Khloe Kardashian has been fired from The X Factor, reports the NY Post.
Too late. The damage has been done by this talentless woman.
Details:
From NY Post:
‘The X Factor” won’t be keeping up with Khloe Kardashian anymore.
The towering reality star has not been asked to return as co-host of the high-profile Fox singing competition, sources tell The Post.
“They are asking Mario [Lopez] to come back, but not Khloe,” an insider confirms.
via rickey.org
Britney Spears will always have the x factor -- but the X Factor no longer has Britney Spears. After months of speculation and mixed reviews for her performance as a judge on the second season of the FOX reality competition, the 31-year-old singer is leaving the series, a source confirms to Us Weekly. On her 2013 agenda? Recording her eighth studio album with the likes of will.iam and other superstar producers, plus an accompanying tour.
But the "I Wanna Go" singer may have simply beaten X Factor producers to the punch. Us Weekly was first to report late last month that producers were planning to show Spears the door. "Britney will get the boot," an insider told Us of Spears, who joined the show in May, along with fellow newcomer Demi Lovato. "Producers wanted her for the long haul, but it isn't working."
Spears signed a whopping $15 million contract for one season -- and show runners were disappointed with the energy she brought to the show. "They paid all that for her to say 'amazing,' and offer half-claps," a second insider said. Co-creator Simon Cowell, a third source said "wanted crazy Britney, but he got boring Britney."
The popster joins the likes of Paula Abdul, Nicole Scherzinger and Cheryl Cole -- who all were fired after season one; judge L.A. Reid also recently announced his decision to leave earlier this month.
At a TCA panel in Pasadena, Calif. on Tuesday Jan. 8, FOX executive was diplomatic about Spears' run on the show.
Kevin Reilly addressed X Factor and how Britney Spears performed and if she will come back: "I thought it went very, very well... I think Britney did a really good job ... She tucked in really nicely on that bench. For next year, I don't know."
Sad news for fans of L.A. Reid, the guy at the judges’ table who isn’t Simon Cowell, Britney Spears or Demi Lovato — if you’re out there, hey L.A. Reid’s fans! — the Epic Records chairman and CEO is departing The X Factor after this season so he can go back to running a major record label, which was his job before he became a FOX demi-celebrity.
“Of course I will miss the show,” Reid told The Hollywood Reporter. ”In my opinion Simon attracts the best talent, but I’m looking forward to getting back to my core business and the responsibility of running Epic Records.”
This season with be L.A. Reid's last on The X Factor, according to The Hollywood Reporter: the Epic Records chairman will instead focus on developing new talent for the Sony music label he runs. Reid was the first judge that X Factor creator Simon Cowell hired for the American version of the British talent competition, which made its U.S. debut last year.
'X Factor': Rolling Stone's Complete Coverage
"I have the utmost respect for Simon Cowell," Reid said. "He is the very best, and I have had the opportunity to learn so much from him. Working with him on X Factor has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I'm honored to have sat on the panel with such incredible talent."
Reid this year was put in charge of mentoring the Over 25s group, an assignment he wasn't happy about at first. Now, though, one of his contestants, Tate Stevens, is a leading candidate to win the competition next week.
There's been no official word whether fellow judges Britney Spears or Demi Lovato will be back for Season Three, though Spears said earlier this fall that she was "definitely" returning.
Khloé Kardashian has been rumored to be one of the folks "The X Factor" producers are considering to host the show after Steve Jones lost the gig after one season. With the judges panel in place thanks to Britney Spears and Demi Lovato and the show nearing its September 12 premiere date, Mrs. Lamar Odom says she'd be totally up for it.
"I'm a big fan of 'The X Factor,' " Kardashian told E! News, who first reported on the rumors she might be one of two hosts to emcee the show during season two.
"I've always wanted to do hosting or talk-show hosting, so it's definitely something that I would love to do and would be honored to do," she added. "To be on such a huge show like that with those judges, I would have so much fun doing that."
The rumor, which picked up steam in early July, also pitched some of the other contenders, including Stacy Keibler, Kelly Osbourne, Mario Lopez, BET's "106 & Park" host Terrence J, sportscaster Erin Andrews and radio personality Mike Catherwood.
