How to Win American Idol

A creativity researcher cracks the pop-stardom code: It's not talent or looks—it's something far more improbable.

By Scott Barry Kaufman, published on January 01, 2010 - last reviewed on February 26, 2010

I really wanted to be an American Idol. I even auditioned twice. The first time, I showed off my R&B stylings; the second time, I went full-on drama-club-kid and belted out a Broadway ballad. I didn't make it past the first round either time. But the odds are slim and the stakes are high. During any given season, as many as 100,000 hopefuls audition, of whom only 36 make it to the official start of the competition. Last year's finale drew 30 million viewers, and past winners, such as Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, have gone on to sell platinum albums and win Grammy awards.

Sure, I was temporarily crushed to not have joined their ranks. But I've put my quest to good use: I've done a deep analysis of the contestants, and their effects on the audience that votes them to the top. I'm not just an entertainer, you see. I am a psychologist who studies creativity and talent. Talent has everything to do with who wins Idol; brilliance is hard to ignore. But my close look at the show's last eight seasons has led me to conclude that Idol can help academics and fans alike reconceptualize "talent" in the context of show biz. It's not just singing ability. It's a startlingly unique combination of many different traits, and a couple of things that lie outside the contestants' control. I didn't get to be an Idol, but I think I've finally cracked its code.

What i found interesting about the article is that it talks about how bad we all want to be on American Idol & how bad we want to be "the" American idol. I learned that by the author being a psychologist, he understood how he & million others feel & felt every year when not being chosen, & how we react & favorite that specific person in show business.