I first started seeing the phrase ‘The Voice’ when it infiltrated my Twitter newsfeed. I have watched talent shows like ‘The X Factor’ and ‘American Idol’
I first started seeing the phrase ‘The Voice’ when it infiltrated my Twitter newsfeed. I have watched talent shows like ‘The X Factor’ and ‘American Idol’ sporadically in the past. If it’s on TV and I get interested I might stick with it. But I don’t actively go looking for or follow these shows. I skimmed over ‘The Voice’ during my (regular) visits to BBC IPlayer but after seeing it on Twitter I got curious. After watching just two episodes I love this show! I think it definitely has staying power and it beats shows like ‘The X Factor’ hands down. I was hooked from the moment Tom Jones started singing ‘I Gotta Feeling’; that was comedy gold.
The judges having their backs turned during the auditions is a fantastic way to break down stereotyping. It also successfully builds tension. I find it refreshing that the judges are all singers and musicians, not purely producers who ‘know the business’ like Simon Cowell. Perhaps I’m naive but it makes me hopeful that this show is more about the music than the money. Regarding the judges; two words: Tom. Jones! Seeing an artist with his depth of experience on ‘The Voice’ clinched it for me. Will.I.Am and Danny are also very entertaining. I think the judges have great chemistry together and the politics of choosing contestants gets very interesting.
There are some outstanding contestants and this is another great feature of the show. Some of the people walking onto the stage would have been put in the ‘odd’ box on ‘The X Factor’ straight away. In ‘The Voice’ how they dress, their personality, age or backstory doesn’t influence the judges. ‘The Voice’ is so good I don’t even miss the terrible auditions from similar shows. The ones where it goes viral on YouTube it’s so bad… Many of the contestants have been working for this for years and I think giving them a platform to work with great mentors is a good thing, whether they win the competition or not.
However, my verdict is still out on ‘The Voice’. The blind audition episodes are great and I can see why Twitter is buzzing about them. The question is, will the momentum continue once the contestants are chosen? I’m fearful that ‘The Voice’ could descend to the level of ‘The X Factor’ in its later stages, pulling people down and only choosing those who have ‘the whole package’ which we all know is code for symmetrical faces and good hair. What stands out for me about ‘The Voice’ is the calibre of the judges and that they only choose by the voice of the contestant. ‘The Voice’ is definitely a strong rival to ‘The X Factor’ and I hope the show keeps its integrity in the coming weeks to stay truly different.
