic gunfire]
[men chattering]
- [man] Clear. - [man 2] Adam Seven, clear in the classroom.
[man 3] Clear!
[chatter over police radio]
Adam Seven, be advised... multiple 80s.
Room 206, second floor.
[sirens wailing]
[sirens continue]
[machine whirring]
[recorded female voice] Breathe in and hold your breath.
Breathe.
What are you feeling now?
I feel like I'm on a boat.
Nausea won't subside?
It's not just that.
I just feel like I'm spinning.
You think it's in my head?
No, I don't think it's in your head at all.
I just don't think it has anything to do with your spinal injury.
I need to sit.
I'll get your chair. Just a minute. Come on.
Do you want to try a few more steps?
Okay. Good.
All right.
[inhales, exhales]
- There you go. - Where's Dad and Eleanor?
They went to get us some food.
Some of the other kids have been complaining
about their ears ringing from the gun blasts.
I talked to her doctor about it, and...
Great.
- Hey, Mrs. Howard. - [woman] Hello, Miss Celeste.
[sobbing]
I'm so sorry I was sick.
I should've been there for you.
I'm so grateful you're alive.
I think I would have died... or just killed myself.
I don't think I could've standed it.
[sniffles]
I'm here now, and I am never going to leave you.
Ever.
My God.
Ellie, I think I've done something terrible.
[playing note]
- [man sighs] - What is it?
It says here they found Cullen's grandparents.
They think that he shot both of them three weeks before Christmas
and lived with the bodies over the holiday.
- Ew! - Dad...
- [woman] Excuse me. - Stop.
[woman] I'm sorry. There are some news people here requesting an interview.
[father] Oh, well, don't look at me. It's up to her.
I don't want anyone to see me like this.
You look fine.
Can you talk to them?
Me?
What am I supposed to say?
I wasn't there.
Just tell them how sorry we are for everyone that died.
[Dad] Call Mom.
Are you sure?
[woman] I can take you to a telephone.
Thanks, babe.
- I think I want to try and sleep for a while. - Good.
I think I am going to try and take your mother
out to dinner or something.
Get her mind off of things.
Sure you don't need anything else other than that keyboard?
You know, I have a guitar in the basement.
Could bring that over, teach you a little.
Thanks, but...
it's hard for me to tilt my head down.
So it starts like...
- so, one, two, three. - [melody plays]
Yeah.
Twice.
[humming melody]
[both humming]
[woman over P.A.]...remain in critical condition.
Hold them especially in your prayers.
Please join me now
by turning to the page 13.
[singing hymn, indistinct]
I was informed earlier,
and I guess some of you are already aware,
of last night's arson attempt
over at the Active residence.
Lieutenant Lynne at the 120th Precinct has asked me
to remind everyone that that is the site
of an ongoing investigation,
and its destruction would...
gravely impair their officers' ability to provide answers
to the community's many pressing questions.
I would like to add...
ferocious anger prompted this,
and we cannot have any more anger
or violence around us this minute.
I'll go a step further by asking you all to please
include the perpetrator
of these vicious attacks in your prayers.
By this way of
healing prayer
and forgiveness,
victims of this tragedy will be...
released from their own grief
and rage in the afterlife.
Throughout the night, we'll be asking New Brighton students
to come up and share
memories and recollections with us.
Please join me in welcoming Celeste Montgomery
from Stephanie Dwyer's eighth-grade class.
Um, I tried to prepare something to say,
but... I couldn't really put my feelings into words exactly,
so I thought I'd do this instead.
Uh, my sister, Ellie, helped me a lot.
This song is about us,
and... it's for her.
[melodic ballad plays]
♪ Hey ♪
♪ Turn the light on ♪
♪ 'Cause I've got no one To show me the way ♪
♪ Please, I will follow ♪
♪ 'Cause you're my last hope I'll do anything ♪
♪ You say ♪
♪ And ♪
♪ I tried it my way ♪
♪ And I failed to save me ♪
♪ From myself ♪
♪ So ♪
♪ Bind my hands now ♪
♪ Shut my mouth down I will listen ♪
♪ Listen well ♪
♪ So teach me ♪
♪ Show me all you've got ♪
♪ And in your words I will be ♪
♪ Wrapped up ♪
♪ Speak to me ♪
♪ You're my last hope ♪
♪ And I will say nothing ♪
♪ And listen to your love ♪
[with Ellie] ♪ And I'm so lucky to be with you ♪
♪ Keeping me from my shadow Whoa ♪
♪ And though I might Have been torn to shreds ♪
♪ By the people in my head ♪
♪ I ♪
♪ I let one tear fall ♪
♪ And I crumble like The Berlin Wall ♪
[narrator] At the advice of a producer, Celeste would change the lyric
from "I" to "we," and shortly thereafter,
the entire country fell in step with her sentiment.
It was not her grief; it was theirs.
No longer merely her experience,
they reclaimed it as their own.
Over the course of the following year,
The song would become an anthem for the nation.
Simply put, it was a hit.
[recorded pop music plays]
[Celeste] ♪ I, I, I, I ♪
♪ Devil may try To kill your game ♪
♪ So let him try ♪
♪ I missed my train Got stuck outside in the rain ♪
♪ Let it go tonight ♪
♪ And I don't got nothing In my band, but ♪
♪ Hell, that's all right ♪
♪ I was used to loving Never not in pain ♪
♪ That's my sweet life ♪
♪ I, I, I Want to touch your sky ♪
[music stops]
Sorry. I'm getting thrown off from hearing my own voice.
You want me to pull that out?
If you can do that, thanks.
- No problem. - [man] Do you like it when I go
- to the C before the refrain? - No, not...
- I thought that was D, sorry. - That is a D right over there.
- [playing bass note] - [Celeste] Oh.
Celeste, let's take five.
Meet me in the hall.
[man] You okay in there, or are you in over your head?
- No, I'm good. - You trust me?
Do you trust me?
Yeah.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
That's good, 'cause I've been doing this a long time,
and I can understand if it's little overwhelming,
but you have to trust the process.
The process works. That's why you and your parents chose me
to guide you through this...
strange and unpredictable new process.
So I want you to remember what I told you at your parents' place
the first time we met.
You got to shut your eyes and pretend like you're in your bedroom.
You're just dancing in your bedroom, and no one's looking at you,
and you ain't got a care in the world, okay?
Okay.
You got to tell me if I'm not making any sense,
'cause you got your head screwed on so straight half the time I forget you're a kid.
Don't worry yourself too much about the technical stuff, 'cause I'm telling you,
these people are not here to listen to that fuckin' bass player
riff like he's Jaco Pastorius, hmm?
- Okay. - This is your show, okay?
Remember that. Run it. Okay?
- You ready to get back into it? - Yeah.
- Good. - But can you do me a favor?
- Yeah. - Can you watch your language around Ellie?
It really bothers her when people swear.
Yeah, so I'm sorry.
I-I, uh...
I-I didn't realize I was swearing at you.
I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry. Okay.
