I admit that American Idol is a guilty pleasure of mine. The Season 7 auditions are just about over; Hollywood week is up next at this writing, and I am willing to wager that those who will do well once viewers start voting will be the ones whose stories have been told.
Contestants voted off early often complain that they didn’t get camera time during the audition period, that America didn’t get to know their stories. They are right. Mere singing talent rarely results in success on AI; it’s the story that America votes for.