“Be careful what you wish for,” Simon Cowell confesses in regards to The X Factor season 3 changes. He’s referencing the judging panel that makes him the sole male sitting with returning judge Demi Lovato and new additions Paulina Rubio and Kelly Rowland.
Rubio is hailed as one of the most influential contemporary Latin artists whose sold more than 20 million records worldwide and released 10 studio albums. Rowland is best known for being a member of Destiny’s Child, as well as her three successful studio albums. Cowell says he’s bored with male judges and welcomed the change.
“We said at the time, it’s a girls’ world at the moment in the music business,“ Cowell says. “So many girls doing so well in the charts, we thought the panel should reflect it.”
But it was more than just changing just to change. Ratings were down and the show lacked the initial buzz and energy it had the first season, and competition was increasing (think The Voice). “I felt that what we were doing was similar to what everybody was doing,” Cowell admits. “I’m being honest with you. And I had this impatience to get on to Season 3 so that we could do what I wanted to do.”
The prizing structure for the winner for The X Factor is modified from seasons past, the winner receives a recording contract with Sony. “They become a number one priority. And we think that’s a more reasonable figure now. But, like I said, I don’t very often offer out $1 million recording contracts.”