[producer] So I just quickly cut something together
for the first and the last verse,
and it actually seems like it's working really well.
We might be over-thinking it.
In the first verse, though, there's a little crack or a hiccup or something
in your delivery of "'Cause I missed the train."
So maybe we should just take it from there?
Great. I'll nail that.
Then we can get started on "Body Talk."
I'm sorry, what section is that?
It's the next track.
Okay. Yeah.
Let's get a head start on tomorrow.
[recorded music plays]
[manager] Okay, here we go.
I'm sorry I'm late.
Thank you for waiting.
Have you girls been enjoying your stay?
Yeah. The hotel's very nice.
Yeah. It's great.
So, what's next?
She beat me to the punch.
Well, a few things.
First, I've been meaning to ask you if you, uh,
have any background in dance,
or if your injury
- prevents you from... - I used to take ballet.
And no.
I just have to be careful.
That's great.
Internally we've been discussing a few upcoming events,
performances we'd like to pitch you for,
and we'd love to set you up with a choreographer.
What kind of appearances?
In-store performances, things like that.
It's a great way to introduce
your live experience to the public
and a great way for you to get your feet wet in turn.
Uh, Celeste,
we really love what you do here,
but after everything you've been through,
I just think it's necessary to be really straight with you
and let you know that there is
no guarantee that these new tracks will work.
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. She's 14 years old.
You don't need to talk that way to her. Talk to me that way, not her.
Let me finish, please.
it would be unconscionable for me to
not make a young person like yourself fully cognizant
of the reality of the situation.
You've given us a great demo,
and we are going to pitch it hard,
but... the rest is out of our hands.
It's fine.
If it works, great.
If not, that's okay too.
[woman] Well, that's great.
On to the fun stuff then.
This is what we had in mind in terms of artwork
for the EP that we'll be sending to the stations.
- What do you think? - I like it.
It's peach.
We can change the color.
Just for now,
try and focus more on the feeling of the layout.
- I like it. - I like it too.
Great. They know what they like.
That's great. We love it.
The lyric inside of the font gives it precedence,
the advent of a new voice being announced.
But the most important thing to us is that you feel well-represented.
I feel well-represented.
As your representative, I'd like to express how highly unusual
and inappropriate that woman's conduct was.
I had no idea she was gonna sit down
and give you a list of reasons that she's not to be held accountable
if she fails at her job.
These salespeople are mostly the same. Five minutes into a meeting
you know they couldn't sell a lifejacket to Natalie Wood.
She was just telling me not to get my hopes up.
Of course you should get your hopes up.
Come on.
So, from here, pulling through five,
walking six, seven,
and down eight.
Uh-huh, good. So to do that slide,
and you want to think of actually lifting up
as you're going down, okay?
You'll get more length on the slide. Let me see it.
- Good. You okay? - Yeah, I'm good.
- You sure? - I'm fine.
- We can take a break if you need. - No, no, I'm okay.
Okay. I'm gonna put the disc on, and let's go from the top.
[exhales sharply]
[pop music plays]
♪ I, I, I, I ♪
- [instructor] Finding the beat. - ♪ I, I, I, I ♪
Ready?
Step right, left.
Good.
Grapevine.
Going forward.
And going down. Good, okay.
When the chorus comes in,
try to sing along with the track,
to see how that feels, okay?
And just focus on breathing,
because you want to have enough air to get through the track.
Okay? Ready?
Five, six, seven, eight.
Keep going.
Good. Step.
Low.
And hit.
Good.
And right. Left.
Walk.
Up.
Good. That feel okay?
- Yeah. - Good, good.
[music stops]
[voices on TV, music playing on headphones]
[man on TV] Is this what you wanted to see? Huh?
Is this what you wanted to see?
[man 2] They came into our house...
[continues, indistinct]
[man 3] The government called it Operation Reunion,
a delicate mission carried out
with military precision.
No one was seriously injured.
What if you get really big?
First of all,
I don't think that's even happening.
And second, even if it did,
it's not like I wouldn't come home all the time.
Really think I'm gonna be able to get in anywhere?
Totally.
You look like you're 22.
No way.
You do.
"Excuse me, sir.
Have you met my baby sister?
She's so sexy, isn't she?"
Shut up.
It's true.
You're the pretty one,
and you sing better than me.
I know. And I'm bigger than you too.
Stop! Stop!
Sorry.
Hurts my back.
[knock at door]
- I'm not dressed. - Okay.
Got a call from the label, from that P.R... bitch.
- You want to hear about it? - Is it bad?
- You gonna let me in? - Ellie's getting dressed.
- They shopped it around to radio. - And what?
And you did it. She says "Alive" and "Hologram" tested in the mid-90s.
What about the other ones?
They did fine, I think, but you got two, for Christ sake.
You needed exactly one to work.
You don't seem excited.
Well, you don't seem very excited either.
I'm thrilled. Just didn't come as much of a surprise.
A & R is sending through a list of their acts
they think you can open for in the spring.
- I can't believe it. - Listen, I'm sending you home for a week or two.
I want you to rest up, 'cause guess what?
I'm taking you to Stockholm after the break.
- Really? - It's in Europe.
- I know. - They want enough tracks for an album.
I want you working with this guy. The best.
You'll know his stuff when you hear it.
He's written everything. Hits.
I told him, make space for you. He said okay if we come to him.
- [Celeste] Oh. - So whatever you got... half-written,
ideas, whatever you got... let's go lay it down.
[Celeste] You hear that, Ellie?
See? I told you you'd get really big.
[narrator] Following a short visit home with their parents,
Celeste's manager had the girls' passports expedited,
and the three of them set flight for an unfamiliar
if not particularly exotic foreign city,
where they would go on to have many uniquely first experiences.
Stockholm was home to what business scholars
and economic geographers call an industry cluster,
an agglomeration of talent, business infrastructure,
and competing firms all swirling around
one industry in one place.
In the 1940s, church leaders and cultural conservatives
rallied together around a solemn mission:
to safeguard the country's youth against the degenerate music
that was being piped in from America.
To combat this threat, municipal schools of music spread across the country,
offering morally uplifting instruction in classical music.
One thing would eventually to another.
Born at the height of this morally uplifting boom
at the close of the second war,
Swedish producer Tor Erik Romstad was initially skeptical
but grew increasingly fond of the inseparable sisters.
And though he considered himself a beat-up old atheist
that had been phoning it in for some time in the pop music game,
he found the girls' kind-hearted devotion to God,
music, and most importantly, one another,
to be altogether inspiring.
Over the course of five weeks, he would turn out
some of his career's most addictive hooks and melodies.
So far oblivious to the impending deluge of notoriety
these tracks would soon afford her,
Celeste primarily enjoyed getting
all this one-on-one time with Eleanor.
They never could've dreamed they would one day
casually travel to Europe together,
unsupervised and unattended.
On weekends, Eleanor enjoyed
playing the role of the big sister by taking Celeste around
to the nearby bars and local dance clubs.
Before the massacre at New Brighton,
Eleanor might never have dared to share these more disgraceful aspects
of her recreational appetites with her young sibling.
