Gday All,
Was asked to judge a competition with a pretty good prize on offer and what criteria I would be willing to use. The finalists are having a meeting with the compere to alert them about how the judges are going to think about the compeition. So I put the following quickly together at 1am.

I think the categories for judging should be dress, vocal ability, song choice, performance, audience reaction and x factor

Dress - dress appropriately to the song so that it gives off a feel for the interpretation of what you are giving. Some people like to go overboard and that is fine as well, as long as it has relevance. But that is not to say that a simple dress style also scores well if it is appropriate for the song and how you are interpreting. Are you using your image to the best of your ability?

Vocal ability - being in pitch, using effective mike technique - are you holding it close enough without muffling and then on bigger notes moving it away, dynamics of the song, range, and individual interpretation. You can sing the song exactly the same as the original singer or you can make your own interpretation ... as long as it works

Song Choice - if the audience doesnt know your songs, less likely to get the best reaction. You want a song that is not over done by everyone as well, that will not make them fall asleep or blow off their ear drums. You have to remember that listeners are not just judging your song with how you do it, but with how they have heard anyone else, including the original singer do that song. Above all the song has to be comfortable for you as the singer. Can you give it the best shot with that song?!

Performance - make sure that you arent just singing the song, but you are performing it. What emotion is the song conveying? Find what it is and stick to it. You are an actor up there. Perform what is appropriate for the song. If the energy of the song is high then your performance should match that. A ballad then you should be less overt and out there .. the emotion should come through your voice and facial expressions and small movements. Be aware of looking comfortable and relaxed in your performance and not mechanical or 'i have to move my hands or something' or ' ill just put my hand here'. 3-4 minutes for a song can be a long time too. Like most songs having a bridge which 'changes' the song, maybe your performance needs that too. I like the dance like no one is watching and sing like no is listening analogies.

Audience reaction - very subjective factor as the number of friends you have there can influence, but does an audience get invoved of their own volition? This may be due to song choice, or ryhthm etc, or do you try and get them involved, or are they captivated by your song ... they shut up as you sing, and applause after as well, but again a very subjective category

X Factor - not necessarily the person who is the most outrageous but someone who has an aura about them. They captivate and capture their audience with confidence or poise or ability and talent. They just have something that says 'listen to me and watch me'. They will be the one that is remembered at the end of the night.

So that is what you can sort of tell them. But overall tell them to enjoy it and have fun but that it is also worth a nice prize so ask them ... what is that worth to you? What will you give on the night to show you want it more than the other contestants??

Interested to hear what you guys out in aussie karaoke land thought about that?
Submitted by Kieran on 07-02-2007

Meet karaoke hosts and singers in the Where2sing.com forums . . .

Where2sing.com