How many ways are there to compliment a talented vocalist on a singing competition show? Apparently not that many, judging from American Idol and The Voice this season! When the judges hear a voice they like they regularly describe it as special or unique, despite the fact that special and unique both connote some sort of rareness. How unique or special can a contestant’s voice be if all the other contestants’ voices are exactly the same, i.e., also unique and special? Let’s add this judges’ tic to our list of their secret meanings and suggest they grab a thesaurus before this week’s shows.