But considering all the suffering Celeste had endured,
she was surely old enough now to engage
in the more pleasurable parts of adulthood also.
Celeste felt alive, creative, and autonomous,
in command of her own destiny.
- [vomiting] - [cell phone ringing]
Baby, he's calling again.
We're gonna miss our flight.
It's so early.
Tell him I don't think I can get on a plane.
[manager] I don't believe this shit.
[Celeste] I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.
- [Ellie] No, I'm sorry. - [manager] No, don't say you're sorry.
Just don't do it.
It's the same old shit with all you kids over and over.
Your parents trusted me. I take that seriously.
Are you smiling?
Don't smile at me.
It's just that you're funny. Don't yell at me.
I'll stop yelling when you wipe
that condescending beam off your face.
Guess what? Since you two both
decided to completely fuck off and do whatever you please,
with zero consideration for what a terrible position you put me in...
morally, ethically, legally...
from now on, I veto your request,
and will swear and fuckin' curse as much as I please.
'Cause guess what? I'm not buying
this innocent little girl shit you two are selling.
Fine. It's a deal.
Just stop yelling.
I'm obviously not yelling.
You have 12 hours to lie knocked out on a plane and get your act together.
And what? Think about what I've done?
I called your room 10 times.
What happens in 12 hours?
- Going to L.A. to make a video. - What?
[heavy rock music plays]
[crowd cheering]
[song ends]
[people chattering]
Did you enjoy the show?
- What? - Did you like the show?
Oh, sorry. I actually just got here.
He's your manager?
How did you guys connect?
He saw me sing on TV.
Oh, I'm Celeste.
Can I get you a drink, Celeste?
No, I'm good, thanks.
I have to work early tomorrow.
I'm making a video.
Are you in it?
Well, I hope so.
It's a video for a song I made.
Well, what kind of music do you make?
- I'm embarrassed to say. - Why?
I don't want you to make fun of me.
I'm not gonna make fun of you.
Pop music.
Ah, I love pop music.
- No you don't. - Of course I do. Who doesn't love pop music?
What are you doing? Let's go back. I want you to meet somebody.
- I know your brother. - Yeah, we've met around.
Yeah. Celeste.
Are you all right?
I've taken a load of pills before the set
'cause I was nervous,
and I think I need some new stuff
to counteract the old stuff.
Do you have any drugs in the room?
Only painkillers.
Oh. Okay.
I have to go back downstairs and get a new key.
I think I grabbed my sister's.
[Celeste's pop music plays]
That is nice.
I love this shit. [chuckles]
Yeah.
[chuckling]
This is brilliant. This is, like, the best song I've ever heard.
Shut up.
You left out a drop and crawl.
I'm not doing that.
You do it.
Fine. I will.
Get off my stage.
Stop. Oh, God.
Stop! Stop!
You make the same sort of music
the boy who attacked me used to listen to.
Does that remind you of him?
It did, just this moment.
I hope that doesn't upset you too much.
It doesn't.
I think when you meet someone who's going to become an important figure in your life,
that... it forces us to look back at the past
so we can get on with the future, is all.
In my defense,
maybe it was the thing that pushed that kid over the edge,
or... maybe it was the only thing
that could've saved him and all those other poor kids.
Anyhow, I'm glad I'm already important to you.
I don't like to think about it
or talk about it.
Why would you? I mean,
what is there to talk about?
That's what I love about pop music.
I don't want people to have to think too hard.
I just want them to feel good.
Ever since it happened,
I have the same dream every night.
Tell me.
In my dream, I'm speeding through a tunnel
that doesn't seem to end.
I'm late to meet someone at the other side.
And every time I turn
these wide bends in the road,
I drive past a body,
but I don't stop for it.
Dead body?
Not exactly,
but...
lifeless.
After a while,
I realize that they're these doubles of me,
like clones,
that I've tried to send down the tunnel in my place.
But they never made it to the other side.
They're never the same age.
They're always laid out in different configurations.
Makes sense.
Does it?
Sure.
I mean, you almost died.
So...
now it's easy to imagine yourself dead at any age.
I don't think that's what it's about, because...
in my dream, I know that I will never die.
What's at the end of the tunnel?
I always wake up before I get there.
But I'm so frightened, because...
I'm going somewhere where no one can find me
and no one knows my name.
[electronic beep]
- Wake up! - [Celeste moans]
What are you doing in here?
You got to wake up. We have to call Mom and Dad.
Where's the remote?
A plane crashed into a building in New York.
[man] And playback.
[electronic music plays]
♪ Oh ♪
♪ Oh, pretend and lie ♪
♪ There is Smoke and fire ♪
♪ You are the great desire ♪
♪ I wish you'd disappear Now I've seen enough ♪
♪ Of your dirty Lo-o-o-o-ove ♪
♪ Yes, I have seen ♪
♪ Enou-ou-ou-ou-ou-ough ♪
♪ Of your dirty love Now I get you up ♪
♪ I just want you gone ♪
♪ I need to be alone You're dirty magic ♪
♪ You've broken my heart ♪
♪ With your black art ♪
- [man] Cue the set? - [man 2] Set.
- [man 1] And playback. - [pop music plays]
[singing indistinctly]
[narrator] Haunted by the ephemeral image
of her sister and manager's nocturnal encounter,
wrestling feelings of betrayal and exclusion,
Celeste's loss of innocence
curiously mirrored that of the nation.
From that day forth, the girls' paths diverged,
and the two sisters were forcefully pushed towards
opposing severities of their characters.
One for the money, two for the show,
three to get ready, and four we go.
[man 1] Cut. Good.
[people chattering, exclaiming]
[speaks in foreign language]
[foreign language]
- [automatic gunfire] - [men shouting]
[people screaming]
[automatic gunfire]
[narrator] In the year 2017,
Celeste would be 31 years old,
prisoner of a gaudy and unlivable present,
which had reached an extreme of its cycle,
and there was no imagining what new forms
it, or she, may assume.
Where are you going?
[woman] For a smoke. She's with makeup.
- Is she dressed? - Hair wanted her.
Round tables start at 1:00.
That's not on me. 40 minutes late.
Hey, how's she look?
Tired.
You look beautiful.
I think it's enough of a statement with the brows.
I think we should stop fussing with them now.
How we doing in here?
[woman] 20 minutes.
Good. Celeste,
I need to speak with you before we start today.
- What is it? - It's better in private.
Toni doesn't care. What is it?
There's, uh...
There's been a shooting...
they think it's terrorism... in a beach town
called Brac in Croatia.
- Do we know someone who got hurt? - No, no, no.
Of course not. No, no, no. Don't worry.
We don't have much information, but 14 people are dead,
- and, uh, more are injured... - Hey.
No one is gonna think we are insensitive for playing a gig halfway around the world.
It's not that.
Okay, well, who did it?
Far as I know, nobody's claimed responsibility.
- Uh... - Let me finish.
- Okay. - The shooters
were all wearing masks from our "Hologram" video.
- What? - They came out in masks
and started shooting people at a beach resort.
