Surely it would be better to give each act their own song choice each week rather than forcing them to do a song that is not in the gendre that they will ever be singing in their future career....

Surely....

The themes make it more interesting and challenge the singers to show their versatility. So no - keep the themes but make the acts stick to them.

Agreed, it forces them to choose from a smaller selection of songs and ones (most of the time) from outside their comofrts zones. Many acts have been made or broken as a result! It completely throws (again most of the time) the competition wide open when that happens!

I agree. And versaility is overrated. Dido wouldn't sing rock. Kylie wouldn't sing opera. Oasis wouldn't do disco.

Many good artists aren't able to sing every style nor do they want to -- they sing a style they like, and they do it well.

The themes are also being used to protect dumber and dumber, from actually singing properly.

I say axe the themes! They're limiting!

The theme's have never been a good idea imo, we've lost alot of good act's because they've not been allowed to portray the artist that they could potentially be in the future.

I fully agree.

I do think the contestants should wear what they like, sing what they like and do what they like on stage - without being told what to do by Yvie, Brian and Faye.

Fair enough, if they want advice or help - then these three people are there to help but the acts should be telling Brian what kind of routine they'd like to do - if any.
They should be telling Faye what they want to wear and ask if it would go with their choice of song.
They should ask Yvie if they don't know how to project their vocals...
but in no way, should the acts get little say in what they do and wear on stage.

This will then be 100% their own fault if they leave the competition and not because the producers have stitched them up.

Kandy Rain - complained they had no say in what they wear.
Lucie - getting compared to Leona.
Stacey - complaining of not being able to move in the dress she wore on week 3.

The mentors should be giving them advice and asking what they need help with and running round after the contestants.

Basically, give them the freedom to do what the hell they like on stage whether their mentor likes it or not.

No themes, no telling acts what to do and a "lucky dip" for the performance order.

I'm sure more freedom for acts would be FAR more interesting.

I think you'll find that's the whole point of the exercise.

SC and the programme makers have a good idea right from the start who they'd like to be in the final and themes can give the opportunity to show some contestants in a bad light with the song they are given.

Taking someone out of their comfort zone can show up weaknesses that can get them voted off.

It's the same with the VT's at the end of the show when they give the voting phone numbers. They pick a poor section of a song to catch the viewer's attention that the performance wasn't good and likewise show a strong section for others.

It's all about audience manipulation.