Given Kardashian's bigger-than-life persona and her familiarity with reality-show drama, she just might make the perfect contender for the gig. Also, she admitted she really does like judge Simon Cowell. "I love Simon," she said. "I think he's amazing. I love personalities like that, because I'm someone who is very straightforward, and I tell it like it is. That's what he's doing. He just doesn't want to blow smoke up people's asses."
Earlier this week, MTV News caught up with former "X Factor" U.K. judge Kelly Rowland, who offered up some advice for season two judging newbies Spears and Lovato. "Any advice? Take it one day at a time. It's a lot of work, but it's a lot of fun," she said. "Choose the right songs and songs that will make people excited, make them feel something ... you have to touch people's hearts."
Who should host "The X Factor"? Sound off below!
I was just about to write off Britney’s “walk off” on the X Factor set as an urgent pee break extended too long after Britney got distracted by all the Snickers and Doritos in her dressing room. Kaiser clued me in to this US Weekly story claiming she’d done it again. The strange thing is, TMZ didn’t carry this story. They’ve been crowing about how Britney is unable to do her job on the show, and how she has X Factor producers “over a barrel” because her fat contract states that she can do basically whatever she wants when she’s there. But Simon Cowell and Britney just recorded a little message for TMZ telling them to go easy on her, and they are. Simon denied that there was any “walk out” in his portion of the video, and then Britney came on very quickly and simply said “Play nice Harvey.” Harvey Levin is of course the managing editor of TMZ.
TMZ probably got promised some insider X Factor stories and now they’re going to be “team Britney.” They did mention the second walk off by Britney, but in their version Britney seemed “to be in better spirits“ on her second day, and took “one short break, about five minutes, and she missed one audition … which everyone on set was totally ok with.” Here’s US’ version of that walkoff, which is much more damning to Britney. They have a supposed eyewitness who said that this second exit by Britney seemed very abrupt and that she wasn’t as relaxed as TMZ claims.
X-Factor judge Britney Spears walked off the show’s set during auditions Friday afternoon–just one day after TMZ reported she stormed off “angrily” following a hopeful contestant’s cover of one of her hits. (The singer, 30, slammed the report via Twitter later that day. “Britney walks off??? LOL was just taking a little break people,” she wrote. “I am having the BEST time!!!”)
“After a very popular contestant finished, Brit stood up and immediately walked towards the tunnel where judges enter,” a show source tells Us Weekly of the pop star’s dramatic exit Friday afternoon–adding that it wasn’t clear what spurred the departure. “Her bodyguards [and entourage] jumped up and ran after her. She was moving fast . . . It was odd.” (The witness adds that, after a little while, “she came back,” as though nothing unusual had happened.)
During Thursday’s auditions, the X-Factor source told Us Spears–who will reportedly see a $15 million payday for her stint on the show–seemed “uptight” compared to her fellow judges Simon Cowell, LA Reid and Demi Lovato. “Her body language was reserved,” the source shared.
“Demi, Simon and LA,” on the other hand, “seemed very relaxed and engaged with contestants and the audience,” the witness recounted.
[From US Weekly]
Britney has done two successful tours since her incident(s) in 2008. When you see her performing it’s obvious that she’s lip syncing and that she can’t dance like she used to (she had that knee injury, etc.) but she’s toured virtually without incident. So she’s capable of that. As we’ve talked about quite a lot, she hasn’t done many unscripted interviews, and we’ve heard that her team insisted last year that all video interviews with Britney be pre-taped and pre-approved before airing. So now she’s out there on her own and people are understandably wondering if she can handle it. Maybe we should just wait. I don’t mean to sound patronizing, but it’s possible she’s used to doing whatever the hell she wants and isn’t used to having to sit in one place and do a job for a few hours at a stretch. For 15 million dollars, she should figure it out faster than she is, you know? If that’s even what’s going on here.
