Why America should embrace Fifth Harmony

via glooce

 

It's been quite the hot minute since pop culture has glorified "girl power." At least that's what Simon Cowell thinks. The concept most recognizably takes the form of a young female pop group as it skyrockets to the top of the charts.

Now not since Beyonce decided Destiny had only one child, have we seen the rise of a talented world-famous girl group. That's why Cowell has manufactured one out of five quirky, talented, young vocalists from all over the country who auditioned for the current season of The X Factor. Together, Fifth Harmony are supplying a healthy dose of "girl power," and they best continue whether they win the reality TV singing competition or not.

Unlike the Spice Girls, another set of manufactured girl-empowered pop stars, the Fifth Harmony gals comes off as genuine despite their quickly increasing production value. Their rendition of Ellie Goulding's "Anything Could Happen" was like something you'd see at the VMAs. The dresses, the ballon table, the fairy waiters, everything was bombastically saccharine, reminiscent of Katy Perry's current cotton candy craze, yet it did not feel sticky nor cringe-worthy. In fact, if anything, whereas late 20-something Perry comes off ridiculous wearing cupcakes for bras, Fifth Harmony's princess-inspired performance was the epitome of age-appropriateness, their sweet sixteen.

The new girl group first made their pink-tinged splash performing for Cowell (and Marc Anthony?) at the producer's home. Considering the five girls originally auditioned as solo artists and proved their place in the preliminary sing-offs, it's no surprise their joined-force rendition of "Impossible" showed that behind the cutesy, girly personas were truly powerhouse singers with an affinity for catchy vocal stylings. It was X-Factor fate that these five super talented teens would one day join forces and perform. Perhaps reality TV does have its place as the only stage where stars this big ever come across each other's paths and join to become supernovas. How else would five star-quality singers meet and decide to pursue a recording contract?

Week after week to hear each Fifth Harmony member pull her weight in the vocal department was extremely gratifying, especially being truly discerning about not being enough talent currently on television. Britney Spears didn't deserve the $15 million salary to be an X-Factor judge, and Khloe Kardashian didn't deserve her 15 minutes of fame to play host.

And it's not just their impressive voices that sets them apart from girl group gone by. Fifth Harmony's girlish spark is a refreshing alternative to the current state of female pop star affairs. The last American girl group to gain fame was made up of one hyper-sexualized singer (who also recorded all the background vocals) surrounded by an actual horde of strippers. And as if that wasn't demeaning enough, the Pussycat Dolls inspired copy cats, the Dolls themselves the obviously unoriginal knock-off of the sleazy Vegas burlesque show by the same name, setting up a debased template for how girl groups should be.

In their X-Factor live shows, Fifth Harmony has chosen to perform songs about first love, heartbreak, friendship and... well, girl power. Twice they belted out songs originally performed by X-Factor judge Demi Lovato. In both instances, Lovato confessed the five singers did a better job, as if the songs were written specifically for them. Which makes sense seeing how Disney-fit Fifth Harmony is.

In that sense, Fifth Harmony is modeled more similar to the British girl group tradition, responsible for initiating the girl power wave with the Spice Girls. Unlike Aubrey O'Day and friends, you never saw the members of The Sugarbabes, Girls Aloud or All Saints use a stripper pole in their dance routines. (5h really are the new Girls Aloud!!!!!) More recently, X-Factor UK contestants Little Mix joined this sorority for the squeaky clean but quirky.

In a time when teen girls get promised national attention for getting pregnant rather than for following their dreams, and sex tapes seem to be the fast track to fame, the voices of Fifth Harmony deserve to be loud. We can only hope that, even if they go home next week, they will continue to make music. If only because I want my sisters to grow up knowing that it's not impossible for five talented 16-year-old girls to take over the world, big bows and all.



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Khloé Kardashian Dieted for X Factor Debut

via glooce

 

How did Khloé Kardashian prepare for her big debut this week as co-host of The X Factor?

One word. Diet.

"I tried to cut out a lot of sweets," Kardashian, 28, told reporters after Thursday's show. "And I love ... cheese. [Cheese] is not a sweet, but …. I don't care."

