X Factor alum Cher Lloyd recently premiered the official music video for her debut single “Swagger Jagger”. After hearing the track, I had already labeled it as too annoying but the rapper managed to come out with a very cool piece of visual to go with it that has me thinking about giving her single another chance. I’ll probably hate it again after a while but I can’t really deny that the video is cool. I can’t really describe it as anything but very Cher. It also sees the rapper dancing “hood” style over a series of visually-engaging graffiti special effects and green screen sets.
Cher Lloyd – Swagger Jagger – New Video
The Black Eyed Peas performed their latest single “Don’t Stop the Party” on the French version of X Factor earlier this week. The performance was very entertaining to watch but I think it’s really ridiculous how much their vocals are edited. Besides showing some love to the hip hop band’s French fans and supporting the latest single from their album “The Beginning”, the Black Eyed Peas also visited channel M6’s hit talent show to get the hype going for their upcoming stadium tour in France. They will play on June 22, 24 and 25 at the Stade de France in Paris.
Black Eyed Peas – Don’t Stop the Party – French X Factor Performance Video
Simon Cowell has announced that he is installing booths in American shopping malls for wannabe contestants to audition for the US X Factor. Aspiring performers will be able to film their audition tape at one of the MyStudio recording studios across the US from this week, if they cannot attend an open audition. The first audition studios will open tomorrow at the Pearlridge Centre Uptown in Honolulu, and Arizona Mills, Phoenix, with additional studios opening at Coolsprings Galleria, Nashville (9 April), Dimond Centre, Anchorage (12 April), Oak Park Mall, Kansas City (15 April), and Colorado Mills, Denver (16 April). All studios will remain open until 30 April. The 51-year-old music mogul said in a statement: "We think they are a brilliant way to audition for people who haven’t made it to the cities. "MyStudio has kindly let us use these high-tech studios for the X Factor auditions, which record studio-quality sound and video to make the audition tape, and I’m very excited for anyone who decides to use these to audition." The auditions are open to all singers over the age of 12, with the winner taking away a $5m recording contract with Syco/Sony Music.
Geordie singer Cheryl Cole is in the running to become a judge on the US X Factor, Simon Cowell has said. The music mogul told fans he is still undecided as to who the final two judges on the panel will be. Cowell has already confirmed music producer and executive Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid, 54, will join him on the panel – leaving two spots for female stars. During a web chat on Twitter yesterday a fan asked if Cole, 27, will join the US version of the talent show. The 51-year-old responded: "Cheryl is in the mix, talking to the network this week, hope to announce the 2 remaining judges very shortly." And Simon also said he wanted to find the next Lady Gaga on the programme. He wrote: "We hope 2 find an artist who can compete with people in the charts. Would love to find the new Lady Gaga. No Rules."
X Factor boss Simon Cowell is planning a new lottery TV show giving contestants the chance to win £1million. The 51-year-old music boss has signed up comedy duo Ant and Dec to front the new ITV1 show, which will reportedly be called Roulette. According to UK newspaper The Sun, 17,000 people will pay approximately £1 for a ticket and then go into a draw to get the chance to compete in live challenges in a bid to win a top prize. The contestants will compete from London’s Wembley Arena and it’s claimed a pilot episode will be filmed in June. A source said: "It is a big gamble for Simon as it could be telly’s biggest ever turkey if it goes wrong. This will be one of the most ambitious TV shows ever staged. "Details are under wraps for now but the idea is that people will pay a small price – say £1 – to get a ticket which will give them a chance of taking part. "Simon is confident that because millions vote for the X Factor every week they will be prepared to pay."
Simon Cowell has admitted that Susan Boyle taught him some serious lessons about judging people on their looks. Speaking on a conference call to promote the X-Factor USA, the 51-year-old confessed that he was ‘guilty’ of making snap judgements about contestants. According to Digital Spy, he said, “You just can’t put an age cap on talent. With Susan Boyle, who would have thought this little lady living on her own in Scotland would go on to sell nearly 20 million records? It’s just typical of the record business saying that you have to look this way or whatever. “I was guilty of that. She taught me a huge lesson that I have to be more open-minded. I think the American audience know what talent is and I don’t think it matters if you’re in your 40s, 50s, 30s or 14 years old. If you have it, you have it. You only have to look at Madonna. She’s still one of the most influential artists in the world. It doesn’t matter how old she is.” The X Factor USA will be open to entrants aged as young as 12-years-old. Cowell said the decision to drop the minimum age has stemmed from a change in the market.