Duets' John Legend on The X Factor:
For one of the newest celebrities to join the singing competition game (Legend replaced Lionel Richie two weeks prior to production), John Legend seems to have a lot of confidence in his show and some not-so-nice things to say about The X Factor and its judges Spears and Lovato. The smooth crooner told E! Online, "It's interesting when people, you know, are judging singing competitions when they aren't really singers."
Though Legend seemed to be passing some negative judgment on the new judges, his fellow celebrity mentors had kinder words to share - Kelly Clarkson said she's "a big fan of both of them," and Robin Thicke said he's confident "they'll do nothing but make the show a lot more fun to watch."
The X Factor's Simon Cowell on The Voice:
Boosted from the hype surrounding his two new female judges, Simon Cowell was not shy about sharing his thoughts on competitor The Voice. After hearing the show was "all about the voice," Cowell's first thought was, "Why isn't this on radio?" Cowell told Radio 4's Today Show. "Then suddenly I'm watching it a week or two weeks ago and it's the same as The X Factor. They've got dancers behind them, graphics, lights. Same show." And according to Cowell, "If you try and rip somebody off, it always looks like a bad copy."
America's Got Talent's Howard Stern on The X Factor:
Though not a singing competition, America's Got Talent did gain a new judge this season in radio personality Howard Stern, who also felt compelled to share his opinion on Spears joining The X Factor. "As far as any real criticism, I think Simon and L.A. Reid will be doing that. I think Britney is going to stand there and eat a lollipop and wear a sexy outfit," Stern told Access Hollywood. "I don't anticipate great opinions out of her."
Stern then went on to include American Idol's Jennifer Lopez in his criticism, saying, "I think she's going to sit there like J. Lo and [say], 'Oh, you're wonderful. You're terrific. Do you think I could get a perfume endorsement out of this?'" Nevertheless, Stern said he'll still be watching The X Factor this fall - "to see what kind of train wreck [Britney] is."
Kelly Clarkson on the superiority of Duets:
Though not on the offensive like Legend, Clarkson did have some thoughts on how Duets differs from its competitors. "You could take everyone who has won Idol or The Voice and you'd find maybe three who could harmonize," the pop singer told New York Daily News on the difficulty of being on Duets. "It's an art to know when to shine and when to pull back." Clarkson also claimed her show was harder for its celebrities than other shows, saying, "It's a lot more work than people have to do on Idol or The Voice!"
Watch the Duets promo below, where the Superstars boast their contestants will be "more than just a voice." With all this talk comparing rival singing shows, do you think Duets or Cowell's rebooted X Factor will live up to their words? Only time (and ratings) will tell.
Britney Spears is set to make a big splash Monday by personally appearing at the FOX Up Fronts in New York City for the announcement that she will be joining "X Factor."
As we reported, as of Friday AM the deal was NOT signed, contrary to various reports. There were some fairly minor issues that still needed resolving and both sides were hoping to finalize it by end of day Friday or over the weekend.
Britney will not sign the deal because she's under a conservatorship -- Co-conservators Jamie Spears and Jason Trawick will do the honors.
Our sources say ... Britney and FOX both think a personal appearance is essential in creating buzz
for the show.
Who will be the next judge on "X-Factor"? Britney Spears ... Demi Lovato ... Miley Cyrus ... Chaka Khan ... er, what?
That's right ... sources close to the Queen of Funk tell TMZ ... Chaka is throwing her hat in the ring to snag one of two vacant spots on Simon Cowell's hit talent show.
We're told Chaka -- who has 10 Grammy awards -- is dying to be considered for the lucrative gig and instructed her people to reach out to producers of the show, claiming to be perfect for the part ... toting her 40 plus years of experience in the biz.
Don't get too excited funk fans ... there's no word on whether she's actually been called back.
But we're sure her phone will be ringing any ... minute ... now ..
If Simon Cowell has his way, No Doubt fans could be in for a weekly dose of Gwen Stefani. We hear the “Rich Girl” songstress is in the running to replace Welshman Steve Jones as the next host of Fox’s ratings-challenged singing series, The X Factor.
Informants tell The Chicago Sun-Times that Factor honcho Simon Cowell is “seriously negotiating” Stefani for a one season deal that could top $7 million.
