Top 5 Biggest Performance Mistakes

In light of Week Three and singing/performing as an art... I present the first Top 5 List of Movin Idol.


Top 5 Biggest Performing Mistakes:

5. Holding the Microphone the same Distance from your mouth through a whole song.

This is the one thing that sets apart an experienced singer from a newbie. Throughout a song, you have STRONG parts and you have SOFTER parts (well, you should anyhow). The stronger the vocals, the further away from your face the microphone should be. And for God's sake, if there is a foam screen over the mic, KEEP IT ON! It's there for a reason. It filters your sound nicely and keeps you from sounding harsh and blowing out your audience's eardrums. If you're singing SOFTLY, hold it close, almost touching your lips, or we can't hear you. If you're singing STRONG and LOUD, back it away because a microphone is designed to pick up sound from quite a distance. We will hear you, trust me - just back it off!

4. Planting your feet when you start - and never moving them again until you finish.

For the love of all that is holy and sacred... if you have ever been to a live concert, you would know that there isn't a singer or performer who stands still throughout an entire song. Even if you sing a ballad - move! Songs have rhythm - you need to feel it and move with it. Would YOU want to watch a band perform and their lead singer just stood still for hours on end, singing? I personally would want my money back. MOVE!

3. Singing with your HAND in your POCKET.

Again - you think you could go to see Heart play, and Ann Wilson would stand there singing with her hand in her pocket?!? As body language goes, hands in pockets signify BOREDOM. The audience came to hear and see a performance - give them one, don't act like you're bored. The only exception to this is if you sing Alanis Morrisette's "Hand In My Pocket". We'll let you off for that.

2. Performing with the wrong attire.

OK, no, there is no category in the Movin Idol competition on APPEARANCE (although if you enter other competitions, there usually is). But we as your audience cannot help but tie your WHOLE PERFORMANCE together as a whole, and if you show up in jeans and a hoodie, chances are it will detract from your Star Power. Put some effort into it. And look the part of whatever it is you're singing! If you're gonna rock out to AC/DC, by all means - look like a grungy rocker... but if you're gonna' belt out Madonna, skip the hoodie. Please and thank you.


And the number One Biggest Performing Mistake?

1. Singing a song where you can hit "almost all" of the notes in it.

This is a VERY VERY common mistake. I've done it myself back when I was starting out. You want to sing that Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey song SO BADLY! There's just that ONE NOTE toward the end that you can't always quite reach. Some days you hit it, other days you can't, you crack or are flat on it. DON'T SING THAT EFFING SONG!!! There is a GOOD chance that the days you can hit it are days when you're singing in your car, or shower. Add the Fear Factor of a whole room full of scrutinizing eyes... and there's no chance in hell you're going to hit that note. Why risk it? Sing a song that you have EVERY NOTE, and you have them ALL in perfect pitch. No judge will tell you that the song was "too easy". If your notes are all in tune and you express that song well - sing it. Because fudging a Money Note...... that'll cost ya'.

In the words of Yo! Sunny Jo.......

"I'm not sayin... I'm just SAYIN'................................"

Feroni - OUT!