Dionne Warwick - Dionne Warwick Takes Aim At Tv Talent Shows

The 71 year old was dismayed to see fresh-faced pop stars critiquing auditions when she tuned in to the U.K.'s The X Factor - which currently features Tulisa Contostavlos, 24, and Nicole Scherzinger, 34, among the mentors - and feels the panel should instead feature industry veterans.

Warwick tells entertainment site Lady.co.uk, "I've been watching your X Factor here (in Britain) and it's an interesting scenario.

"Those that are sitting on those seats giving judgement, that's basically what they're doing - I don't know if any of them have really had that kind of experience for long enough to be able to give true criticism and true advice, or true encouragement. Those who are giving their all and are told 'it's horrible' - that's not the way to do that; you don't destroy their vision, you try to enhance it and encourage it.

"I look at American Idol and (its judge) Nicki Minaj - Aretha Franklin should be sitting in that seat, or Gladys Knight, or Patti LaBelle; someone who's been in this industry long enough to be able to give some creative goodness to these children. So I'm perplexed about it all, but they need to keep people watching so they try the flavour of the month and put them in that seat, so people will watch."

Warwick also laments the lack of individuality among the current crop of chart-toppers, adding, "I find it very interesting that these record companies want every female to look like, act like and sing like one person, so they're clones. There are no real individuals who can just burst out and say, 'This is me.'"