Actually, I did connect with anyone during the Lee/Crystal season or the Kris/Adam season, now that I think about it. And, many of the singers I've loved through the years were cut early on. LOL.
Other than that, though, I've found someone I love every season I've watched; I'm so passionate about music in general, it's part of the fun for me.
I started watching during Season 2, and I stanned for all these contestants, at one point:
Diana
Carrie
Jordin
Chris
Katharine
Elliot
Pia
Baylie Brown
Carrie, though, is the one who stands out above the rest; she came out with a bang from the start. As Simon said, she is the one who could be successful in the real world" and she's proven him right. She managed to create a great album and actually build buzz, instead of flopping after one single. I think it was a genius move to release JTTW as the first single, because it gave her a serious, concrete base with a country audience. I still think that if some of these constants had been handled differently and not "molded: into someone else (unlike Carrie, who resisted, thank God), there would be many more success stories from the show.
It does show that talent certainly isn't everything, but it's a real shame that so many talented vocalists have flown under the radar, even after doing well on the show.