You Can Sing-Seven Steps to Singing [2003]

Aimed principally at those who love posing in front of their bedroom mirror pretending they're the next Madonna or Robbie, You Can Sing is a bluffers' guide to singing pop. The main feature follows teenagers Danni and Peter as they receive coaching from two of the UK's leading pop-vocal coaches, Carrie and David Grant. Unlike the cut-throat competition of Pop Idol and Fame Academy, this is a cosy step-by-step guide to singing, with the Grants adopting cuddly teacher personas. The two students are not your everyday pop wannabes either, having seemingly been dragged in from stage school rather than the street. The feature climaxes with the pair putting into practice Carrie and David's seven steps to success (ranging from breathing technique to vocal range) by professionally recording tracks such as Williams's "Angels" and Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful".

The show includes advice from some of the Grants' most recent and successful students—among them Will Young, Melanie C and Lemar--and there are also brief guidance segments on topics such as whether it's safe to sing with a cold. Critics might say that a programme such as this simply encourages more second-rate karaoke singers to dream of pop stardom; but at the very least it might ensure that future pop-reality shows aren't short of talent.

On the DVD:You Can Sing's somewhat lacklustre main feature is boosted by the interactivity of the extra material included on the disc. The songs "Angels" and "Beautiful" can be practised at home in karaoke-fashion, with the lyrics flashed on to the screen. There's also the opportunity to feel what it's like to perform in front of a roaring live crowd. The interviews with the star graduate can be watched in their entirety via the bonus material menu and the short feature on correctly holding a hair brush as if it is a microphone is fun and informative.--John Galilee