Gleeks, you have been summoned
BY CHLOE KEEGAN, IMAGE BY 20TH CENTURY FOX
This weekend marked the birth of the Las Culturistas Culture Awards, the hilariously unhinged brainchild of comedians Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. With categories such as Worst Sticky Feeling and the Jamie Lee Curtis Award for Gusto, Enthusiasm and Individuality, the entire show felt like a delightfully camp fever dream. However, the moment that truly broke the internet this week? Ben Platt’s performance of Addison Rae’s Diet Pepsi which has left fans gagging for a Glee reboot.
The cover has had Gleeks everywhere taking to social media to express their desperate need for a revival of the iconic TV series, even suggesting that Platt himself be cast as the “new Mr Schue”. The cover’s viral TikTok fame has grown so much that it’s now out on Spotify.
So why are the people yearning for a Glee reboot ten years after its finale aired? It’s because Glee wasn’t just a show – it was a cultural reset which defined a generation of LGBTQIA+ teens. Celebrating queerness, high school drama and theatre, it was the perfect blend of outrageous storylines, heartfelt scenes and over-the-top performances.
But what could an episode of Glee look like if it had 2025’s catalogue of sapphic tunes to play with? Specifically, one of the show’s standout episodes: I Kissed A Girl (also known as “the Santana Lopez coming-out episode”). Would we have seen Kurt and Blaine delivering an uplifting duet of Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko, complete with a confetti cannon and copious hair gel?
Here’s my take on how that iconic episode could have slayed if it had access to today’s queer catalogue:
Good Luck, Babe – Chappel Roan
Chappell Roan’s hit track could definitely open an episode focused on “sapphic anthems”. This brief would trigger a Rachel-led cover of Good Luck, Babe with Rachel and Quinn as her backing singers. The performance would have featured empowering choreography and staging far outside the budget of any public high school. Santana wouldn’t be bursting with pride yet, but it would be a great opening number to kickstart the episode.
Cool For The Summer – Demi Lovato
Following this would be a glamorous performance of Cool For The Summer performed by Mercedes, a song choice loosely influenced by her summer fling with Sam. I just know she would body this.
Pretty Girls – Reneé Rapp
Then, to get the people in their feels, Finn’s slowed-down cover of Girls Just Want to Have Fun would be reimagined as an intimate, acoustic rendition of Renée Rapp’s Pretty Girls. Stripped down and heartfelt, this moment would remind everyone of the show’s more serious side.
Girl, Girls, Girls – Fletcher
For the next pivotal moment, the girls would all get together for a hallway performance of Fletcher’s Girls, Girls, Girls. At this point, Santana would be glowing with musically induced self-acceptance.
Pink Pony Club – Chappell Roan
At the end of the episode, the whole club would band together in the auditorium and belt out a glorious version of Chapel Roan’s Pink Pony Club. I’m picturing real pink ponies, illegal amounts of glitter and potentially a choir appearing at the last minute to elevate the performance to a level only Glee could achieve.
So what do you think, should we close the curtain on Glee for good, or is there still time for an encore?
DIVA magazine celebrates 31 years in print in 2025. If you like what we do, then get behind LGBTQIA+ media and keepus going for another generation. Your support is invaluable.
