Someone started a thread on the DS X-Factor board about bad habits that contestants often have whilst singing. As someone who's watched her fair share of TV talent shows, I've seen my fair share of annoying habits!
They also seem to crop up in all the shows - are there training classes in gurning, shouting and all the other bad habits?
In no particular order, here are the ones I've noticed:-
HAND/ARM FLAPPING & WAVING
Usually a sign that the performer doesn't have a clue what to do with their hands! Keith was especially bad for doing this!
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REACHING OUT AND GRASPING THE AIR
This always makes me think the singer can see something the rest of us can't...a la The Sixth Sense!
Amelia Lily (Lewis' sister) was particularly bad for doing this on X-Factor.
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Actually, this vid has reminded me of another of my bugbears - making words run into each other (instead of singing 'China in your hand', Amelia sings 'Chinerin your hand'). I remember my old choir leader being crash hot on diction, and this was one of the things that drove her up the wall!
RANDOMLY RUNNING ACROSS THE STAGE
This one was done a lot in the TV casting shows. Sometimes it was the 'run across the stage then glance around as if you have no idea where you are', but there was also the 'run across the stage to a certain point, then run back to where you originally started'. In fairness, this was down to choreography, but it did seem to crop up time and time again.
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LITERAL INTERPRETATION OF THE LYRICS
Examples include stretching your arms to the audience when singing the words '....reaching out...', miming talking on a telephone when singing lyrics about talking on a telephone and placing your hand on your heart when singing the word 'heart'. A lot of Casting Show contestants seemed to do this, but here's just one example (which actually seems to show lots of annoying habits).
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SQUEAKING, YELPING OR MAKING OTHER RANDOM NOISES AT THE END OF EACH LINE
Janet Devlin, Diana Vickers, Misha B (UK X-Factor contestants) and Drew Ryniewicz, Chris Rene (US XF contestants) are the people who I have particularly noticed doing this. It's fine occasionally in a song, but when it's done at the end of every line, it becomes jarring.
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GURNING
There are two types of gurning. Firstly, the odd facial expressions adopted by some singers - e.g. X-Factor contestant Craig's lop-sided mouth. Secondly, the habit of pulling a face to try to show emotion in a song - e.g. Amelia Lily's attempts to show sadness. The former is an affectation, while the latter is just a poor attempt at emoting.
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Incidentally, this is how you portray sadness in a song!
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SHOUTING
Speaks for itself.
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BREATHLESSNESS
This tends to be down to a combination of bad (or no) vocal training and lack of physical stamina.
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LIP SMACKING
A speciality of ADWD Craig!
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HEAD BOBBING
A speciality of IDA Francesca!
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