In January, Factor producers announced that Jones — the Welsh television personality dubbed “as charmless as a Ken doll and even less animated” by USA Today — would not be back to host a second season of the show.
“There have been mistakes and he just doesn’t seem to have the knack for dealing with contestants,” a tabloid tattle told the Sun-Times shortly after the axing.
Steve later blamed his seemingly “rude” hosting manner on “screaming” producers.
Written by Castina on May 3rd, 2012 | Tagged as: Gwen Stefani,The X-Factor,TV,TV News
March 27, 2012: MediaTakeOut.com just got word from a person VERY close to Rihanna that Rih has just signed to be the NEWEST JUDGE On Fox' X-Factor.
According to our snitch, it's not clear WHAT happened with the negotiations with Britney Spears, which EVERY news agency in the world is right now saying HAS THE JOB - but they fell apart.
The insider told MediaTakeOut.com, "[Rihanna] wanted to be on X-Factor, but we all thought that [Britney Spears] had it . . . when [Rihanna] found out that they wanted her instead, she jumped at [the opportunity."
We're told that Rihanna's VERY CAPABLE management over at RocNation made it happen. Oh, and Rih is making BIG MONEY hosting the show, we're told she will get between $15 and $20M a year in cash and perks. Dang Jigga and 'em STAY winning!!! (Do y'all think Jigga manages BLOG SITES???)
Members of the press are REQUIRED to credit MediaTakeOut.com - this is a HUGE EXCLUSIVE - and in a few days, it'll be EVERYWHERE. But when you read it elsewhere, remember who told you FIRST - MediaTakeOut.com the HOTTEST GOSSIP SITE ON THE PLANET!!!
via cdn.mediatakeout.com
Following the bloodbath on Simon Cowell's "The X Factor," which left first season judges Nicole Sherzinger and Paula Abdul with a pink slip, the Internet has continued to buzz over who Cowell would tap to replace the two female judge slots.
A virtual who's who of the current pop diva landscape has been thrown into the rumor mill (Nicki Minaj!? Beyonce!? Janet Jackson!? Fergie!? Katy Perry?!), but recently online speculation has intensified that Britney Spears is nearing a reported $10 million deal to join the show and sit next to Cowell and L.A. Reid. The high profile signing would put her slightly under the $12 million that Jennifer Lopez rakes in at rivaling competition "American Idol."
Whether Cowell wants to admit it, the search to find his new judges couldn’t have been an easy one. A swath of mega-selling pop divas will be busy touring this year, so Madonna, Cher, Celine Dion (she has a Vegas residency) and Jackson are automatically out. Jackson was long rumored to be in talks to take a seat, but last week she announced that despite being flattered by the attention, it was impossible for her to do the gig because of film and touring commitments. There were also reports that before her death Whitney Houston was considering throwing her name in the hat and wanted to meet with Cowell.
Not that we don’t have faith in Spears. Like Lopez and Abdul, she absolutely knows what it takes to be a successful pop star, but it's difficult to picture her judging a singing competition. Some will argue she’s unfit to judge because of her knack for lip-syncing onstage, but the major concern lies in how Spears would hold up with offering off-the-cuff criticism and bantering with her fellow judges on a weekly basis -- on live television nonetheless.
With a formal judging announcement expected soon, Pop & Hiss offers Cowell a little bit of unsolicited advice just in case Spears falls through. Here are seven bold-named divas Cowell and Co. should consider:
Pink: She fought executive and "X Factor" judge L.A. Reid tooth and nail to support her desires to switch to a more pop-rock edge after her urban-leaning debut (she proved to be right). Viewers already know the well-publicized story by now, but we hope the two of them sitting next to one another would lead to snarky bickering and a competitive spirit that would benefit the viewers and their respective artists.
Mariah Carey: Carey has remained one of the rumored talents Cowell has his eyes on. She was actually supposed to help Cowell pick his finalists last season and the multi-octave diva would be a perfect fit for the show. Unlike Sherzinger, she has the profile (and the raw talent) to back up her diva antics. Also, watch any of her QVC appearances to see how loose and lively she gets without a script.
