I find the practice of singers miming a very strange thing indeed. I don't find it strange because I think all singers should sing live, be pitch perfect and every famous singer has to be as good as Adele or anything like that, but more how miming has evolved and what is expected of singers these days.
Take a look at this clip of Bros from Top of the Pops in the 80s
This is what miming was like back then, popstars basically bopping along to their pre recorded tracks so you are listening to the cd which you are gonna buy with the band doing stuff on a stage. This is prerty much how television performances were then, it's not a subtle performance, its clear they they're miming as often the mike is away from his face and yet his voice doesn't differ or falter at all during the performance.
This was simple musical practice during the 80's, 90's and early 00's, everybody did it, everything became more about the image and the package. Steps, Britney and S Club, didn't sing live and if they did it wasn't on telly, but they looked good, put on a show and danced their hearts out, and this seemed to be enough for the public. Not anymore.
There has been a switch in the public's priorites and now everybody has to have it all. Its not enough to have catchy songs, pretty faces and nice moves, you have to prove yourself as a good singer if you don't 'cut it' live then you get no respect. This has lead to a new generation of miming, look at this The Saturdays performance,
here The Saturdays are miming but have recorded the track with new vocals so that it doesn't appear that they're miming, is this the solution? Why has miming become such a taboo? I would rather not hear a pitchy and breathless performance by The Saturdays thankyou very much. Stars should just be honest, miming in a way so it looks like you're singing live just seems pointless. Not everyone can be like Beyonce! You don't pay to be in the audience on Dancing on Ice and you didn't on Top of the Pops either and if you watch it on the tv you're not seeing it live anyway, so I don't think stars should feel obligated to sing live at every oppurtunity. If you've paid good money to see them live then thats when you should be able to expect a live performance, anything else is just a bonus. Let miming live, and lets not judge people who do it, this is just they way the music industy works, and I think it's time we all embraced it.
