http://www.radiotimes.com/episode/cpgyd9/the-x-factor--series-10---14-part-one

ABOUT THIS PROGRAMME
14/22. The aspiring pop stars aim to show their softer sides as they perform modern love songs in the second live studio round. Gary Barlow looks after the groups, Louis Walsh mentors the boys, Nicole Scherzinger has got the girls and Sharon Osbourne is with the over-25s. Near the end of the show, the voting lines will open briefly, giving viewers the chance to save their favourite act from the bottom two. Dermot O'Leary will then announce the act with the lowest number of votes - a day earlier than in previous years.

Wonder why they specify "modern".

I'm not even sure why they have themes. In the real world Kate Bush does not need to sing soul and Jason Derulo doesn't try easy listening.

Expect to hear a Taylor Swift song

At least modern love songs rules out My Heart Will Go On - which under 'movies' we expected one of the belters to get

The new voting is rather a cruel twist - I wonder how long the lines will be open for - the space of an ad break

I agree, in terms of the ability of some of these artists on the X-Factor, to be able to manage decent performances in a variety of styles.

Kate Bush is actually very much conversant with any number of genres, from "Berlin," Jazz through Irish Music, Indian and Flamenco and is/was always prepared to borrow from various types of music, while stamping her own unique style all over them..

It's my belief that the great artists are able to diversify and experiment with a variety of styles..The Beatles, Stones, Queen and more recently the Scissor Sisters and Mika were/are happy to try different things out..but being great artists, or accomplished in their craft they are usually successful.

Trouble is, sometimes both critics and the public alike don't like it when their favoured artists move into different areas..

These "theme," nights are more than a little bit pointless, though they have produced some memorable performances over the years..

When they had the Big Band nights, some of them produced some pretty good efforts, namely Leona Lewis and Robert Allen and latterly Lucie Jones, which was pulled apart by Cowell for his own ends..

I recoil in horror at the thought of an ABBA nights, though I only ever remember one..and that, IMO was an unmitigated disaster..

But, in the very least the Theme nights allow Louis and Gary to have a bitch fight over whether the other has "broken the rules.!

:yawn:

Rich,
x

I don't get the need for artists on the X Factor to be "versatile" or to sing completely different styles.

It doesn't happen with actual genuine artists. Sure outside of the X Factor artists evolve over time and their style may change, but it is usually framed around their own specific style that they have themselves evolved.

But singing big ballads one week, then disco the next is just nonsense.

Sam C to sing One Direction Little Things in attempt to pull at teen girls heart strings...and Abi to do a John Lewis style song.

Could see maybe Kingsland Road or Rough Copy with a male version of Taylor Swift (a bit like Union J)

I could see Abi at the piano doing Ellie Goulding's version of Your Song. Not strictly modern I know, but no doubt it'll pass under X Factor's songbook rules.

Some disco artists sang big ballads too, sometimes at the same gig?



I would be bored watching an artist who stayed on the same level all the way through an album, be it ballads, rock, or any other type of genre..

I'm more likely, particularly these days to buy an album by an artist who could sing in more than one style..

I'm a big supporter of the Hives, largely because I like their riff driven high powered rock/punk, 3 minute songs..
However, having bought two of their albums, I soon got tired of 12 tracks of the same thing in a row..
In many ways they are Stone's influenced, only the Stones had much more in their musical armoury, than I've heard from the Hives, thus far.

However, I would say that I'd like to see more than just ballads been sung on the X-Factor..the auditions have appeared to me to be no more than an endless parade of belters

I think they bought the "theme," nights in on series 3..
I suppose they think that it would provide some variety..

Rich.
x

I dont see any point in the theme weeks either. The vast majority of artists sing one type of music, so you dont need to see if someone can sing a ballad, and then perform jazz the following week.

I guess they do it to make it more challenging. If there were no themes then Sharon would probably give Sam or Lorna nothing but Whitney and Mariah ballads week after week. There would be less motivation for the judges to take risks with their songs.

But rather than themes I'd like to encourage creativity. Themes just encourage single track thought. Oh it is disco week lets find a big soul disco number for the "Mariah clone" to sing and the Whitney clone can sing "I wanna dance with somebody". Job done.

I want to find out how creative the contestants are. And how they create their own style. Rather than just a bland traipse through a couple of the less inspiring musical genres.

I definately agree about encouraging creativity, but the trouble is that the judges and producers on the UK versions of these shows have no idea what that word means.

Using the 'diva' contestants as an example - when pop idol/X factor started everyone was doing whitney and mariah. Then it was Alicia Keys, then Adele, now it's Emelie Sande. Nobody wants to take a risk because they seem to think the British public only know a total of about 20 songs.

Then you have judges like Tulisa who seem to think that Ke$ha is rock

Ooh, I wonder if they'll perform any self-penned songs. (lol)

Yeah I really wish X Factor would allow each artist to explore a style which they are hoping to get into. Whats the point of them singing all these styles just to prove they can when really they want to sing in a different style. Like each contestant should be treated as a individual and be given songs that would suit them but some theme weeks would be interesting but they should have more weeks where each act can explore a genre that they are interested in.

Group singing Take That maybe.

Mark Sidaway, one of the executive producers, said it was ' love and heartache' earlier in reply to someone on twitter..

Mark Sidaway ‏@marksidaway 48m
“@MrCelebUK: X FACTOR: WEEK 2 THEME CONFIRMED: Love Songs #XFactor” Love and Heartache actually

Tellymix managed to make a whole article about it!

Mark Sidaway – who has been one of the executives in charge of the talent competition since 2011 – revealed the news on his Twitter page tonight in response to a fan tweet suggesting the Week 2 theme would be love songs.

He succinctly wrote: “Love and Heartache actually.”



Read more: http://tellymix.co.uk/reality-tv/the...#ixzz2hMEu0IfI

Nicholas: Little Things

I don't understand the complaints here about theme weeks. Yes many people in the industry stick to one genre - but they do try different things within that genre - uptempo, ballad - or try to mix it up - add some rock/dance/pop vibe/indie vibe...I know that's not always the case (like Kodaline for instance) but others (like Imagine Dragons, Bastille - every song sounds slightly different while having the artist's style).

In the same way, the XF is trying to emulate that. It's not about performing a variety of styles. But whether you can keep to your style and still sound interesting (not so much being different). It's what made James and Ella good is that no matter the song, you know they're singing it because it's got a style about it while each performance still sounding different. Janet fell down at this hurdle I feel because every song sounded similar to each other.

Ruth did it too from Summertime to Purple Rain, she had a distinctive rock style but kept it interesting by changing the songs up, doing ballads then doing uptempo.

God I have been so inarticulate about this...

Kingsland Road singing back for good would be a cheese sandwich.

I'd like to see them test their vocals and sing little Things but think it's a given Nicholas will sing that