An admitted cheese-o-holic, she likes "cheese on anything, I don't care. … [I] binge eat," she says, then, with a laugh, adds, "and cry."

Kardashian does take shaping up seriously: "It's always going to be a lifelong thing for me. And I'm not where I want to be."

Still, she's gained some perspective. "When I used to do things like crash diets or things too fast, it never stuck because it wasn't a lifestyle change," she says. "So for this, I'm working out consistently like three to five days a week … It's been harder. But I'm just changing my diet slowly."

As for how she looked on the show, Simon Cowell went so far as to say on-air that her nipples were showing. How did Khloé feel about that?

"I didn't mind that he talked about it," she says. "because it was there! Like, if you didn't talk about it, it would have been weird."

Her wardrobe limitations could be blamed on Hurricane Sandy. "My stuff got stuck on the East Coast, so the top I wanted to wear came in that day. I was like, 'Oh, perfect' – and we didn't have time to do it full dress rehearsal."

The actual top "was lined with a nude lining," and "we double taped it," but "the first time I ever went onstage was when it was live! So Simon was looking at me and going like this [gestures pointing to her nipples], and I was ... covering it with my hair, and I thought, from my angle, maybe it was just ... nippily."


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Simon Cowell says X Factor US 2012 won't have wild card or winner over 25

via glooce

 

On October 30, 2012, "The X Factor" executive producer Simon Cowell did a very revealing telephone-conference call with journalists about "The X Factor" U.S.'s second season. I'll have the entire interview posted here in the next day or two, but here are a few of the things that he talked about during the Q&A session: Cowell thinks that no one over the age 25 has a chance of winning on the show this year. He also said that this year, there won't be a "wild card" contestant who will be brought back on the show.

Predictably, Cowell said that he thinks judge Britney Spears and co-host Khloe Kardashian were the right hiring decisions for "The X Factor' U.S. (although the show's downward spiral in the Season 2 ratings prove otherwise), but Cowell brushed off any questions about how concerned he might be about the show's ratings. Cowell admitted that he doesn't know yet how Spears and Kardashian will do in the live episodes (which begin on October 31, 2012, at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific Time) but he hopes that they will prove the naysayers wrong.

But you probably don't want to hear about some of the repetitive PR lines that Cowell has been saying in other interviews over the past several months.

Let's get to to good stuff. I'll include Cowell's full quotes later when I have more time, but for now, I'm reporting a summary of what he said.

Most-Wanted Category by the Judges

Cowell said that he thinks the Teens category (mentored by Spears) is the one that all of the judges wanted, and it's the category that all of the judges think is the biggest threat to win over the other categories. Cowell expressed confidence in his Groups category, but he admitted it's been tough for groups to win on "The X Factor." He thinks the finalist groups on the show in 2012 are much better than the finalist groups that were on the show in 2011. As for the Young Adults category (mentored by judge Demi Lovato), Cowell said they have some good candidates (particularly Jennel Garcia), but he doesn't think anyone will win from that category. He was blunt in saying that he thinks the Over 25s category (mentored by judge L.A. Reid) has "no chance" of winning.

Wild Card, Jillian Jensen and Jeffrey Gutt

There will be no "wild card" for "The X Factor" U.S. this year because Cowell said there isn't an eliminated contestant he feels strongly about bringing back on the show, like he did with Melanie Amaro in 2011.

He admitted that he thinks the contestant elimination that was the show's biggest mistake in 2012 was 36-year-old Jeffrey Gutt, because Cowell thinks Gutt is a better singer than a few of the contestants in the Over 25s category. (Cowell didn't say which contestants he thinks are inferior to Gutt.)

Cowell said that even though he knows that 20-year-old Jillian Jensen's elimination was controversial, he doesn't want her back on the show. He said he respects Lovato's decision to eliminate Jensen, and he thinks Lovato made the decision because things with Jensen were getting too "gloomy" (Cowell's word), and he agrees with Lovato's decision to choose someone she thinks is more entertaining than Jensen is. He emphasized that Lovato genuinely liked Jensen, and that Jensen was a good singer, but there were concerns about Jensen's personality. Although Cowell didn't really come right out and say it, he pretty much implied that Jensen's bullying sob story and her tendency to cry a lot was too much of a downer, and that was one of the reasons why she was cut from the show.