We don't know if it was organized
or just a one-off thing.
How similar?
That's as much as I know.
You're gonna get a lot of questions about it today. I want you to be prepared.
- Can we call off the press? - Probably not without calling off tonight too.
Josie says it'd be bad to avoid it anyway.
Okay.
People are going to be on your side.
We just got to face it head-on and, you know,
be astute in our response.
I'm making arrangements to hold a press conference downstairs at 4:00.
- A press conference? - Yeah.
- Are you kidding me? - It'll take five minutes.
I called Josie, I told her I want her here with us
to prepare a statement now.
Has anyone heard from Albertine? My phone's dead.
Albertine is in the restaurant having lunch.
I'm taking you to see them right now.
Is she mad at me?
Why would she be mad at you? She's excited to be here.
I pushed roundtables until after press assembly.
That allows us time for a few more details to pour in.
But the gist I have so far is, it might all be a coincidence.
- What do you mean, a coincidence? - I don't know.
They stopped at a costume store and picked up the first disguise
or whatever you want to call it that they saw.
But the article SRK sent over purports that the gunmen
were exploiting your image and body of work as a symbol
of moral corruption in the West or something lunatic.
- Ah, great. - Given your history,
I think we should try and view this as an opportunity to speak
to some of your most important beliefs and positions.
[woman] I don't know about that. In all likelihood,
her history is the reason they decided to target her.
Now, from the outset, you have to make it clear
that the reason that you are not canceling tonight or any upcoming dates
is because there isn't enough information yet to justify canceling.
- [manager] Right. - Keep it focused
on your outpour of love and mourning for the victims
and victims of violence all over the world.
Nobody would blame you, but don't say anything rash.
I don't want anyone to misconstrue what you're really trying to say.
- Everyone out there will feel for you. - Yeah.
Just speak from the heart.
I feel like I'm gonna throw up.
No, it's just my meds. My spine feels like daggers.
I'll get the masseuse to swing by straight after the show.
- Hello. - I'm gonna greet everyone
and get us set up and meet you back down here in an hour.
- Are they in the restaurant? - Yeah, I'll call... There they are.
Ah. There you are!
Why didn't you guys come up to the green room?
Hey, Mom.
Hi, baby.
Hey, Ellie.
Oh, you look tired.
Want to come up to my room and take a nap?
- No, I'm really hungry. - Okay.
She wouldn't eat anything I ordered for her down here.
I don't blame you.
I had room service for breakfast. It's awful.
- No, it's not that. I get carsick. - She gets carsick.
Ah. Okay. Well, did you have any fun at all?
- I showed her around our hometown. - Hey. How are you?
- Things are the same in our world. - It's good to see you, kiddo.
How's Grandma and Grandpa?
Grandma wants to change their tickets to tomorrow.
Why? I mean, it's practically across the street from them.
Okay, I'll call her.
- How'd it go? - What?
- The conference. - Oh.
I know. Let's not talk about it now.
What's wrong?
None of your business. Grownup problems. Don't worry about it.
Hey, baby, you want to get some lunch with me?
Can I take Alby for a quick solo girls' lunch?
Of course, but I need you back by 4:00
so we can get ready for the show.
- All right. - She has to be back by 3:30.
Thank you, Ellie.
Can you stick around the hotel, please? I got to go upstairs...
- I got to get out of here... - Fine! Take security.
I don't need a babysitter. I'm gonna walk Alby down the street.
Yeah, down the street. Please be back by 3:30.
All right. You take a nap. I'll bring her back after lunch.
- What do you want to eat? - Mm, I don't know.
What do you mean, you don't know? Of course you know.
I hate talking to kids these days.
They always say they "don't know" about everything. Are you depressed or what?
No.
Listen, I'm just teasing. I'm just trying to get you to relax around me.
I am relaxed. I'm just uncomfortable
because there are so many people looking at us.
Listen, there's gonna be paparazzis outside 'cause everyone knows we're here.
- You want to go out the back? - No.
I'll just walk ahead of you.
[paparazzi shouting, cameras clicking]
[man] Celeste? Celeste!
Hey, man, please don't follow me.
What are your feelings on today's attack?
Listen, I'm going to lunch. I'll be back in 45 minutes.
You can take as many pictures of me as you want then, okay?
Thank you. Jeez!
- Hey, slow down. - I hate those people.
Everybody hates those people. Don't even worry about it.
You should've let them take a picture of you.
- You look so beautiful today. - No, I don't.
I haven't washed my hair, and I barely have any makeup on.
You want me to give you some of mine?
I woke up looking like a pterodactyl today.
That's the thanks you get for giving the gift of life.
No good deed goes unpunished.
You know, the little babies, they just suck the lifeblood right out of you.
Shut up. You look great, Mom.
Thank Christ for that.
Better off than some of these other girls I meet.
- Like who? - Not telling.
- Why? What's wrong with them? - Nothing, really. It's just, you know,
when I flip through these magazines, I see these girls I know,
and half the time, I've seen them naked in a dressing room or whatever,
so I know where they have an ugly birthmark or where they got their tail cut off.
- Who has a tail? - Don't look so excited. I'm not telling you.
I mean, I wouldn't want someone to spread that kind of personal stuff
around about me, you know?
This place isn't bad.
Well, it's nice to sit with somebody
who doesn't have their face buried in a phone.
Me and Ellie don't do phones at the table.
That's cool. You should listen to her.
I do listen to her.
But if she's so cool, then why do you hate having her around?
I don't hate having her around. I just wanted some alone time with you.
You act like you hate her.
That's an ugly thing to say. Don't say that.
Not saying you actually hate her. Just saying you act like it.
Look, sometimes I got a short fuse
because I don't get a lot of sleep
and I've got a lot of stuff on my plate.
There's no money in music anymore.
It's all branded content or virtual reality, reality TV.
I mean, I do a voice for a video game character, for Christ sakes,
and I make more money in an afternoon than I do all year on tour.
Then why do you leave us and go on tour for so long?
I got a lot of people to pay... more people than you can imagine.
It's a full-time job. It's like I'm connected
to the whole world all the time, and I can hear everyone in my head.
I thought we were talking about Aunt Ellie.
What do you want to talk about?
- Is she okay? - She's upset you don't ever try and see her.
She told you that?
That really pisses me off that she's bringing our problems
into my relationship with you.
That has nothing to do with you. You got that? Nothing.
What problems do you have with her?
You have everything she ever wanted.
That's ridiculous!
- I'm serious. - Oh, God.
When we went to visit Grandpa, he even showed us a video
of Aunt Ellie singing and dancing when you guys were little.
Hey, what can I say, you know?
Your Aunt Ellie has too many scruples,
and sometimes life just isn't that fair.
Especially not nowadays.
Now people will try and sell you anything...
a TV monitor that plain as day looks like shit,
but they tout it as "ultra mega triple hi-def" whatever.
Their business model relies on
their customer's unshakable stupidity.
And deep down, we probably sense that...
their intimate knowledge of our commitment
to the lowest common denominator.
