American Idol: It’s All About Story, Not Just Singing
Photo by Nong Vang on Unsplash
Hey there!
Do you ever wonder why there are judging rounds prior to when the public votes on the competitors on popular talent shows like The Voice, American Idol and [country name goes here]’s Got Talent?
And did you ever wonder how some people get on TV with mediocre singing skills at best?
It’s not because of their talent. It’s because of something far more valuable. Something you are highly skilled at.
Plus, a very special musical guest in this video helps me illustrate my point.
Madison’s YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqPc0-mQCRXkx2YW9N4IPlQ
Hope this helps!
David
Raw YouTube Captioning
hey there it’s David H Lawrence the 17th
and it’s been a while since I’ve done
the DJ thing and talked tight to a vocal
leading up to a song and the singers
let’s give it a shot with an EP and
three singles plus five audiobooks the
latest of which is coming out at the end
of May with David Lukens on keyboard
this is Madison Lawrence and a song from
Adele’s album 25 this is when we were
young
[Music]
everybody he is watching you
cuz you feel like home feel like a drink
[Music]
but about chance you’re here could I
have a mom
[Music]
cuz I’ve been by myself all night
hoping yourself
I used to know
you look like
you sound like a song
my god
[Applause]
[Music]
[Music]
[Applause]
it was just like a movie
it was just like a song
I was so scared
my fears because nobody told
[Music]
and I swear you’d move overseas
that’s what you spend when you live
[Music]
we still look like
you still sound like a song my god this
reminds me of when we were young
[Music]
it was just like it was just like us
we
[Music]
everything is that takes me back and you
part of me keeps holding on just Nikki’s
[Music]
was just like a movie it was just like
us
[Music]
My Goddess
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
it was just like it was just like us
[Music]
huh I know right so did she look
familiar to you – she kind of look like
somebody you know or maybe the last name
gave it away yeah that’s my daughter and
you know I could be speaking as we’re
really proud papa but the fact of the
matter is that she’s an awesome singer
she’s a world-class singer and she has
audition for The Voice and American Idol
and America’s Got Talent
she was invited to audition for the last
two she got to almost got to LA with
America’s Got Talent she got past the
second round of auditions she was also
on American Idol Junior which was a
really short live show maybe ten years
ago with her sister Eliza and they got
on television for that one um but when
you think about all of the people that
are on shows like that some of them are
as good as she is some of them are
better some of them not so much and yet
they get into the the Hollywood round
and the they get into the finals and
they’re in the top ten and you think
yourself what is going on there here’s
the thing they have amazing stories
right one of them is someone who
constantly was fighting bullying in high
school because he was way overweight
right that’s a recurring theme one was
rejected last season and was told look
you got to work on this we want you to
come back she did and so now she’s on
the show same with it a guy that’s on
the show this year another one virtuoso
on the piano and on the guitar but it
was the story
he’s a dishwasher and he was homeless I
mean that’s the thing on shows like that
they know that viewers tune in because
there’s a backstory not just talent it’s
another really amazing illustration of
how important storytelling is to us as
humans to people who create these kinds
of shows
you know I mean it’s all part of the
casting process yeah it’s great if
you’re a great singer that’s part of the
that’s kind of like the table stakes
that’s the barrier to entry and I’ve
told Madison I’ve joked with her a
million times like baby the reason that
you’re not on the show is that you kind
of grew up in a happy environment and
you know you’re not struggling and you
didn’t you know your parents haven’t
faced any life-threatening diseases I
actually joked around with her and I
said look I am willing to make up a
story like um you know a miracle
occurred when I first heard you sing and
my my stage four cancer went into
remission and it did so at the end of my
30-year incarceration right at the
moment that I realized that I was a
woman trapped in a man’s body and I’m
willing to go through the transition but
only if I can hear you saying I mean we
joke all the time about this stuff and
that wasn’t meant to offend anybody it’s
just you know she just doesn’t have a
story other than the fact that she’s
awesome
to tell so sometimes you don’t need a
story but most of the time you do and if
this doesn’t show you how important
stories are in our everyday life and in
the the areas that we don’t even think
about stories always pop up as being
important and the great news is you’re a
great storyteller you you’re watching
this video you’re already a great
storyteller so you’ve got an advantage
when it comes to telling those stories
that other people don’t have so Madison
is currently a singer songwriter in
Nashville Tennessee and she’s working
really hard on her career um she’s got
as I said as I entered her song she’s
got a new audio book coming out I didn’t
even know she was doing audiobooks yeah
she’s just like I went to you know to
Orlando for her sister’s graduation and
she just casually mentioned to me oh
yeah you know and I tell you I just did
an audio book I’m like what you did a
what and I went and listened to it it
was already available for sale inaudible
and I’m like oh my god this is awesome I
mean and again I know the difference
Beach
just a proud dad who can’t really tell
good talent when he sees it and somebody
who can tell really good talent when he
sees it whether it’s your daughter or
not so anyway storytelling how has it
made a difference in your life
how have the things both you telling
other people’s stories and telling your
own stories what’s made the difference
in your life how have you seen this be
important to you in what you have to
offer give me a comment below if you’re
watching this video on vo to go go
comment there if you’re watching
anywhere else go to vo to go go comm
that’s where the discussion is sane and
moderated and also if you want to
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be notified the moment they come out go
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somewhere below this video you want to
see the latest episode click on that
frame YouTube will play it for you I’m
David H Lawrence xvii proud papa thank
you for watching and I’ll talk to you
tomorrow.
She really is fantastic, proud papa! Thanks as always for great inspiration!
OMG!!! David she is beautiful. Thanks for sharing your daughter’s talent with us. I will watch for this rising star in the future. You have every reason to be proud.
She’s very talented. I hope she finds the success she’s looking for.
Regarding storytelling, my wife has listened to me telling her a story about something, and immediately pointed out how good that would have been as a voice-over. At other times I’ll read a voice-over spot and I’m not so compelling. It’s amazing how we can do things so well when we don’t try, and not so well when we do try.
Thanks for the video David.
What a beautiful voice and soul. Congrats. Rooting for her
That was fantastic! And your lead in was spot on! 🙂 All the best to her – may her story include a ton of success!
Your daughter is fantastic! And you are 100% right about the story being a factor in being selected for shows like American Idol, etc. All those contestants are legit talented, and their stories create an emotional connection with the viewer. I had a very small role in a show with the “Velvet Teddy Bear” Ruben Studdard and other American Idol, The Voice, and Sunday Best former contestants. Each of these singers were outrageously talented, and each had a compelling story. There were others in the cast who were also outrageously talented, but didn’t have as compelling and dramatic stories (in the eyes of TV producers). Still, these other performers are doing amazing things in their careers and lives! All the best to your daughter!
Fantastic! And yes, everyone needs to know what their story is.
Madison is amazing. So glad I watched this video.
And so glad to have met you in person in Hollywood last week. You are amazing as well. 🙂
My god but her voice is amazing. I’m certain she’ll accomplish great things! 🙂
One of the main reasons I don’t watch shows like American Idol is that reality TV seems to have this theme of, “If you don’t have a tragic backstory, one will be provided to you.” It makes the show less about trying to find a good talent and build on that to make them a great talent, and more about entertaining crowds of people with contrived drama.
Which is fine if that’s what they want to do, but let’s not pretend shows like these are still talent shows. :-/