American Idol is all about discovering the very best voices throughout the nation — at the least, that’s what it’s supposed to be about. Lately, many followers have felt the singing competitors has put increasingly emphasis on the contestants’ backstories than their expertise, notably in the course of the auditions section. This usually results in artists who aren’t essentially pretty much as good as their rivals transferring on to Hollywood Week out of pity. Right here’s what followers have stated in regards to the “sob stories” on American Idol and the way this format wants to vary.
‘American Idol’ entered a brand new period in 2018
American Idol first started on Fox again in 2002. Audiences beloved the auditions section as a result of it showcased a mixture of uncooked expertise and leisure from contestants, each good and, effectively, actually unhealthy. Unique judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson gave sincere criticism, regardless of how harsh it might need appeared. Because the years went on, the judges’ panel modified, however this format remained the identical for 15 seasons.
Then, American Idol stated goodbye for 2 years. Issues felt completely different when it returned on ABC in 2018. New judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan weren’t so harsh, which isn’t a foul factor — bullying isn’t required to make good actuality TV. However for a present that was purported to be about beginner expertise, Idol appeared to ramp up the “sob story” issue to herald viewers as an alternative. Nowadays, six seasons into Idol’s ABC period, the two-hour audition episodes solely present about 10 to 12 contestants every as a result of more often than not is taken up by backstory.
Many ‘American Idol’ followers say they’re uninterested in ‘sob stories’ being the main focus of auditions
In a Reddit discussion in regards to the “sob stories” of American Idol, many followers agreed that they’ve gone approach overboard in current seasons. As the unique poster identified, some contestants appear to solely get via “based on how much trauma they’ve sustained.” Some viewers are so fed up that they solely watch episodes through streaming or recording to allow them to fast-forward to the precise singing. Others refuse to look at auditions altogether.
“I’m just waiting for Hollywood Week. I don’t bother with the audition episodes because it’s become mostly about the sob stories and the actual singing kind of seems like an afterthought,” one fan wrote.
“So glad I’m not the only one who thinks about this. Most annoying part of the show. And people with average voices and bad auditions make it through because of their sob story. It’s a singing competition and they should keep it that way,” one other consumer added.
‘American Idol’ must put the expertise first and the backstories second
American Idol shouldn’t ignore its contestants’ backstories fully. They’ll make an artist extra relatable to viewers, which is a part of what makes an “Idol.” Plus, for a lot of singers, how they bought to the place they’re is a big deal that needs to be celebrated. Nevertheless, a little bit of reformatting may be to ensure that the audition episodes.
As a substitute of introducing a singer’s story first, Idol ought to begin with the auditions and what the judges’ should say. Then, perhaps after the judges vote, they will get into a quick overview of what led them to the audition. Not solely does this remove the “pity” vote from the judges, nevertheless it additionally places the main focus again on the contestants’ voices. Their tales can unfold much more because the competitors goes on.
“Imagine hearing an amazing contestant sing for two months and then finding out that pre-Idol they were living on the streets,” one fan wrote within the thread. “The writing and the drama the show is trying to create would just be so much better in this format, and the results would have more legitimacy in the public’s eyes. No one could say ‘he got there because of his story.’ They’d say ‘wow, he got there despite his story.’”
Some followers don’t thoughts the ‘sob story’ audition format
Alternatively, some followers get pleasure from listening to the contestants’ tales of their auditions. As one consumer identified, they usually function an inspiration to viewers. To some followers, the tales additionally make the present really feel extra genuine. Lastly, in at the moment’s social media panorama, American Idol wants one thing to face out. One fan wrote:
“They are trying to humanize people to make a story relatable so you can go on a journey in hopes it brings something new to the table that you can’t find anywhere else. Let’s be honest, we can all find in seconds a better singer online, but what we can’t easily find is a full package, someone willing to go the distance and sing and be vulnerable in front of America all while being an anxious hot mess and a camera in your face and probably no sleep! While I miss the Kelly [Clarkson] days, I respect what they are trying to do to keep the show going.”
American Idol Season 21 will quickly enter Hollywood Week, the place the contestants are actually put to the take a look at. New episodes air on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, with next-day streaming accessible on Hulu.