It's the official manifestation
of the increasingly important urge
to break with every living thing that has some connection to the past.
- What? - When we weren't paying attention,
everyone got together and they voted
that traditions of the past are ugly.
The past reeks too much of ugly old people and death.
So Mama's got to stay fresh.
- Okay. - You know, I'm pretty sure
that every year my videos keep getting worse and worse,
but they're doing better and better.
They showed me this perfume thing we shot last year
where I'm unfurling from a digital rose petal like Thumbelina,
and I thought it would ruin me,
but here I am, opening for 30,000.
Mom, what are you even talking about?
I'm letting you in on a little secret because I love you, that's what.
It doesn't matter anymore if you're Michelangelo
or if you're Mikey and Angelo from New Brighton.
And Aunt Ellie never found her angle.
And then she decided to go get jealous of my good fortune.
She made her own choices.
And let me tell you, she could never do
what I do day in and day out.
But luckily, she gets to go home to you every night,
and she doesn't have any real-world responsibilities
'cause I finance her entire life.
- Quiet. - Don't tell me to be quiet.
No, I don't mean it like that.
- [pop music plays] - Isn't that your song?
Yeah, I'm sorry. I'll go ask them to turn it off.
Excuse me. Would you mind turning off the music, please?
I'm about to order lunch, I'm trying to talk to my kid.
I just keep hearing my voice in the head.
Yeah, sorry. My manager told me to put it on.
Okay.
Could you bring me a drink and maybe a soda for her?
- What do you want? - Oh, a glass of white wine.
Whatever you have that isn't gross.
And if you could put it in a plastic cup or something.
- Sure. - Okay.
I'm sorry to rag on Aunt Ellie.
I know she's doing her best.
It's just, I'm having a shit day, and I'm taking it out on her.
Better her than me.
I never take it out on you.
Okay.
I don't, do I?
Ah, God!
Well, if I do, I don't mean to.
I'm sor... [sighs]
I'm sorry. [sniffles]
You know, sometimes you just...
you think it can't get any worse, and then you just...
you get diagnosed with fucking cancer.
What? Mom, are you sick?
I don't mean literally. I just...
You know, sometimes you just get kicked while you're down.
- Oh, God, I shouldn't do this in front of you. - It's fine.
No, it's not. I would slap me across the face
if I was sitting across from me right now.
- Really, it's fine. - Dan left me.
Yeah, I know. I read about it.
You know?
Aunt Ellie's not supposed to let you read that gossip shit.
She can't control everything I do like a watchdog.
You know what? I wanted to tell you. I keep feeling like
big moments get stolen away from me.
Mom, it's fine.
I don't care about that guy.
I thought you loved Dan.
Yeah, he was fine.
I was just nice to him because he was nice to you.
[waitress] Here we are.
Do you guys know what you want to order yet?
You know, we could use a couple more minutes with the menu.
I'll just have the pasta with marinara.
Do you want me to put that in, or do you want me to wait?
That's okay. You can just bring her. I don't need anything.
You just bring her pasta.
Why did he leave you?
- Who said he left me? - You did.
Well, he didn't. We left each other.
Because when you love something, you give it away.
Is he seeing someone else?
- Is that what you read? - Yeah.
Said he started dating some rich girl.
I don't know. That's not what he told me.
But I bet it's just a fling.
I mean, I've had flings I wouldn't want anyone to judge my character by.
- [man] Drinks okay? - Yeah, thanks.
I'm the manager here, so if you need anything, let me know.
Will do, thanks.
[manager] Um, hey, do you mind if I get a quick picture with you?
Now is not the best time.
It's not for public use or anything.
- It'll just take a minute. - Is this what you want a picture with?
I'm trying to talk to my daughter.
I'm sorry, you don't have to use that tone with me.
I think I asked you very nicely.
You don't have to be so upset. It's just a picture.
- Are you fucking serious, man? - Please don't use that language.
How dare you, motherfucker?
Alison, can you call the police?
Who the fuck do you think you are?
I could ask you the same question.
I can smell the alcohol on your breath, by the way.
Are you trying to embarrass me in front of my daughter?
I didn't even know you had a daughter.
I just came up to be friendly, and you started yelling at me.
Now I'm asking you to leave the restaurant, or I'm going to call the cops.
[Alby] Let's just go.
You should be ashamed of yourself, prick.
[Celeste] Oh, Jesus.
You know what? Let's go down this way
so we don't have to deal with all those shitheads out front.
Look, I'm really sorry I lost my cool on that guy.
He was asking for it, but I don't want to talk about it.
Baby, you're all shook up.
Look, that kind of thing doesn't happen all the time,
but sometimes it does, and I got to protect myself.
I said I don't want to talk about it.
But baby, we got to talk about it,
'cause if we don't, it just hangs in the air.
I'm worried about you.
You're worried about me?
You don't need to worry about me. I'm solid.
I worry about you. Baby, that's my job... to worry about you.
- You're skinnier than I am! - Oh, come on.
That's 'cause I'm in great shape 'cause I go out
dancing my ass off every night.
Come on, baby.
You're breaking my heart.
Listen, what that guy said before
about me having alcohol on my breath,
that was a terrible thing to imply in front of you.
And instead of just ignoring the elephant in the room,
let's talk about it head-on.
I ordered a glass of wine from them in a plastic cup
'cause I need to let go of some tension I'm having about tonight,
and I didn't want you to think there was anything to worry about.
But I swear on my life
I had nothing to drink before that today, okay?
It's nothing to worry about.
[narrator] In 2011, Celeste had drunk herself blind...
or more precisely, blind in one eye.
She'd waited to tell a physician about the trouble she'd been having,
too embarrassed to explain that while touring
the less inhabited, and therefore less inhibited
parts of the southern United States,
she had damaged the optic nerve in her left eye
by ingesting various forms of methanol during a stint
of binge-drinking household cleaning products
across three state lines.
Shortly thereafter, once back at home,
she found herself at the center of a very public dispute
as the result of a traffic collision
and one unlucky pedestrian's crushed left leg and pelvis.
Adding insult to injury,
Celeste accosted the pedestrian
in a string of uncharacteristic racial slurs.
The victim of this short-lived episode in her life
saw an opportunity and seized it.
That golden ticket came in the form
of a nearly 13-million-dollar settlement,
all just another flame in the crowd
of what Celeste perceived as a decade-long witch hunt.
What is it, baby? Is something else on your mind?
It's nothing.
Stop it. What is it?
[narrator] Albertine had lost her virginity
the weekend prior to leaving for this first unveiling
of Celeste's 6th studio recording, Vox Lux,
and yearned to share the galvanizing details with her mother.
She had made herself sick with anticipation every day since
or sense of failure it might inspire in Celeste,
had always spoken severely of young men,
even warning of them more than mixing
uppers with downers, for example.
If all went according to plan, the news might just
strike up a long-misplaced maternal instinct,
and Celeste would be forced to act as her confidant.
[knock at door]
That was fast. Where's Albertine?