George Michael has reportedly signed on to be a judge on the upcoming US version of the X Factor. A source said George is going to take the job. It’s an amazing opportunity to get back in the limelight and reverse his recent bad spell. Simon [Cowell] knows that Americans love him. He is as big in the US as he is [in the UK]. He is a true star and has the wit and experience for the job. It’s the perfect platform to resurrect his career. Its an odd choice for me but if the singer can behave himself, I think hed be a great addition to the show. George definitely has the personality that audiences would love to watch.
Simon Cowell reportedly wants Noel Gallagher and Mick Jagger as judges on the American X Factor. The 51-year-old judge is taking the UK talent show to the US next year and it is claimed he wants former Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher to be part of the show. A source said to UK newspaper The Sun: “Simon wants to go one better than American Idol, who have Aerosmith frontman Steve Tyler, and has set his heart on British rock ‘n’ roll royalty – with Noel and Mick top of his shopping list. “Noel’s manager met up for early talks and there is serious wedge on offer. Simon is a huge fan of Noel’s songwriting and the no-nonsense attitude Oasis brought to Britpop in the Nineties. He’d be great to dish out feedback.”
Cheryl Cole is expected to break into American mainstream now that shes allegedly signed a deal to be on the judges panel of the US version of X Factor but the Girls Aloud singer is reportedly concerned that her thick accent will turn off the audience. A source said Cheryl was thrilled to accept the offer, but she is terrified it could all go horribly wrong, and has said: ‘what if nobody likes me?’ She thinks being hated in a country like the US could kill her career overnight. Having elocution lessons is a real prospect for Cheryl now. She’s proud of her roots and doesn’t want to change how she speaks, but she accepts that if the Americans don’t understand her, they will quickly turn on her. Those are silly worries.
Simon Cowell has ordered Cheryl Cole to crack America if she wants to be considered for a role in the US version of The X-Factor, it has been reported. The music mogul apparently urged her to sign a £6million US contract with Universal, so that she can one day be in with a chance of making the show. A source told Now magazine, “Simon told her it was imperative that she breaks the US with her music before she has any shot of doing TV because she is so unknown there. “He is trying to sort out a job for her on the panel, but he knows he won’t be listened to unless she can make a name for herself over there. “Being told she had a slim-to-zero chance of getting the US X-Factor job was a kick in the teeth, so the record contract was quickly a done deal.” The 27-year-old, who divorced ex-husband Ashley Cole earlier this year, is expected to have to spend six hard months promoting her Messy Little Raindrops album.
The first round of auditions for the X Factor kicked off today in Glasgow. On the judging panel sits regulars Simon Cowell, Cheryl Cole and Louis Walsh. However, they arent alone as former Spice Girls singer Geri Halliwell will also be joining them to judge the contestants, filling in for Dannii Minogue. If Geri isnt enough for you, she isnt the only big named celebrity to look forward to as rumors are going around that Prince might also act as a judge on the show. Im not holding my breath for that one though. I doubt that he will creep out of seclusion just to judge those less talented than him.
Men who wear their trousers as high as Simon Cowell are just showing signs that they are getting older.
The 50-year-old X-Factor and American Idol judge is well known for his love of trousers with a high waistband.
British department store Debenhams claims that while teenagers like their waist lines low, older men choose trousers with a much-higher waistband.
According to research, an average man’s trousers are just seven inches from his armpit when he turns 57.
Debenhams spokesman Paul Baldwin said: “Our findings are very important because the position of the waistband determines how men’s trousers are tailored.”
American Idol boss Simon Fuller is fuming at Simon Cowell for quitting a $163million deal to launch his own The X Factor venture in the US.
Fuller, a UK mogul in whose footsteps Cowell followed, called The British X Factor wrestling, the UK Mirror reports. Fuller said Idol would weather the storm out of a “boxing type” purity, staying above the fray and true to a mission to find talented singers. “I want Idol to be purely about talent. We’re not going to be led into the mud, we’re going to stay on our hill,” he said.
It was strong language for Cowell, who is poised to launch a megaventure to take his vehicle to Vegas with Topshop boss Sir Philip Green. The new show would kick off in 2011 with Cheryl Cole a hopeful addition.
