Grace Dent Reckons She Knows Her Stuff – Oh dear.

I’ve just read an article in The Guardian about The Voice by Grace Dent. here

It was so bad I just had to write down my thoughts. Grace Dent is a writer of stories. Long stories are called novels which is very impressive – but hey, they are still just stories. She is paid to watch telly, write about it and write long stories. She is creative and funny but does writing stories and watching telly make you an expert on singing and talent shows?

In her very first sentence Grace Dent reveals her lack of knowledge by ridiculing Will.i.am for saying that The Voice is “not like a traditional karaoke talent show.” The fact that singers come on playing instruments, a live a band and the coaches judge only the voice has totally been lost on this wordsmith.

She then uses “clank” and “honk” to describe the vocals of the coaches. What? Tom Jones? Jessie J? Now I may not have the wit and writing ability of Grace Dent but I know my music and this was a great opening to a new show. Does anyone really think that Tulisa from N-Dubz showing off her tattoo to Carl Orff’s “O Fortuna” is a more impressive start to a talent show?

Ms Dent then has a pop at Jessie J for being young and attractive and the only woman on the panel like “every other blooming panel show”. There goes another perfectly good bra going up in smoke. No mention of Jessie J’s writing or singing ability just describing her as “tits, teeth and occasional sparkle”. I’m amazed the lack of respect for one of the greatest UK newcomers in years.

It’s a pity that the biggest point that Grace Dent touched upon she failed to get it. In an effort to get Jessica Hammond on his team, Will.i.am played up what he could do for her.

Dent says, “Balls to managing expectations: this was a new level of televised talent-show bullshit.” Sorry Grace you really don't understand the music industry. It's full of bullshit.

When artists have a number of record labels interested in them they get told everything to get them to sign. This is a reality.

What is refreshing about The Voice is the lack of desperate wannabes set up just so we can see them sucking up to Tulisa and on their knees to Louis Walsh. The Voice have admired coaches with real talent giving aspiring singers a new level of respect. Not unusual for the BBC as they have proved with Strictly Come Dancing but X Factor rejects will be rejoicing.

We all know that due to the cut backs, newspaper are no longer filled with news but more an outlet for novelists and chatterboxes to voice their opinions. I’m tired of these people who come out of university as professional smarty-pants who can write in a manner and an air of confidence that makes them look like they know what they are talking about. We really have to be careful not to confuse a wealth of vocabulary with a wealth of knowledge.

Excuse any mistakes - I'm a singer not a writer.