Faith Hill: For some reason these shows routinely lean on pop stars to dole out advice, and completely miss the country market –- something “The Voice” got right. Getting a country diva could be the thing to give the show a broader appeal. Country crooners typically fare well on “Idol," and Hill could have polished “X Factor” country-pop outfit Lakoda Rayne a lot sooner than Abdul did. If Miranda Lambert wasn’t hitched to “Voice” judge Blake Shelton, her prowess on the charts could have made her a draw for viewers.
Shakira: One of “X Factor’s” biggest strength and weakness is dividing their categories among the judges (boys, girls, over 30 contestants and groups). Where Sherzinger got overwhelmed with her older than 30 group last season, someone as versatile as Shakira could flourish. She has a perfect stage presence, and where a great deal of acts got swallowed up by “X Factor’s” massive production values, Shakira could no doubt help contestants use the stage to their benefit.
Mary J. Blige: “Idol” viewers got a glimpse of how well Blige can nurture talent this week when she offered the contestants vocal tips, and got it right every time. Where Christina Aguilera usually lets her ego get in the way of mentoring on “The Voice,” Blige is one of the few divas who would check hers at the door.
Diana Ross: The schedule of these singing competitions is a logistical nightmare. A talent as big as Ross, however, doesn’t have to keep a rigorous touring schedule, and although she’s currently on the road now she could pair audition dates with tour commitments before settling down for the live shows. An admittedly ambitious addition to this wish list, getting a seasoned diva whom people still care about (keywords: still care about) would be another dose of credibility.
Alicia Keys: Getting someone like Keys –- a piano virtuoso, deft songwriter and Grammy darling -- would ultimately benefit the contestants. Keys seems as if she would meticulously groom the contestants into superstars and that’s always fun for the viewers at home. She’d also be able to take Cowell to task if he gets lippy, and he always does.
From the day The X Factor let go of their two judges, Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger, rumors and stories have been running rampant as to who will be the new judges in the next season. Simon Cowell revealed that Paula and Nicole would be replaced by two women, so quickly names began being thrown around… Mariah Carey? Britney Spears? Janet Jackson? Earlier this month, we learned that Simon Cowell was considering hiring Whitney Houston as a judge on The X Factor before she tragically passed away on the 11th. Yesterday we learned that Janet was offered the position but she turned it down. Do you think one of the other ladies will get it, or will it be a new name thrown into the works?
A few weeks ago when Janet was on the Anderson Cooper show she set the rumors on fire when she became shy and coy when questioned about it. Janet has now come out and said that she was “very flattered that X Factor let me know that I was being considered for next season, but it just wouldn’t be possible.” So it seems, Janet may not have been actually offered the position as judge, but found out that the producers were considering her for the role… The rumors that were sparked from Anderson Cooper’s interview were very believable, but Janet’s team said yesterday that, “there have been absolutely no meetings between Janet and anyone with regard to X-Factor” so it seems it was all just rumors, and some great tactical acting from Janet.
The story that went around after Janet though was that it was our dear, Britney Spears, who will be joining as the new judge. Apparently, Brit has shown interest in the X Factor gig and reached out to producers, but it is all just rumors at this stage. There was also Fergie Ferg’s name thrown around so it’s anyone’s guess at this stage. It seems as though Janet is out of the ring though. I wasn’t sure that she was right for the role, but now that all this dialogue has started about who will be new judges I wanna know who it is… don’t you?
Janet Jackson is in talks to become a judge on the next season of The X Factor. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the singer is one of a handful of top female pop stars, including Katy Perry and Pink, on producer and lead judge Simon Cowell's list as a potential replacement for Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger, who were dismissed from the show after one season.
Jackson tiptoed around the issue in an interview with Anderson Cooper yesterday, telling the host that she is not a judge on X Factor but "that's all I really think I should say" on the topic. The Hollywood Reporter reported that Whitney Houston was approached to join the show just before her death last weekend.
Simon Cowell has revealed he would love to hold a sing-off between the next winners of The X Factor USA, American Idol and The Voice.
The music mogul made the suggestion on Twitter, stating that he would like to see who would be crowned the ultimate US talent show contestant in a head-to-head final.