Girl Group is a Bunch of Difficult Divas

Cowell said that one of this year's girl groups (which he would not name in the interview) is arrogant, difficult and doesn't want to do interviews, and he's concerned about their "likability." Given that Sister C is the only one of his girl groups who has been described this way by Cowell on the show, and Spears called Sister C "annoying" in one episode, it's a safe bet that Cowell was talking about Sister C.

The other girl group that he's mentoring this year is Lylas, and Cowell hinted that they are his favorite group in his mentor category because he thinks they have the most potential (compared the other groups he's mentoring this year) of having hits after they're on "The X Factor." No one asked Cowell about the rumor that Lylas will be changing their name because another girl group named Lylas (whose members are sisters of pop star Bruno Mars) claim to have the legal use of the name. We'll have to wait and see if Lylas from "The X Factor" do change their name, because it's looking increasingly likely that they have no other legal option but to change the name.

Live Episodes

Cowell said that the judges (not viewer voting) will eliminate several contestants on November 1, 2012. He declined to say how many of the contestants will be eliminated on November 1, but he did say that viewer voting would begin on November 7, 2012.

He also mentioned that the elimination format leading up to the season finale will be the same as it was in 2011: The contestants in the bottom two will do a "save me" sing-off, and the judges will vote on which contestant to eliminate. If the judges have a deadlocked vote, the contestant eliminated will be the one who got the lowest number of votes from the public.

As for co-hosts Kardashian and Mario Lopez, Cowell said he initially wants them on stage together as much possible in the live episodes, but he won't rule out the possibility that later in the season, one of the co-hosts (probably Kardashian) will be backstage with the contestants while the other co-host will be in front on stage and will be the main person interacting with the judges.

He also admitted that Fox was too nervous about his idea to have two co-hosts who had no experience as TV hosts, and that is one of the main reasons why Lopez was hired. (Kardashian has no previous experience as a TV host, while Lopez has years of experience.)

Toward the end of the interview, Cowell concluded by saying he's expecting for there to be meltdowns during the live episodes.

Fox has not yet announced when the show's two-part Season 2 finale is, but it's widely assumed to be on December 19 and December 20, 2012.

Here are some things that Cowell did not discuss in the interview but are worth speculating about nif the show will do the season finale like it was done in 2011:

Part 1 of the season finale (presumably on December 19) should have the Top 3 contestants performing for the last time for the public's votes. Then in Part 2 of the season finale (presumably on December 20), the third-place contestant is announced, and then the runner-up and winner are announced.

So if one contestant is eliminated every week and there are supposed to be the Top 3 left on December 19, that means on November 1, there will be nine (or possibly 10) of the 16 contestants left who will advance to the November 7 show. There could be more than one elimination in the same episode in late November, just like there was in 2011. We'll have to wait and see.

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X Factor US to start live shows on Halloween

via glooce

Early conclusion of World Series allows Fox to bump up the reality singing competition.

Just as the Major League Baseball playoff schedule disrupted "The X Factor" earlier this season, its unexpectedly fast conclusion on Sunday has once again affected the singing competition — but this time, in a more positive fashion.

According to the show's Facebook page, the early finish of the World Series — with the San Francisco Giants sweeping the Detroit Tigers in four games — has led Fox executives to move up the start of the highly anticipated live shows from Thursday to Wednesday, with "X Factor" set to resume its previously scheduled Wednesday/Thursday two-day airing pattern.

In addition to the start of the live performances, Wednesday's show will also feature the debut of new hosts Khloé Kardashian and Mario Lopez. Kardashian and Lopez will take the stage to introduce the top 16 acts, divided into four categories — Teens, Over 25's, Groups and Young Adults — who will perform for Simon Cowell, Demi Lovato, Britney Spears and L.A. Reid. Thursday's show will feature the announcement of the still-to-be-determined number of top finalists, whittled from the top 16, who will return the following week to face America's vote.

Fox will air a repeat of the end of the Judges' Homes round and the Top 16 announcement Monday night (October 29) at 8 p.m. Later in the evening, look out for Cowell and Spears to tout their groups via an appearance on "The Tonight Show."

