Auditions for Simon Cowell's "The X Factor" are getting underway in Los Angeles today, in the search for the Next Big Thing.
Cowell has extended the age range for the U.S. version of the hit British show to include contestants as young as 12, in what he says is a response to young stars such as Justin Bieber and Willow Smith.
"There was an intentional purpose on this show to try to take away as many rules as we could so we have an open competition," Cowell said. "And we are encouraging people to be original and as way out there as they can be."
In a recent phone interview, Cowell discussed the premiere season of the U.S. version of "The X Factor" and what he hopes to discover.
What is that "X" factor?
Well, we called it "The X Factor" in the first place because we realized when we started the show years ago that it's not always about just having a great voice. I think the biggest artists on the planet at the moment are the people who are obviously talented and can sing well but are also interesting. I mean Lady Gaga and Katy Perry are great examples of that. They are essentially entertainers and they are different and they are out there and they are original. If you're different and you're special and you're talented then that's what the "X" factor is, but we don't know it until we see it.
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Can groups audition as well?
Yes, and that was something we have already came to do in the U.K. and
it's worked well. I think there is a massive, massive gap in the market now for the next New Kids on the Block, or the next 'NSync or the next Pussycat Dolls or Spice Girls or even the next Jackson 5. America has this fantastic tradition of vocal groups doing fantastically well but there's not many around at the moment, so hopefully this show will find a successful vocal group.�
What advice would you have for those preparing to audition?
Well, first of all I would say forget the past and forget about any perceived idea of what you need to do at the time of your audition. I think essentially you have to look at what's happening on the charts and see if you genuinely believe you could compete with somebody like Rihanna or Beyonce. And not to be afraid to be original. I used to see a lot when I was on "(American) Idol," people coming around with really safe songs and they were trying to copy the original. I think it's an idea to go on the Internet and if there is a song that you like, see if you can find more original versions of that song so you can come along with an interesting version of the song.
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You have named L.A. Reid as one of the judges. What drew you to him?
I've always been a big fan of L.A. as a record executive and as a person. He's just a very cool guy, very knowledgeable, great with artists, artists adore him. And when we decided to put the show on in America, the first thing that went through my head was I've gotta have somebody sitting alongside me who really does know what he's talking about and knows how to a) spot an artist, and b) turn them into a star. L.A. was always my No. 1 choice.
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You have two judging positions left open - have you made a decision on who is going to fill those spots?
Luckily we have a lot of choices. And everyone has to fit into the team and they have to know what the workload is going to be. As L.A. was confirmed, he's got an input now as to who he thinks he would like to sit alongside with as well. But to answer your question, it will be, I'm guessing, about a week, maybe two weeks at the most, that we will announce everybody else.
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How is "The X Factor" going to be different from "American Idol" or "The Voice"?
I don't like to say in advance how the show is going to be different because it just tells your competition what to do. What I do know is it's going to feel different and, you know, the public will decide based on the first episode whether they can enjoy it or not. I'm going into this not to win the silver or the bronze medal, I'm going into it in the belief that I can make this the best one of the bunch and I'm going to do everything I can to try to achieve that.
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Have you been watching "American Idol" this season?
I stopped watching it a couple of weeks ago. I was interested to see what they would do different and whether it would be different enough to "The X Factor," and it is going to be different enough so I've kind of got a handle on it now.
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What is your goal with "The X Factor"?
You always hope you are going to find somebody who can compete in the real world, who is going to have a career. Every show always has a winner, somebody has to win the competition, but you hope you can remember the day you found somebody who turned into a star. If we don't find someone who can be a hit all over the world then the whole thing has been a waste of time, honestly.
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