Teasing the second season of The X Factor USA, SiCo tweeted: "We have a few surprises to announce soon. This is getting interesting...
"Maybe the winner of @TheXFactorUSA this yr should compete with winner of The Voice & Idol in a super final. Just a thought. I'd be up for it."
In response to Cowell's post, Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe seemed to poke fun at SiCo's idea, writing on his official page: "@simoncowell suggests the IDOL winner should take on the Voice and X-Factor winners. The problem is the Idol winner will be a star by then."
Following the departure of X Factor USA judges Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul, Janet Jackson is the latest name to be linked to the show.
The Hollywood Reporter claims that Michael Jackson's sister and the show producers are in the early stages of discussing the role, with Janet refusing to confirm the rumours during an interview with Anderson Cooper earlier this week.
PAULA Abdul has been given her pink slip!
According to TMZ, the former singer has been fired from her role as a judge on X Factor!
Even though show honcho Simon Cowell personally recruited Paula after she was booted from American Idol, she got news of her dismissal from a lawyer connected with the show, and has yet to hear from Simon.
Fox confirmed Monday that Nicole Scherzinger was also off the show.
Steve Jones recently confirmed he’s leaving as host of the show.
The top 3 finalists, Josh Krajcik, Melanie Amaro and Chris Rene perform on 'The X Factor.'Michael Becker / FOX
Simon Cowell and his cohorts began scouring the country six months ago, on a quest to find musicians imbued with that certain je ne sais quois he and his fellow judges dubbed The X Factor. Thousands and thousands of eager singers heeded the call, showing up to auditions in record numbers all over the country. Although those teeming masses of contestants were initially whittled down to a comparatively lean 164, there were only three remaining at the start of last night's finale. Now there's just Melanie Amaro, the winner of the show, chosen by America. While it's clear how the show concluded, Rolling Stone still had some lingering questions for the final three.
Josh Krajcik
You seem really at peace with the outcome.
Second place is not a bad place to be. My goal in my career is not $5 million. My goal is to make fantastic records, and perhaps win a Grammy. I'm really happy for Melanie. She's a good kid.So you're not going to start watching American Idol out of spite?
No. I never would have done Idol. It didn't feel right. Something about The X Factor made sense, and I think it's simply fate.Are there any songs you didn't sing that you wish you would have?
Yeah, I wish I would have sang some more soul classics – some Marvin Gaye, some Otis [Redding], some Sam Cooke. Those are really fun to sing, and I wanted to kind of do more of that.Are there any songs you did sing that wish you wouldn't have?
The ensemble performances. If I could've never done those, I'd have been happy. It was my own head that made them bad, though. They ended up, in a way, being fun – in hindsight. There's nothing I regret doing on this show.You had a lot of different hairstyles on the show. Did you pick up any secrets?
Absolutely. Ken Paves and Pierce Austin were my guys. Ken said – and I didn't know this – he said, "Don't condition all the way through. Just condition the ends." Because then it gets all oily on the scalp. A side of vinegar on the scalp is good. Unbelievable. I didn't know squat about hair. I didn't know this stuff. Believe it or not, they've cut more than seven or eight inches off my hair over the course of the show.Chris Rene
What have you learned from being on The X Factor?
Oh, my God. I've learned so much. I've learned things from all you guys. I've learned things from everyone I've met and had relationships with on this journey.How are you going to celebrate being done with this show?
I'm going to eat a lot of food with my family.Four words: Young Homie Children's Wear. Your thoughts . . .
That's kind of cool. It's possible.Is there anyone you'd have rather done your duet with on Wednesday?
Other than Avril Lavigne? Nope.Last time we spoke, you mentioned you might want to be slapped around by Nicole Scherzinger. Have you asked her out yet?
(Smiles and holds a finger up to his lips)Melanie Amaro
Do you have any advice for contestants trying out next year?
Believe in yourself, do not give up, and when you get a "no," continue to fight, because I got "no"s. Trust me, I got "no"s. But I just have to believe in myself and move forward, and it will be okay.After your duet with R. Kelly, did he say anything that we should know about?
