Sorry if asked before - does anyone know?

Way before they enter the academy the students are asked for a list of songs that they'd like to sing from all different genres.

After a few days in the academy you always hear them saying "I wish I could change my list now that I know my voice better".

Hope that answers you question.

Thanks, so to a certain extent they only have themselves to blame for a poor choice. I had wrongly assumed it was just random.

I don't think this is so, because I've heard qute a few students say they don't like the song they've been given much.

I think for the theme nights, at least, they must be just given a list of possible choices and told to tick off a few.

Plus, in terms of copyright permission terms, the programme makers have to get permissions sorted for most of the songs to be used beforehand

On the live feed last night Colin was saying that the students all said yesterday if they could pick their songs again for going into the Academy they would choose entirely different ones so I'm guessing that yes they choose most of the songs themselves.