Meet Mickey Mouse and friends live
Win a delicious wine cellar and VIP weekend to Hard Rock Calling at Hyde Park
Simon Cowell on the X Factor
'[the auditions are] like being told you are going to have to sit in the dentist's chair for six months and they have run out of anaesthetic' - oh Simon, tell us more...
How do you feel about being back on The X Factor?
Simon Cowell: Do you know what? It is amazing how quickly a year goes. I can remember being here this time last year, and suddenly a year goes like that and we are about to start the third series. But I am excited and cautiously optimistic.
Are there any surprises in store this year?
Simon Cowell: There will be lots of surprises. You always need to give the public what they want. The main emphasis is the main live show, it is going to be bigger, better, different and almost unrecognisable from last year - we have to up the ante for the third series.
What are you searching for this year?
Simon Cowell: Put it this way, I am not looking for what we were looking for last year, I think there has been a significant shift in what the public want and expect. So I am not looking for a traditional talent show competitor this year, I'm looking for someone different with a bit of originality.
Do you look forward to the audition process?
Simon Cowell: No I absolutely hate it! It is like being told you are going to have to sit in the dentist's chair for six months and they have run out of anaesthetic. It all sounds fun when you first go out on the road, but after two hours you hate it. But that is part of the process and one you have to go through to find the talent we do.
Do you prefer contestants who walk through the door with the whole package or would you rather have a raw talent you can work with?
Simon Cowell: Where I get frustrated is when they come in without any sense of direction whatsoever. They come in with no identity and not knowing who they are. If you have it, you have it, we can only do so much to improve them.
Do you get frustrated with the less talented contestants who audition when you are trying to find a star?
Simon Cowell: Every year, whether it is here or in America, you are looking for the best but you know that 90 - 95 per cent of the people who turn up are going to be terrible. But every one of them believes that they are the next big thing, and they are all going to hate you when you tell them they are useless.
Which category are you hoping to get this year?
Simon Cowell: The 16-24s is where the talent is this year. But there are a few people in the older category as well. But if the right selections are made along the way, this will be undoubtedly be the best crop we have ever had.
How is the competition between the judges?
Simon Cowell: The music and entertainment businesses are very competitive but throughout the audition process we all start off as best friends. Then suddenly you get to the live show and something takes over all of us. Even though it's about the artists, as a mentor you are passionate about wanting to win. Sharon is the worst funnily enough, she gets more competitive than any of us, but that is what I love about her.
What are the ingredients that make up the perfect star?
Simon Cowell: What I am looking for is somebody who is unique, different from anybody out there at the moment, and ideally you want somebody who is not just going to sell albums in this country but someone who is going to sell albums all over the world. Very rarely do we find an act like that, so that is what I am looking for this year.
printer friendly
send to a friend
Created: 11/09/2006 Updated: 11/09/2006
Delicious
Digg
reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Horoscopes| Message Boards | Quizzes | Newsletters | Join
iVillage Ltd is a UK company registered in England & Wales (3837269) at 80-110 New Oxford Street, London WC1 1HB
