Entertainment

Lea Drops a Hint About 'Glee's Cory Tribute

by Lindsay Mannering

It's been about three weeks since Glee star Cory Monteith was found dead in a Vancouver hotel room, and today, his girlfriend and co-star Lea Michele headed back to work. The 26-year-old went to the studio on Monday to record a song that will be featured during the third episode. She tweeted: "Couldn't have picked a more beautiful & perfect song to start the year with." When the show returns on Sept. 26, the first two episodes will somehow build up to the death of Finn Hudson, the athletic Glee club member whom Monteith portrayed for four seasons, and the third episode will be the Monteith tribute we've all been waiting for.

People reports that the soundtrack for each episode is recorded in advance, and seeing that Glee resumes filming its fifth season this week, it's likely that Lea was laying down the "beautiful and perfect" song that will play during the tribute episode. Further evidence that's probably what's happening, Glee's vocal recorder and engineer Adam Anders tweeted yesterday: "you are the strongest person I know. That was truly amazing. Love you xoxo #leastrong."

It remains to be seen what song, exactly, Lea will be singing. There are many tunes that fall under the "beautiful and perfect" category, but what matters most is that the song means something to her, and to Cory. The song choice pressure must have been immense, but it sounds like Lea's really happy about it; there was even a hint of excitement in the tone of her tweet.

Will she go for something classic, like John Lennon's "Imagine"? Donny Hathaway's "A Song For You"? Ryan Adams' "Come Pick Me Up"? Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven"? There's always Mariah Carey and Boyz II Mens' "One Sweet Day", but something tells us Lea will have chosen something a little more ... mature for the occasion.

The Season 5 premiere is Sept. 26.