.....am I alone in consistently finding the stripped back performances in the sing offs much better than the noisy overblown Saturday night efforts.

However the inability for whatever reason of the judges to make an honest decision in the sing offs needs to be addressed because it has turned the show into a cynical,hateful farce.

Maybe a small sample of the voting viewers can be selected to be on a voting panel for the sing-offs and they vote in secret to decide who should be saved.

Yep sing offs usually sing better. Shows they should really let people sing what they want how they want without all this need for production and dancing. If they want a production by all means have it but not always neccasary.

Sing off is pointless if people judge on stuff not to do with the sing off which happens most of the time. but it creates drama and tension

a 15 minute drama dragged out over an hour....

Jade's performance of White Flag was second only to Ella's Loving You in terms of performances this series tbh.

No, you're not alone and I think there are some pretty obvious reasons for this..

1. The singers realize it's "now, or never," and pull out all the stops, even some who've been pretty average on the Saturday shows.

2. They get to choose their songs and the sing off is more like an audition, with no props, gimmicks, dancers etc..just them and the music..and they're much more exposed in that situation..

I'd agree with those who think it better that the contestants choose their songs, it would, at least avoid some of the dreadful, banal things Louis Walsh comes up with..or maybe not..

I'd also agree about the judging situation, it's become farcical, but that goes way back IMO..
I'd argue for a panel of totally independent judges for the sing-off and take the whole thing out of the hands of the "mentors."
Again, specifically referring to Louis Walsh, although going by Saturday's shenanigans, I'd not trust Gary Barlow to deliver a fair decision anymore either.

Rich
x

It is shame really because the sing off performances really demonstrate what the act is about and what could have been.

Plus it's frustrating to have Jade mentioning the type of artists she'd like to do but admitting that they aren't commercially friendly enough, plus Ella being asked if she even liked her song this week and her saying she actually wasn't happy with last week's song.
The show has become quite the misery-fest I must say. lol

Yes, it's much better...It's a rare opportunity to actually hear them sing withouth any gimmickery, distractions, backing choirs, backing singers and elaborate technical wizardry to enhance them.
Still seemed to be quite a bit of echo/reverb on the group's performance but I s'pose loads of singers do that when performing live so it's excusable.

I do agree. However, sing-offs are normally ballads, and/or slightly down-tempo tracks. They're normally something about surviving as well. I wouldn't want to see that every week.

I think they should do an acapella/acoustic week so we get to see them just standing there singing. I do agree that there is way too much other stuff in their week-to-week performances - mainly BACKING TRACKS.

I think the voting/sing-off argument has been had several times. Personally I think there should be an odd number of judges so it never goes to deadlock (otherwise there is no point in a sing off), and/or additional independent judges (not mentors). The problem with asking members of the public is that real fans of the show have very strong opinions - you'd probably know the score before you've even asked them to vote.

Jade's White Flag was the performance of the series.....really got me emotional and she put her all into it......shame on the judges for coming to that disgraceful decision.
Serve the idiots right if Rylan/Christopher win the series.....bye bye x factor