‘Glee’ Star Darren Criss Takes on Michael Jackson With ‘Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’

It’s only a few more days until ‘Glee‘ premieres their Michael Jackson episode, and in order to get Gleeks pumped for the upcoming tribute to the King of Pop, Fox has unleashed a sneak peek to the Internet. In the clip, Gleeks can witness Darren Criss (AKA Blaine) and his fellow WMHS songbirds take on Michael Jackson’s hit ‘Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin.’

As he exhibited in episode after episode, Criss is a born entertainer, and his exuberance and stage presence really shine through as he does his best MJ impression. Starting off in the hallways dressed in a white varsity jacket, Blaine — with some assistance from Britney, Santana, Kurt and Mercedes — busts out some classic MJ moves like the gravity-defying ‘Smooth Criminal’ lean as well as Jackson’s classic stage strut.

As the song continues, Criss (as Blaine) really shows off his singing abilities as he belts out the cover while taking on MJ’s vocal ferocity and attitude. After they take their performance into the library, the members of the New Directions head over to the auditorium for the rest of the performance. In front of a massive backdrop of flashing light bulbs, the ‘Glee’ kids get their MJ on with more dance moves and some classic costumes — Blaine dons the iconic silver glove in an ode to Jackson’s ‘Billie Jean,’ while Mike replicates Jackson’s outfit from the ‘Beat It’ video.

Watch Blaine and the rest of the New Directions perform ‘Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ below, and be sure to tune in to Fox on Jan. 31 at 8PM EST to catch the entire episode.

Watch Darren Criss + the ‘Glee’ Cast Perform ‘Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’