I suppose the Kitty/Misha "Born This Way" debarcle has highlighted it... but I'd really like to see how each contestant tackles the same song...

...perhaps just a verse and chorus each (so it doesn't go on forever). Each contestant could choose to speed it up or slow it down (are you reading this Janet?) as they feel best fits their singing style.

I think it would be a useful demonstration, allowing more of a direct comparison and lessening the effect of a main "dreadful song choice" song.

This would be in addition to them singing their own songs rather than instead of. I imagine it'd last 10 minutes.

What do you think?

I don't think this would work as a weekly thing, but it'd be interesting to see them try it once or twice, maybe on Xtra Factor.

I agree that it would be useful, but I'm not sure it would make for good TV and therefore I can't see it happening.

I think that would be a very good idea Robert.

Think the whole show would just be predictable and boring, it wouldn't work. It'd probably sort of be more fair, it'd just make awful tv.

It could be interesting if they did this as part of their video diaries one week - that way, fans could just listen to their favourites, without it taking up time on the actual program.

The video diary section does seem to take up an increasing amount of time each week!

Surely the viewing public could sit through a 10 minute rendition of a song sung by everyone without "the whole show just being predictable and boring"? It might be impractical for the first couple of shows (given their length) but it'd work fine in later ones.

I think it would quite exciting - to see how your favourite copes - when compared against the others.

They could even do it at the beginning of the results show rather than the usual mime-along-athon™ they usually dish up...

This is actually quite a good idea, it would definitely level the playing field (a lot of acts get given dreadful songs). Although, it would be hard to find a song suited to them all equally.

Hearing a song start playing that many times in a row would completely do my head in, though. I think it would make bad TV.

It would be boring and dull tbh.
They do it with the last 2 that's more than enough.

Well I still think its an idea worth considering.
Once "The Voice" will show its more about the sound rather than the production number around it, XF is going to look a bit too contrived.

In theory it's a good idea, but in reality it's not really. It would be a boring show, unless they all sang two songs. One they all sang and another that they could choose.

No because the vocal stylings of so many of the contestants are very different and it would be difficult to find a song which would suit them all equally.