Whether we really need judges remains to be seen. As said so many times in the past you cannot be a mentor and a judge. You are either one or the other.

A mentor is meant to be someone you can look up to, so in the field of music:-

i)I’d expect mentors to able to perform by singing or by playing an instrument,
ii) I’d expect them to have serious academic and business leanings and
iii) also to possess an ability to speak with tact and empathy towards there charges.

If none of this is possible i,e the job criteria or description is not met than they are merely people who are either:-

a) qualified to judge by standard,
b)qualified to judge via what is commercially viable due to having links within the industry or they are like you,
c)ordinary citizens with an opinion.

Maureen
Newcastle.