As the game progressed, the competitive tension continued to mount. Clarkson appeared visibly flabbergasted during the next round after singing the incorrect lyrics over the backing track. She jokingly shouted toward the production team, asking if they could play a song she actually knew. The most dramatic and humorous moment of the entire segment occurred when the house band began playing the instrumental version of Clarkson’s own chart-topping anthem, Since U Been Gone. Hathaway wasted no time, stepping forward to belt out the lyrics to the pop star’s signature song with absolute precision. This impressive display caused Clarkson to collapse on stage in mock embarrassment as Hathaway successfully secured three out of three points.

The final round provided an unexpected musical highlight when the band played a melody that led to a unique, accidental crossover. While Clarkson began rapping the lyrics to Ice Ice Baby, Hathaway simultaneously sang the words to Queen’s Under Pressure. The resulting mashup of the two tracks drew significant praise from viewers online, with many calling the spontaneous collaboration a moment of pure perfection. While some fans later debated the technicalities of the final round—noting that the band included the specific musical cue associated with the Vanilla Ice track—the consensus remained that Hathaway had dominated the challenge. By successfully navigating the rounds and even outperforming the host on her own material, Hathaway cemented the appearance as a standout television moment. The segment remains a popular and widely shared clip, serving as a lasting example of the playful, competitive chemistry between the two performers.