Oh, she's up in my room taking a pregnancy test,
'cause apparently you're so fucking incompetent
you let her get fucked by some hick from town.
- She's pregnant? - Unless she inherited my bad luck, probably not.
But I wanted her to feel the unease of waiting for that result,
because a parent, or a legal guardian,
disciplines their kid, they don't just hang out.
I'm sorry. I had no idea.
You fucked up. Twice.
- I know you're mad but... - How could I be so stupid?
You know?
You did so badly by me, why would I expect you to do right by her?
I knew she was seeing a guy, but it...
it didn't seem physical, I swear.
You a retard?
No.
'Cause sometimes your jaw slacks in a certain way,
where you look like life's just happening to you.
You look like a retard.
Please don't say that about me.
Only crazy people get aggravated when you call them crazy.
So you must really be retarded.
- I don't understand how you can hate me so much. - Oh, I hate you?
Is that the kind of garbage you've been putting in her head?
'Cause she told me all the shit you've been putting on her shoulders.
You ungrateful sow.
I have a press conference and two hours of roundtables,
but I swear to God, Ellie, if my daughter
comes back to me pregnant
with some cross-eyed Guido's kitten litter
or Hepatitis Z, I will throw you off that balcony.
[exclaims] After everything I've done for you both!
[sobs]
After everything you've done for us?
Good job. You've done it.
Done what?
You've hurt me.
Embarrassed me.
I have dedicated my whole life to "Celeste,"
and I'll continue to do so,
but if you threaten me ever again,
I'll remind the world that I raised her child
and that I write her songs.
Touché.
but today, that's a stock I wouldn't buy into.
You can say whatever you'd want.
In this day and age, who'd care?
[pop music plays on loudspeaker]
[foreign language]
- [automatic gunfire] - [people screaming]
[gunfire, screaming continue]
[man on recording] In this meditation,
we're going to play with the idea of motivation.
- Work can sometimes feel a bit flat. - [woman] Celeste?
- [recording continues] - Hey, Is she awake?
[whispering] Celeste?
Thank you.
Hey. Hello again. Have a great show.
How are we doing in here?
How we doing?
Can you believe it?
Hmm? What's that?
Everyone we used to answer to works for us now.
[chuckles]
Josie...
She cares about you.
You used to call her a bitch.
- You look amazing. - What?
Keep it simple.
You're gonna do great.
Celeste, I just want to quickly introduce you to Yanmei,
our opener tonight, before she heads out
- to Staten Island for sound check. - [Celeste] Welcome.
We are so glad to have you.
[translator, Yanmei speaking Japanese]
[translator] To share a stage with you, to me,
is an incredible honor and truly a dream come true.
That's real nice of you to say,
but, really, the pleasure's mine.
They showed me your stuff, and I said, "We got to get that girl."
[Japanese]
Then I am even more touched by your invitation.
We won't keep you. She has a rehearsal at the venue.
[Celeste] Hope you dig my hometown.
[translator] Excuse me?
Have fun in Staten Island.
I have an outpouring of love
for victims of today's unthinkable event
and for victims of violence everywhere,
and I am deeply saddened to be associated
with such an obscene and unnecessary tragedy.
It's-It's a weird world we live in,
and I guess, no matter how much you try
to ignore all these things
that are really happening,
sometimes they just find a way to creep in.
- [reporters all speaking] - Jennifer Durst, WYNN New York.
Why do you think they chose you?
Do you assume there's some connection to New Brighton?
I don't know, I mean, I know about as much as you right now,
and, um... [clears throat]
you know, since no one's coming forward
and saying, "Hey, we did this,"
I'd prefer not to speculate.
But if they did choose this disguise on purpose,
I-I guess that it's because they don't like that I'm a woman
or maybe they don't like that I'm a successful woman.
Maybe they don't like that I had a kid when I was a kid.
Maybe they think I'm a floozy. But maybe you guys think that too.
I mean, the way I've chosen to live my life
goes against some people's views about things.
[Durst] Are there any links between you and Central Europe?
Not really. Not that I know of.
I've never played a show there,
so I don't really know.
- [man] Next question. - [Durst] I just have one more.
Are you and the band still going forward with the show tonight?
[Celeste] Well, there's not really enough information yet
to justify canceling.
and my dad always says, "Never postpone joy,"
so, yeah, I'll play if they let me.
[man] Next question. There, at the back.
Afternoon, Meredith Desh, covering Greater Northeast.
to the perpetrators of today's attack?
Yeah.
I'd like to tell them that when I was a little girl,
I used to believe in God too.
And if they ever come to their senses,
and they want something new to believe in,
they can believe in me.
'Cause I'm the new faith, and I'm not afraid of them.
Hell, I'd even like to extend an invite to my show tonight.
Josie, can you make sure to put "cowards in masks" on the guest list.
[Desh] I'm sorry, but can you explain what you mean exactly?
[narrator] Celeste had been led here by example,
making loose proclamations akin to those
made en vogue by the government officials
and public representatives of her era.
She was frightened and wanted to hide,
but before leaving the stage, she would tangentially exclaim,
"I got more number-one hits than an AK-47's
standard 30-round magazine."
I don't know. I was just making... a quip.
Do you actually believe the weird shit you said up there?
They wanted a show, I gave 'em a show.
All right, this place is swarming with press.
Can I kindly ask you both to keep your mouths shut until we're finished?
- Fine by me. - Let me handle it.
Go smoke a cigarette or something.
- [clears throat] - Hello, everybody.
[people] Hello. You have ten minutes.
As we currently have no new information
concerning what's happening across the Atlantic,
I'd ask you to keep your questions to tonight's performance
and the new album as much as possible.
Okay. Thank you.
Um, well,
on that note,
can you tell us what audiences can expect from the new album?
- Sci-fi anthems. - Hmm.
The concept with this one was to create an experience
as relentless and addictive as possible.
Fantastic.
Um, so...
I know we were just asked not talk about today's attack,
but, um, I can't help but let it
- contextualize my next question. - Okay.
Okay.
Uh, you know, it just got me thinking,
do you feel that there has been
a shift in the culture
where nihilist radical groups like this are
increasingly keen on being perceived
as superstars themselves?
I mean, who cares?
I was hesitant to even make a statement today,
because all these ultra-violent thugs want is to make headlines.
I mean, if everyone stopped paying attention to them,
they'd cease to exist.
So would people like me, I guess,
But that's the only link I can really think of between me and them.
I couldn't just ignore the casualties, though. It makes me sick.
Okay.
I guess, uh, from the public's perspective,
this has been a, I guess,
emotional few years for you,
bizarre events today very much included.
Can you shed any light on the significance
of these upcoming arena performances for you personally?
You're kicking things off in your hometown.
This is a culmination of my life's work so far.
You know, we worked on it for two years before bringing it to the public.
Why two years?
Well, the year before that,
I was under a lot of stress after my accident.
And it's an expensive show to put on.
I wanted to make sure all the best people became available.
I wanted all my best dancers back.
With the decision to kick things off in New Brighton.
you must have considered the event like a homecoming
resurgence since the accident and the arrest
- for, uh, causing serious injury by dangerous driving? - "Injury,"
not "serious injury."