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Britney Spears gets good reviews for her X Factor Usa judging position

Via Glooce

Entertainment Weekly: 'X Factor': Britney brings the joy and the pain



The X Factor could hardly have done better in enlisting Britney Spears as a new arbiter of who can cram the most notes into a musical phrase. Spears embodies as much of that indefinable quality that lifts a singer into super-duper-stardom, plus… well, she’s Britney, which means she brings to any professional endeavor that mixture of sweetness, shrewdness, nervous energy, unpretentiousness, and, occasionally, defiance that only finds its full flower when she’s trying most earnestly to be a surrogate for the masses. Which is what she managed to do on her X Factor debut, even while she was being treated like pop royalty. 


It built to her. She did just fine, rattling off a variety of “No”s to the punching-bag mediocrities the producers let in for comic relief, and offering sensibly measured praise and a few out-and-out raves the rest of the time. In other words, she didn’t overdo it, she looked comfortable, and I’m including the moment when she was confronted with an old duet partner, Don Philip, whose voice was shot.

rest of review here http://watching-tv.ew.com/2012/09/12/x-factor-britney-spears/



People magazine: Spears has a lot of Charm on the X Factor



It's good to have Britney Spears back. She's a star, whatever her ups and downs, and the originator of some of the most iconic pop images of the past 20 years. Yes, it's always good to know Britney is in the house. Or simply a house.

Or even The X Factor. 

Spears still has a lot of charm in her expressive mouth – she has a great mouth, actually – and eyes that easily convey whatever emotion the moment requires. She has simple, undeniable physicality.

rest of review here http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20629628,00.html




NY Post: Major ‘Factors’



But the pop diva was at the top of her game last night — and for 15 million big ones, she had better be. Looking a bit banged up, but sounding smart and decisive, Spears easily slipped into the Paula role without making viewers resent that she had snatched the seat

Rest of review here: http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/wild_change_VyAlbi2cquknI2dajHQH7O#ixzz26Mm6NkRg




Entertainment Weekly 'The X Factor' recap: Britney Spears Gives Good Face




Now that I've been sing-humming "Toxic" for five hours, it's probably safe to start the recap.

Welcome, bitches, to Britney's new castle! Demi Lovato also lives there now, along with her father/brother figure and sex/romance consultant Simon Cowell. 

What I like about Britney on this show, besides everything, is her succinctness. She's brutally honest, never rambles, and -- if we're to believe the carefully edited clip series of some of her best letdowns -- often just says "No." one, two, or three times to get her point across.

http://tvrecaps.ew.com/recap/the-x-factor-season-2-premiere-britney-demi/




MTV: Britney Brings It



Britney brings it: Spears was full of bubbly compliments ("flawless," "amazing," "I think you are completely and utterly adorable") and harsh putdowns ("you need a new teacher," "I felt like I was listening to Alvin and the Chipmunks," "I really didn't get it," "no, no, no, no.") She also wasn't afraid to mix it up with rude, terrible singers and provide a gallery of classic horrified/elated faces. But the pained, confused look on her face and her real talk assessment of former duet partner Don Philip's audition provided one of the realest moments on "Factor," or any competing show, in recent memory. "Your voice really isn't up to the bar of the standards of the 'X Factor' and what we want," she told him.

Rest of review:
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1693752/demi-lovato-britney-spears-x-factor-premiere.jhtml



Billboard: Britney Offers Breathless Critiques Throughout Premiere




Britney Spears got down to business in her "X Factor" debut Wednesday night, dispensing blunt-but-fair rulings on some singers, cheery encouragement to others and even weathering a sad encounter with an old duet partner who was clearly past his prime.

Throughout the two-hour premiere on Fox, Spears cast off her vacant-eyed reputation and showed herself to be a pro at delivering the kind of deliberate, tough-to-swallow feedback that often goes unsaid during these kinds of reality competitions. During an early montage of her best zingers, Spears and the word "no" became pals, and she was blunt with oddities like 50-year-old Shawn Armenta, after he sang his own composition "Candy Girls."

rest of review here http://www.billboard.com/column/reality-check/britney-spears-crushes-old-duet-partner-1007948552.story#/column/reality-check/britney-spears-crushes-old-duet-partner-1007948552.story


The Star: The X Factor premiere recap: Britney Spears, Demi Lovato make impressive debut 



Well played, Simon Cowell, well played.

