Verrnont's Nelson Wows on "The Voice," Follows Familiar, Fun Story Arc.

Watching the auditions on the singing contest  "The Voice" last night, I was again struck by how I'm such a sucker for the prime reality show talent contest cliche: The unlikely story arc.  An awesome Vermonter, Nicolle Nelson, was the story's focal point Wednesday.

Burlington, Vermont's Nicolle Nelson wows 'em
on the singing contest show "The Voice."

Ever since the success of Susan Boyle on "Britain's Got Talent," the shows all highlight people who at first glance look like they're Not Ready For Prime Time, and are reaching for the stars when they really shouldn't.

That all plays to the dreamer urge in most of us humans. We want to get beyond the humdrum, and do something spectacular. These shows allow us to live that fantasy vicariously through the performers.

Of course these singers Nail It, the audience goes wild, the judges swoon and another star is born. Not all of these wonder contestants make it through, of course, as some mess up, or are truly not ready for prime time, or they just had a bad night.

Here in Vermont, we're celebrating Nicolle Nelson of Burlington, described on the show as a Vermont "bohemian." I don't know about that, but that gal can sing.

Nelson doesn't exactly fit the story line as somebody who one would initially think shouldn't be on stage. She's pretty poised. The show positioned her as a woman in obscurity from remote Vermont, just to ensure the story arc holds. And they put her on at the end of the show, because they always do that with this type of singer, to make people leave happy and want to tune in next week.

But no matter. Watch her thrill the judges and everyone else with her version of "Hallelujah."




We Vermonters will surely be watching Nelson's progress on The Voice. She has a great shot of winning it all. Good for her!

Even the people who don't win do very well, obviously. Susan Boyle came in second in that fateful season of "Britain's Got Talent," after all.

I thrill to the performances of these unknowns who appear on these show, or elsewhere. They're all over YouTube, too.

Another  recent one really grabbed me. A kind of little guy showed up on the British version of The X Factor during their audition show recently.  The guy, Jahmene Douglas, wore a sort of too-tight, gray Pee Wee Herman suit, and looked awkward, as scripted in these shows.

Then he channeled Etta James. Was incredible. Watch: