The Honest Heart Collective came on stage and played their best show, which was also deemed the most nerve-wracking. With their fate yet to be determined and the success behind them, a sweaty, dazed and happy Ryan MacDonald talked about how a certain wrestler helped him out before playing as a part of the top six at The Edge’s Next Big Thing.

“It was awesome. As soon as the drums kicked in all my fear just went away. It was perfect. I don’t think we could have played any better.”

Still enthralled from show, and now relaxing with a beer in the media lounge, it was clear the performance high was still bright in the singer’s eyes. Not one to normally let his emotions claim a show, MacDonald felt the pressure with the contest on the line.

“I have anxiety. This is the first time playing a show with so much on the line. I could feel it in my arms. I could feel this tension building and it was nerve wracking to move forward. I was sitting on the steps backstage before the show just thinking, ‘okay, you know, you’re gonna have to do this. Make it work.’”

Normally the singer calms himself by breathing and focusing on vocal health, but with five other bands to beat he needed something a little more intense to keep him focused. Something which came from an unexpected source: a video of a speech Dwanye “The Rock” Johnson gave to the US Women’s Soccer Team, that he admits he watched over and over before the show.

“It was like ‘you guys are rock stars,’ and ‘you guys are perfect,’ the only thing that was off was instead of of saying 5 he said twenty-three.”

Laughing at the silliness now, MacDonald stands by his unofficial support system.

“I put him on our guest list, I don’t know if he’s coming,” he joked. “All I know if that, if The Rock shows up I wouldn’t want him to be paying cover.