Season 11 of “American Idol” is shaping up to be one of the most intense seasons ever as paramedics rush to the set on this week’s episode when contestants start crumbling under the pressure to perform.

“I don’t think we’ve had a tougher, more challenging Hollywood week ever.  There were tons of people fainting and passing out.  It was crazy,” judge Randy Jackson admitted during a conference call last week.

But before anyone criticizes this shocking behaviour as purely for entertainment value, Jackson defends the audition process.  He says it’s important for both the contestants, and any hopeful musicians out there, to see the real effects of the try-outs.

“This is a process that gets you ready for the future.  People are put through the rigor. So [if] you think Idol’s hard, wait ‘til you become an artist and you’re trying to put a record out… you get to jump in the ring and duke it out with Madonna, with Rihanna, with Katy Perry, with Gaga, with Mariah, with whomever.  So, remember, you’re setting yourself up for the competition of life and the competition never ends,” he says.

But if there’s one thing we learn about this week’s Hollywood auditions, it’s that there’s always hope for a second chance. 

Many contestants who were told they were good but needed to work on something are now back.  So if any of your favourites didn’t make the cut in previous seasons, this year could be their year.

And our judges want to see if those contestants listened to their advice and brought that extra spark they were missing to earn them a spot on the “American Idol” stage.

“Every year if you watch the auditions closely we say, ‘You’re not ready yet.  Maybe, you should come back.’  Guess what?... A lot of them came back.  They actually listened to us and they came back. The thing is if they’ve gotten better or grown, because we remember what their weaknesses were,” Jackson said. 

So whether or not the singing hopefuls faint and get rushed away by paramedics, or make a second impression to show how they’ve grown over the last year, “American Idol” will prove if you can survive the  Hollywood week auditions, anything’s possible!

Hollywood round begins Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 8/7C on CTV and continues Thursday, Feb. 9 at 8 pm ET/PT on CTV Two.