Simon Cowell: ‘X Factor’ Judges Should Reflect the Music Business
It’s no coincidence that both new judges coming to The X Factor this season are women: Creator Simon Cowell says he wanted the panel to reflect the current state of the music industry. “It’s a girl’s world in the music business, so many girls are doing so well in the charts, we thought the panel should reflect it,” Cowell said yesterday at the Television Critics Association meetings in Los Angeles, Reuters reports.
After disappointing ratings last season, Cowell decided to bring in new judges Kelly Rowland and Paulina Rubio to replace Britney Spears and L.A. Reid. Rowland and Rubio will join Cowell and returning judge Demi Lovato on the judges’ panel.
‘The X Factor’ Season Two Awards
Collectively, the three new judges will bring a range of styles and experience to the panel. Rubio said her years in the industry will assist in her judging. “I’m an artist that has been in the limelight for many, many years, and I’m going to transmit that knowledge,” she said.
The show has also reduced the prize money offered to the winner of the competition from $5 million to $1 million, but the winner now also gets a record deal with Epic. “We got to a point where the idea was to raise attention, but. . . it was almost too much, we want artists who really want to be artists,” Cowell said.