From Performance Reality Shows to Out-of-Sight, Out-of-Mind?

Can you name five “American Idol” winners since the show’s inception?  What if I said that you can’t include Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood?  Then could you?

The truth is, it’s what you do with your time on and, more importantly, after those shows that can keep your name top of mind, whether you have that number 1 entry on your performance résumé or not.

Consider Brielle Von Hugel (pictured) who was one of the Top 12 girls’ semi-finalists on Season 11 of “American Idol.”  You’d be tempted to stop me right there and say, “Top 12?  After I just came up empty trying to name five winners on the show?!”  The singer/songwriter has stayed relevant because she parlayed her appearance on the show – and her great talent – to a spot in Postmodern Jukebox.  (Hear my interview with Brielle Von Hugel here.)

Sports fans can name league champions, but can they remember the runner-up?  On the eighth season of “American Idol” (2009), Adam Lambert was the runner-up.  Yes, the same Adam Lambert who went on to front the legendary rock band Queen.

On “Now Hear This Entertainment” I have interviewed a great number of participants from “American Idol,” “The Voice,” “America’s Got Talent,” and “The X Factor.”  Some folks have been on more than one of those shows, including one who, at last check, was selling cars.  Oops.  On a couple occasions I’ve also met someone who was on “The Voice” and touted that for many years, only to now be a lifestyle blogger whose music website no longer comes up, nor is the link for their music page on Facebook working anymore.

These are TV shows.  They are looking for participants who will stand out and keep viewers engaged.  That’s only half the job, though.  You also need to make sure you’re building up your fan base.  But, concurrently, timing is everything.  This is not the time to procrastinate.  In our what-have-you-done-for-me-lately, short attention span society, you will quickly be forgotten if you delay in trying to leverage your appearance to get other opportunities OR if you think that by being on the show you can just sit back and wait for the phone to ring and/or your email Inbox to fill up.

This is where connections, your team (publicist, manager, etc.), and your willingness to work tirelessly and say Yes to (almost) everything have to be firing on all cylinders.

Alisan Porter (who, as seen in the accompanying photo, I interviewed earlier this year) has done it all – actress, singer, songwriter, dancer.  And oh, by the way, she WON “The Voice” Season 10 but that’s not all she’s known for.  You use the reality show platform so that you can also get acting gigs, modeling gigs, and yes, singing work, but – and here’s the key – without having to always be “As see on American Idol” (or “As seen on The Voice”).

Your goal should almost be to get so much work, so many other bigger and better opportunities that your reality show TV appearance just becomes one more entry in your long bio – not the lead item.

You thank people, you reply to comments on your social media posts, you pose for pictures, you answer emails and texts in a timely fashion, you do all the interviews that come your way, you sit in on meetings and listen to what someone might have for you, and you do all of this (and more) with humility.  The “I’m on (insert reality show here).  I’m too big to sit and listen to this” attitude will get you nowhere – fast.  Ask those who’d now just as soon forget they were ever on there.  And then ask yourself, do you want to be them, or do you want to be Brielle Von Hugel, Adam Lambert, and Alisan Porter?

Tweet at me to @NHT_tweets with your thoughts.  Alternatively, use Facebook, LinkedIn, or even email to continue the conversation.