Fuller appeared to snipe with envy when he added: ?The Susan Boyle phenomenon is not based on anything but the bizarre. I have integrity about music and believe talent that comes out of Idol is legitimate.”
One insider said: “Fuller has got brains and instinct but has the personality of a wet weekend in Hastings – Cowell has the lot.”
Seeing as how his American version of the X Factor is in the building plans, Simon Cowell is trying his best to bring on all sorts of interesting folk to join in the fun. Next on the list would have been Victoria Beckham for one of the judge?s seats, but the former Spice Girl apparently turned Simon Cowell down more or less. This is what a source related about Victoria Beckham?s refusal: “Victoria told Simon she needs time to think about it as she is so busy with her fashion work right now. Looking at her hectic schedule, some of the dates mooted could be problematic as David is away, so she wants to work from home and look after the kids. Simon is incredibly charming so who knows. they did have a long conversation and although Victoria thinks he will be too manic to commit, she loved her time on the Idol panel.” Well, that?s what you get when you ask a working mom to dedicate herself to a career. But Simon Cowell is probably going to find a way? he always does.
With Simon Cowell planning to bring his British hit The X Factor to America, rumor is going around that he will be leaving American Idol as a result. His contract with the show expires in May and is currently in talks for The X Factor to begin in 2011. If that happens, Simon will almost certainly leave AI which could make this upcoming season the last one, because let?s be honest, it wouldn?t be the same without him. Fox hasn?t made any formal announcements about any programming changes yet so stay tuned! I wonder who is in the running to judge and mentor the US X Factor contestants alongside Simon.
X Factor judge Simon Cowell has said that his slamming of the Beatles was a joke.
The 49-year-old, who recently stated if the Beatles had taken part in the British TV talent competition, he wouldn’t have put them through to the finals, has now said he was only joking.
Cowell told RadarOnline.com: “Regarding my comments on the Beatles, it was a joke. I have always said they were the group I have always wished I had signed.
“Also, to set the record straight, it was recently reported that I turned down the Spice Girls. In fact, I offered the girls a recording contract before they were signed and actually offered to double the offer they had on the table.”
Simon Cowell, pushing the big 5-0, is copping some more flak.
Singer Katy Perry has lashed out at the star judge for his brutally honest approach to the would-be aspirations of the hundreds of reality TV contestants that stand before him.
Cowell must just be recovering from the comment that his fashion sense was “boring” from fellow X Factor judge and style princess Dannii Minogue.
Now Perry has told a film crew: “As much as he’s an a**hole he’s a very truthful, honest a**hole.”
Cowell, 49, was said to have reacted to the comment by saying: “She’s definitely got her own opinion. She’s a feisty solo artist and I like that.”
Dannii Minogue says fellow X Factor judge Cheryl Cole promised her a kiss – but never delivered.
Minogue said Cole pledged she would kiss her if she won the show. When Cole did win – with Alexandra Burke – she forgot to kiss Minogue, however.
The pair’s alleged rivalry has been the subject of gossip in the past but co-judge Simon Cowell earlier said the two had patched things up ahead of the new X Factor series.
“The show ended on a high for Cheryl and I guess in all the excitement she forgot, I’d completely forgotten until now – well I guess I’d better chase her this year. Maybe we’ll raise the stakes – who knows?”
Cowell also said he was thrilled with a new format for the show that puts would-be contestants before live audiences. He said: “It’s the best decision I have made on The X Factor. It really needed that extra buzz.”
Although he has been rumoured to be considering an exit from the show, he spoke enthusiastically. “I’m absolutely loving it this year. It’s given me a real boost, too.”
American TV hosts could not contain their excitement about X Factor’s Danyl Johnson as they played his stunning audition on their show.
Johnson got his own segment on NBC’s Today Show, in which he was compared to overnight British singing sensation Susan Boyle.
Johnson wowed judge Simon Cowell and has since become an internet sensation after his audition was posted on YouTube.
The Today Show is now reportedly trying to land Johnson for a performance on its hugely popular morning show.
“He does seem to have great range, but he also has this incredible presence,” said co-host Matt Lauer.
“If you want to go online and watch his whole audition, it is just extraordinary, his presence onstage and how he captivated the audience and judges.”
Johnson was hailed by Cowell as the best first audition he had ever seen when he performed a rendition of a Beatles track, With A Little Help From My Friends.
Now Johnson is being tipped as a favourite to win the talent show.