And I never stopped making music, so I don't consider it a resurgence.
I just wanted a place to channel all that anxiety and suffering
into something tangible, something positive.
Mm-hmm. Then can you shed any light on why that case was abruptly dropped?
I see what you're doing.
[chuckles] Well, you brought it up.
I'm not going to say "abruptly" anything, okay?
Listen, there are three classifications
of gunshot wounds to the spine.
I'm type three, which means that the bullet is lodged
in my inter-vertebral disc space.
Now, type-three injuries are further subdivided into,
(a) spinal injury without perforation of abdominal viscera;
(and b) spinal lesions with perforation of abdominal organs.
Now, thankfully, I'm type A,
but it's no secret that I'm on meds for my injury,
and I never should've been behind the wheel of a car that night.
- Josie? - I didn't mean to upset you by that.
I used to be treated like I was a hero,
and then they start talking about me like I'm trailer trash.
But that's what this show is about.
- It's about rebirth. - Time's up!
And have you at all been in contact with the victim?
You know I can't talk about that.
I thought we were talking about it just now, am I wrong?
Do you not think it's an insensitive time to be bringing this up?
- Oh, come on. - You and I, Tony, we are through.
- You know what? You should... - I'm doing my job, Josie. That's it.
...write about those innocent people instead of trying to tear down
a good person and an artist.
That's not what I'm trying to do. I'm sorry that you misunderstood.
I'm standing everything down until after the show.
I want you to go to your room and get some rest.
Some rest, okay?
- Okay. - I'm serious.
What floor are you on?
One floor up. Uh, room 910.
Do you have my key?
- No. - Ah, fuck.
Get your hands off her.
I came up here, she was crying by herself.
She needed a hug.
Go downstairs, get ready for the show.
Come on. Don't do that.
Look, I hope you didn't take that thing I gave you earlier.
I overreacted.
What you want me do, you want me to scream it from the rooftops?
I'm not ready for you to grow up.
Okay? You're my little girl.
You forgive me?
Okay, uh...
Give these to Aunt Ellie.
- What's this for? - It's for everything.
Take them down, I'll meet you guys in the lobby,
and, uh, we'll head over together, all right?
Baby, I love you.
You too.
[door opens, shuts]
- So why aren't you downstairs? - Ah, Jesus Christ!
I almost forgot you were there.
What happened?
Josie called off the rest of the day.
- What? - Yeah, some guy came after me about Joel Hedlund.
I didn't have the mental capacity or the balls to take him on.
Oh, good. I'll go talk her off a roof.
No, please. Please, please, stay here.
What was she saying to you just now?
Hmm? Nothing, really.
Oh, come on.
You're my best spy.
She doesn't talk to me.
I don't know.
She's got this, uh,
mock trial thing at school.
They got invited to a competition in Lake Tahoe,
- so she must be pretty good at it. - Okay.
Well, that explains the Perry Mason routine.
I got cross-examined over lunch.
Did she mention anything else of note?
Asked if I could arrange for her to see it.
All right. Okay.
Not what I was expecting you to say.
How'd you respond?
I told her, you know,
he's a messed-up guy with problems.
It was probably a bad idea.
[exhales sharply] Good.
You got any of that stuff left over from last night?
Is that a good idea right now?
I'm done yammering for the day.
Come on.
Tonight's second nature.
Got to get out of my head. You know that.
I'm getting myself all worked up from over-thinking everything.
I keep picturing all those people screaming
and running all over the sand.
Look, we'll just do what we have left.
We won't call for more until after the show.
You can fuck me for a little while we're high.
[clicks tongue]
[chuckles]
I'm scared.
Nothing to be scared about, kiddo.
Nothing.
[exhales sharply]
Celeste, come on.
Everybody's downstairs.
[groans]
[both chuckle]
- Stop the car. - [manager] No, no, no, no. No. We're running late.
- Just pull over for two minutes. - [Josie] What is it?
I just... I just need to do something for two minutes.
Will you stop the fucking car, please?
[manager] Stop the car!
[Celeste] Come on!
Get down with me.
What are you doing?
Let's just have a moment of silence together.
Let's shut our eyes
and hold everyone who's suffering right now in our hearts.
[traffic noise]
Can I help you, miss?
- Nobody calls me that. - Give her some space.
- [fans clamoring] - I got you.
- You got her? - Yeah.
- Are there cameras down there? - Not that I know of.
- Tell your team if anyone is caught photographing her... - No photos!
- ...they are fucking fired! - We'll fire their fucking asses.
What can we get you?
Mmm... I'm very thirsty.
Get her some water and something to eat.
- Okay, what would she like? - Uh, anything with sugar.
- Soda. - Where's Albertine?
- She's behind you. - Will you take her and get her something to drink?
We're not going anywhere. I'm right here.
[man] Oh, I was just coming up to introduce myself.
- I'm stepping in for O'Malley tonight. - Who's O'Malley?
- Now is not a great time. - Oh, I'm sorry. I can come by your dressing room later.
[Josie] I need you to call this! She can't go on.
Celeste, stop with the histrionics.
- Yeah, I know. I know. - Okay? Get it together.
I know. We've been here every day for a week.
Let go of me! Let go of me!
Everyone thinks I'm some kind of idiot!
- No one thinks you're an idiot. - Just shut up!
- Stop being a spoiled brat. - Don't call me a brat.
- Stop being a spoiled fucking brat. - Don't call me a fucking brat!
You shut up. Shut up and stop being a spoiled brat.
- [man] Right this way, guys. - [manager] Thank you.
- Spoiled brat. - Don't you ever
fucking call me a spoiled brat!
Don't you ever! I am sick of everybody
treating me like I'm not a person!
- [shouting] - [manager] Get it together.
Get your shit together. Do not come in here
and indulge this unhealthy behavior, Ellie!
- Close your eyes. - [wailing]
- [Ellie] Get out of here. - Can you hear me? Can you hear me?
I said, get out!
Close your eyes and pretend
- you're the only one in the room. - Hey. Hey. Hey.
Do you want me to call this off?
You're dancing in your room. What did you say?
[Celeste gasping]
Move.
[kissing]
Everybody's is talking about me like I'm not right in front of them.
I'm right in front of them... [sobbing]
He's a car salesman. Don't worry about him.
Hey.
They showed me these promos we shot today.
I looked so bad.
- What are you talking about? - So bad!
No, don't look at me like that.
- Listen to me. - Okay.
Listen to me.
So they told me the camera we were using
was gonna be great.
I looked so ugly.
I looked so ugly! [sobbing]
And it made me want to die!
No. You're not gonna die.
I just want to be queen for them,
and sometimes I don't feel like a queen at all.
Sometimes...
I'm just so ugly underneath all this.
If they only knew.
I'm so grateful you're alive.
I'm here.
They can be so mean!
So mean!
That's because they've never done anything
they're proud of, honey.
Right! You're right!
You're not here for them.
You're here for your fans.
And tonight will be the greatest night of their lives.
