If you hear the story of the song, before the song, then how can you not be moved?

Have you ever seen a competition where the contestant tells an incredibly heartfelt story about how they got to the point where they are? I find it particularly poignant when a televised singing competition does this, because the story influences the song in a significant manner. The song wouldn't be nearly as effective without the story behind it, and it impacts the singing as well. The power of connection between singer and audience is mesmerizing. If I were a judge, it'd be incredibly hard not to praise anyone who drags themselves up from the muck and grime of a hard life.

There's a story behind this, I promise...

That's why I'm so passionate about stories, in any form. Stories forge connections faster than anything else. Why else do we beg our grandfathers to tell us stories of olden days and times they've experienced. We want to hear them, to hear the emotions and the depth. The funny thing is, the story doesn't even need to be all that significant, like how kicking a stone back and forth lead to the love of your life. We need stories as much as we need air to breathe. Life is held within stories.

It's no surprise that contestants with a powerfully emotional story to tell are commonly passed on to the next stage. Audiences adore a rags-to-riches tale. We have a deep desire to see people succeed in the most improbable ways, because in some way we hope to attain the same notoriety. There's a hidden need to do something great in our lifetimes. So, in the lack of that moment, we tell stories to create those dynamics anyway. And, so, we change the world one story at a time, and I'm glad to say it works.

- M