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He was doing so well, Hunter Metts, singing “Falling Slowly” on American Idol.
He was live on the big stage, in the Top 12, competing for the Top 10 under the lights and the eyes and the pressure.
He was doing so well, the judges, including Katie Perry, were transfixed.
He was doing so well — and then, suddenly, Hunter mumbled a word.
And then my wife said, “Oh, no.”
And then he mumbled a line.
And then he looked down.
And then and then and then it was over.
And Hunter turned around to hide his face.
“Oh, no… he’s crying.”
Hunter gritted his teeth to hold back the tears but they came anyway. He cried through the applause, the standing ovation. “I’m so sorry,” he said.
“No! No! No!” Katie said, “Hunter! Hunter! Hunter! Perfection is an illusion,” she said. “It’s an illusion, it doesn’t matter. That shows us you are human, and vulnerable. And everybody relates to that. It’s amazing, it’s emotion. That’s what music is — it’s not about perfection, it’s about resonating with people — and you just did.”
Hunter ended up making the Top 10.
Not because his art was perfect — it wasn’t — but because it connected with people.
Whatever your art, don’t strive to make it perfect. Strive to make it connect…
And you will be successful, too.
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