The Top 40 finalist, Jon Gambino, is silently leading the pack on Shine.
While many other contestants are fighting for screen-time and feuding with one another, Gambino seems to be avoiding the drama, while staying focused on the part of the competition that matters most - the music.
When Gambino first made his way to Shine, it was during an audition on Nashville, Tennessee. The audition led to the judges singing along to his catchy hook.
He didn't skip a beat during his Top 40 performance on last Sunday's episode either. Grammy winner and judge on the show, Ashthon Jones, is seen saying "he writes great music."
What is interesting is what little screen-time he has had so far. He has yet to have a confessional, much of any talking and only a few cutaway cameos. When his performance was highlighted in the first challenge, fans were shocked. But it was a treat as his voice is easy to listen to.
Check out his performance right here or watch it in this episode.
Producers do say Gambino's journey is not a clean one, and it seems that nobody's is. When we asked Joel Parent, a senior producer for Shine since its freshman season, he told us Gambino "struggles later on." He has mentioned before that these finalists are getting no sleep and pushed to the extreme.
"[Gambino] is a seasoned performer so while everyone is fighting for the attention early on, he's strategically waiting to take his moment," Parent admitted.
Catch Shine on Sunday nights, available to stream on BTV.