He told me to just continue to do what I love, which is the best advice anyone can get. Just continue to follow your dream.Do you feel vindicated now for when Simon dismissed you early on?
I felt as though I was given an equal opportunity the same as anyone else. I feel as though he made a mistake, and he made up for it, and he came back and got me, and I am so, so happy and so thrilled to be able to have that second chance.You are 19 years old. If I were to ask you to say, "I'm going to Disneyland," would you have any idea what I was talking about?
No. What do you mean?Are there any favorite songs you didn't get a chance to sing on the show?
There were a few, but I'll probably just get them on the album or something.
Media Take Out reports that Astro has been signed with Jay-Z’s record label Roc-Nation. The site says that the label is working feverishly to get Astro on to Willow Smith’s new track.
OMG I hope this is true! Did you guys notice Astro’s demeanor last night on The X Factor elimination show? He was very calm! Looks like he knew something we didn’t know. What do you guys think?
From MTO:
Jay-Z, thirteen time grammy award winner, former CEO of Def Jam Recordings and founder of Roc-Nation said, ” I first heard about this exciting new talent and decide to watch some of his performances. Jay-Z goes on to say, “Not only was I impressed with his performances, but to see the confidence he sang with, his lyrics and diction were on point.”
American viewers have chosen the three singers who will compete in the finals of "The X Factor" after a first season that underwhelmed critics and raised questions about audience fatigue ahead of returning TV contests "American Idol" and "The Voice."
Power ballad singer Melanie Amaro, 19, bluesy Josh Krajcik, 30, and troubled rapper Chris Rene, 28, will sing for a $5 million recording contract in next week's two-part finale of the Fox show.
But after major hype from creator and judge Simon Cowell -- who had initially predicted "X Factor" would replace "American Idol" as the most-watched show on U.S. television -- the program's bickering mentor-judges, big production numbers and flashing lights has left many critics scratching their heads.
"As a viewer, it is agonizing to watch and just so fake that none of it is compelling, " said Annie Barrett, who covers "X Factor" for Entertainment Weekly.
"Everything is a gimmick. It is a glossy, shiny version of a reality show that might give you a seizure because of all the lasers and lights," Barrett told Reuters.
Thursday's semi-final, in which 20-year-old hopeful Marcus Canty was eliminated, drew 9.6 million viewers -- below the audience for a repeat of CBS comedy "The Big Bang Theory" and less than half the regular audience for "American Idol" earlier this year.
Fox executives say they are happy with the viewer numbers, especially among teens, and the show has helped the network reverse its historically patchy fall ratings in the 18-49 viewer group most coveted by advertisers.
Fox has already ordered a second season for the fall of 2012, calling "X Factor" a "monumental success."
CRYING FOR CROW
Andy Dehnart, editor of realityblurred.com, said that for all the new tweaks in the singing contest formula, few were for the better.
"There is no real national buzz about it. I don't think 'X Factor' has broken through the zeitgeist in the same way as 'American Idol'," said Dehnart.
Indeed, it seems the first season's most memorable moment came a week ago when bubbly 13-year-old Rachel Crow collapsed in tears on being sent home, sparking viewer outrage against judge Nicole Scherzinger.
Whoever wins after public votes are announced next Thursday, Cowell's hopes of discovering a new global singing star -- who will be signed to his Sony Music-owned record label SyCo -- may be dashed.
None of the instantly downloadable songs from this week's semi-final were in the Top 50 iTunes singles charts on Friday.
"I don't see anyone here who is going to be the next Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood, which is what the show claimed it was going to do," said Dehnart.
Barrett said that four months of "X Factor" twice a week had made her appreciate "American Idol".
But with NBC's surprise hit "The Voice" returning in February and "Idol's" 11th season beginning in mid-January on Fox, Americans may soon lose their appetite for lengthy singing contests.
"I do think there will be some fatigue going into next season with both 'American Idol' and 'The Voice.' Two nights a week is a huge commitment," Barrett said.
But Dehnart was more optimistic. "If we are going to see any kind of fatigue with this kind of show, it is going to show up now. But I wouldn't be surprised if they all work on their own level."