Of course, one of the reasons Cowell is a gazillionaire is his ability to spot talent, whether in the music business or on TV shows.

The X Factor mastermind saw something in Britney Spears the rest of us were missing.

Granted we’re only into the first audition show, but I was buying what Spears was selling. And that was a direct, unsentimental approach to judging.

Paula and Nicole who?

rest of review here http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/television/article/1255959--the-x-factor-premiere-recap-britney-spears-demi-lovato-make-impressive-debut




IVillage: She may not have nice things to say about everybody, but the Queen of Pop was an honest -- and entertaining -- judge!




"You're very good at this," Simon Cowell told Britney Spears at one point during the premiere of The X Factor (Fox, Wednesday and Thursdays, 8 p.m. ET). And he was right. 

The much hyped premiere -- typical for a Cowell affair -- placed a lot of focus on Spears, the most iconic (and expensive) member of his new judging panel. The first episode showcased a carefully calculated revamp, including a documentary-style feel in the segments prior to the auditions. But the addition of Spears (and to a slightly lesser extent, the bubbly Demi Lovato) was Cowell's ace in the hole.

When the four judges -- Cowell, L.A. Reid, Spears and Lovato -- took the stage, Spears was introduced last. And the camera's careful attention to her made it clear: Lovato is a fun, feisty spitfire, but Spears' opinions are the most valued. And happily, the 30-year-old pop icon rose to the challenge.


Read More http://www.ivillage.com/x-factor-premieres-how-did-britney-spears-do-judge/1-a-486978#ixzz26N9qKOwQ




Washington Times: Britney Spears: Singer rules as 'X Factor' judge 



Judge Britney Spears is in control on “The X Factor.”

During the season debut airing Wednesday on Fox, the audience cheers her; Simon Cowell defers to her; and Miss Spears is crisp, if not a wit, in her contestant verdicts.

We get the pop princess who knows how to hold the spotlight, not the young woman who has struggled in her personal life, in the taped premiere of “X Factor.” Live episodes start airing in November.

Jitters may be making her matter-of-fact, and even stern, but she appears unlikely to morph into a Paula Abdul-style pushover even if she gets more comfortable. Her “X Factor” style: sleek, form-fitting dresses and an impressive array of frowns and surprised smiles.

Rest of review: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/sep/12/britney-spears-singer-judge-rules-x-factor/?page=1#ixzz26OWpFJub

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SIMON COWELL WANTS HARRY STYLES AND LOUIS TOMLINSON FOR X FACTOR JUDGING ROLE

Via Glooce

Simon Cowell has revealed that he thinks Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson would make great additions to The X Factor judging panel.

The One Direction lads appeared as guest mentors on the Australian version of the show in footage screened yesterday, prompting one journalist to ask Simon which member of the boyband he'd like to see as a permanant judge on The X Factor panel.

Speaking at the launch of The X Factor USA in Los Angeles, Uncle Si replied: "It would probably be between Louis and Harry," before turning to Demi Lovato and joking: "Demi, you would probably choose Niall."

We're sure Luigi and Hazman are well chuffed at Simon's choice - although personally we're not sure Louis Walsh could handle the Sass Pony, were he ever to join the UK panel.

The Niall-Demi joke did make us giggle though - it reminded us of the grilling Simon gave Demi over her friendship with Goldilocks - were he asked: 'Have you kissed him?'

We say put all five boys on a panel, and just watch the magic happen. Go on Si, DO IT.

Which member of 1D do you think would make the best judge? 


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X Factor Judges on The cover of TV GUIDE

Via Glooce

Empty pizza boxes and Pepsi cans litter the floor of Miami's Fillmore Theater as weary contestants struggle to keep their eyes open and voices on pitch. It's Day 3 of The X Factor's second-season boot camp — and it's also a reboot camp for the Fox reality competition, which struggled to find its voice after being imported from the U.K. last September.