The public will be at your feet again.
In just a few minutes, this nightmare you've been living
will all be over,
and it will have all been worth it.
Let me help you get dressed.
[crowd cheering]
[man] Two minutes. Two minutes, guys!
- [woman] All right, two-minute warning! - [man 2] Watch your step, miss.
Coming through!
[man 3] Clear those cables. They're coming in.
[man 2] Excuse me. Coming through.
[people speaking indistinctly]
- Excuse me. - Excuse us.
Watch your step here.
- Stage team, take your places. - Excuse us.
- Places, please. - Clear. Clear out of the way. Thank you.
- [woman] Quick, over here. - You look amazing.
Are you ready?
My daughter's out there tonight.
Got to make this amazing for her.
All right. Let's get started.
All right, everybody gather round Cel.
[whooping, cheering]
[man] Okay, I just want to say thank you
for this beautiful group of talented people.
I want to take a minute to reflect on the last year
and this crew, who are like family.
None of this would be possible without you.
[cheering, whooping] - Then let's give our girl some love!
- [woman] Who's the baddest bitch in the room? - [all] You are!
- Who's the sickest band on the planet? - [all] We are!
- [man] Who makes this possible? - We do!
- Are we gonna be good? - No!
- Are we gonna be great? - No!
- Are we gonna be amazing? - No!
Then what are we gonna be?
- [all] Phenomenal! - Yeah! Phenomenal!
[all chanting] Phenomenal! Phenomenal! Phenomenal! Phenomenal!
[man] Come on! Take it higher and higher and higher
and higher and higher and higher and higher!
- Phenomenal, break! - [all cheering]
[crowd cheering]
[man] Five, four, three,
two...
[Celeste] Tonight, we're gonna bring it back
to where it all began.
You want to travel back in time with me?
Tonight is all for you.
That's right, bitches.
My little angels.
This is the new New Testament.
and tonight is all for you.
[crowd cheering]
[pop music fanfare plays]
- [pulsing pop beat] - [singing, indistinct]
♪ I cannot get out ♪
♪ Where they go I cannot follow ♪
[continues, indistinct]
♪ I, I, I, I ♪
♪ I-I, I, I, I, I ♪
♪ I, I, I, I ♪
♪ I-I, I, I, I, I ♪
♪ No, I don't need no Fourth of July ♪
♪ I'm celebrate every night Every night ♪
♪ And I don't need no No chemicals ♪
♪ I'm incredible I provide my own fuel ♪
♪ Yeah, I got all my friends And we roll together ♪
♪ We're so alive ♪
♪ Yeah, I got a sixth sense On where the party's headed ♪
♪ Oh, every night We're alive ♪
[continues, indistinct]
♪ 'Cause I'm a firecracker ♪
[continues, indistinct]
♪ I'll be your firecracker ♪
♪ And watch the sparks fly Tonight, tonight ♪
♪ Be your firecracker ♪
♪ Let's throw it down tonight ♪
♪ Throw it down tonight ♪
♪ I, I, I, I ♪
[crowd cheering]
♪ Come on now, boy, I want To see some sweat and tears ♪
♪ Throw it down, boy, I want To see your sweat and tears ♪
♪ I want to see some Sweat and tears ♪
♪ I want to see Some sweat and tears ♪
♪ I see you Don't buckle today ♪
♪ Use your muscles, baby You're the competition New way ♪
♪ You've got guts Just for getting on us ♪
♪ Using all that you've got ♪
♪ You know what position You play ♪
♪ I want to see you put your Heart where your mouth is ♪
♪ I want to see you give it up For this world ♪
♪ I wanna squeeze you and give You all the love you need ♪
♪ Listen to me cheer, baby ♪
♪ I want to see Your sweat and tears ♪
♪ Ain't nothing to fear, baby ♪
♪ Come on now, boy, I want To see some sweat and tears ♪
♪ Throw it down, boy, I want To see your sweat and tears ♪
♪ I want to see some Sweat and tears ♪
- [crowd cheering] - [Celeste laughs]
I hear all you angels.
30,000 of my little angels.
So tell me,
how many of you have ever had a boy break your heart?
And how many of you have cried yourselves to sleep at night
because somebody called you an ugly name?
Fat?
Hideous?
Slut?
Well, guess what?
People have been trying to take me down
for years,
but I won't stay down.
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] Celeste! Celeste! Celeste! Celeste!
[chanting continues]
- [pop music plays] - ♪ I'm a private girl ♪
♪ In a public world ♪
♪ I'm a private girl ♪
♪ Now here the fun begins ♪
♪ Don't need to sing of ♪
♪ What we got ourselves in ♪
♪ Maybe we'll sneak around When the plane hits The ground ♪
♪ They point the lens And we're running ♪
♪ You know I'm a private girl ♪
♪ I don't need to tell The world ♪
♪ So I'm sticking to ♪
♪ "We're just friends We're just friends" ♪
♪ I'm sticking to ♪
♪ You see I'm a private girl ♪
♪ My secrets are hidden ♪
[music fades]
[no audible singing]
[narrator] Late one night at the hospital,
following that fateful morning at New Brighton,
Celeste made a maddening claim that only her sister
had ever sensed to be true.
She recounted a story to Eleanor
that went something like this:
Shortly after her classmate pulled the trigger
and sent her to the place between life and death,
a place that she was only able to describe to Eleanor
as a rush of color,
She had met the devil and made a deal with him
in exchange for her life.
He whispered her melodies, and she returned with a mission
to bring great change to the next century.
He said,
"Shut your eyes
and repeat after me:
One for the money,
two for the show.
On three we get ready,
And on four... come with me.
♪ I knew I would've been Torn to shreds ♪
♪ But all the people In my head ♪
♪ Dropped to the bed I got up instead ♪
♪ Oh, oh I was barely alive ♪
♪ Stuck in my head I had nothing left ♪
♪ No, you brought me alive ♪
♪ I'm kissed, I'm licked Gonna need a fix ♪
♪ Oh, oh I'm so glad your mine ♪
♪ Your laws that shock They start from the top ♪
♪ Oh, oh I'm so satisfied ♪
♪ You are my music ♪
♪ You are my heartbeat Truly ♪
♪ And when we do it, do it ♪
♪ I know I will Get through it ♪
♪ I come alive I hit that line ♪
♪ Until you let me ♪
♪ Feel me Check the EKG ♪
♪ My heart's Like a house beat ♪
♪ Now feel the heat From my heartbeat ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah When I'm in your arms ♪
♪ We come alive We have lots of time ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah We are shooting stars ♪
♪ Oh, I see electricity ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah Makes me want to move ♪
♪ Without your love I'd be up above ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah Stay right here with you ♪
♪ You are my music ♪
♪ You are my heartbeat Truly ♪
♪ And when we do it, do it ♪
♪ I know I will Get through it ♪
♪ I come alive ♪
♪ I hit that line Until you let me ♪
♪ Feel me Check my EKG ♪
♪ My heart's Like a house beat ♪
[music continues]
[song ends]