A new panel of judges enters the theater and takes their seats: acerbic Brit and X Factor creator Simon Cowell, global pop superstar Britney Spears, former Disney star Demi Lovato and record exec L.A. Reid. Even with new table mates, Cowell is still the same old Simon. "Arguably one of the worst things I've ever heard," he tells a group of dejected boys after their performance. "Shambles. It was a joke."

Cowell and Lovato banter like brother and sister, but Spears remains relatively quiet until an energetic rendition of Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby" gets her moving and elicits heaps of praise. "You guys were so good, I wanted to cry!" she gushes. "I wanted to jump on the stage with you." And when a panic attack freezes another young boy, Cowell calls "Cut!" consults with producers and heads backstage with Reid to give a pep talk. "We had a word with him," Cowell tells the other members of the boy's group. "Give it 10 or 15 minutes and make it feel like there's no pressure." When the singer returns, the judges are pleased and Cowell and Spears high-five.

The judges have reason to celebrate now that they're finding their groove following a
tumultuous off season. After winner Melanie Amaro was crowned last December, Cowell canned judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger, as well as host Steve Jones. With the additions of Lovato, 20, and Spears, 30, Cowell is emphasizing a more youthful tone, made most evident by changing last year's over-thirties category to singers 25 and up, to compete with the groups and two more categories still to be determined. "We have to make this event television," insists Cowell as the quartet gather backstage to discuss the show's new faces, format changes and their heavyweight competition this fall.


TV Guide Magazine: What was missing last season that you've fixed with this new panel?
Cowell: I think there was too much history with me and Paula. I adore her...but it just felt like that relationship was too steeped in American Idol history. With these shows, you can never be complacent. Whenever we choose a panel, you've got to be interesting and you've got to know what a star is.
Reid: I think Simon really nailed it. In the time that I've spent with both Britney and Demi, I'm impressed with their ability to really identify greatness and talent.

TV Guide Magazine: Britney, what was your reaction when Simon offered you the job?
Spears: He was absolutely adorable on the phone, and he is so sweet. My makeup artist used to do his makeup, and we were joking around about me doing it. So I guess it was one of those meant-to-be things.

TV Guide Magazine: And Demi, what was behind your decision to join?
Lovato: I really feel like being the first young judge on any of these vocal competition shows is a lot of pressure, but at the same time, it's great because I get to bring in a perspective from the audience that's around my age. I was nervous at first because it's not like I have the experience that L.A., Simon and Britney have. But I know how hard people have to work to get to where they want to be, and I can spot somebody who has talent and who's memorable and could be a pop star.
Spears: She's a very good judge.
Lovato: Thank you! I'm tough and I'm fair.
Spears: She toughens me up! Sometimes I listen to you and I'm like, "Oh, God, I've got to be a little stronger."
Cowell: There have been many times when L.A. and I have been the nice, sweet ones.
Lovato: We've done so much to get here. If you want to get here, you've got to put in the work. So I think that's why I'm a little tougher and why Britney's a little tougher. We don't give the horrific metaphors that Simon gives.
Cowell: You think it, though.
Lovato: I think it, but I will not say it.
Reid: That's the Simon magic. He says it and everybody's thinking, "Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking, but I just couldn't have said it that way."

TV Guide Magazine: What do you think viewers will be surprised to learn about you?
Lovato: I've said from Day 1, when [Britney] stepped on set, how funny she is. I don't think a lot of people have gotten to see her personality and her sense of humor.
Spears: The same about Demi. Even though she's really young, she has such a sophistication about her. She's cooler than me.
Lovato: No, I'm not! Oh, my God!
Cowell: It's quite difficult sometimes when you've got singers judging other singers, because they can be selfish. And I've watched this very carefully; these two want to find a star.

TV Guide Magazine: If The X Factor was around when you were both starting your careers, would you have auditioned?
Spears: Absolutely.
Lovato: And she would have won!
Cowell: I couldn't imagine trying to mentor these two. "Can you do this?" "No." "Will you listen to me?" "No."
Lovato: We would fight, totally. Actually, I think that when I was a little younger, I would just have taken it from Simon. And now, he's a coworker and he's fun. Actually, you're my boss, you're not a coworker.
Cowell: Yeah, I'm your boss now!

For more with The X Factor judges, pick up this week's issue of TV Guide Magazine on newsstands Thursday, August 23!

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