Simon Cowell is back — and he wants to create the next boy band 14 years after the success of One Direction.
“Every generation deserves a megastar boyband, and I don’t think there has been one to have the success of One Direction in over 14 years,” Cowell, 64, said in a press release on Tuesday, June 4. “The industry tends to focus on solo artists — so it usually takes someone from outside to put a group together. Nothing beats the fun of being in a group, touring the world and performing for thousands — and it’s also a brilliant launchpad for a solo career.”
While Cowell was a judge on The X Factor in the 2000s, he famously brought together Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Liam Payne to form One Direction in 2010. While the group went on hiatus in 2016, they all went on to pursue solo careers.
“A huge number of solo artists began their journey in a group and have achieved great success, including Beyoncé, Sir Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams and our very own One Direction,” he reflected. “Even artists who came from High School Musical were effectively launched from groups.”
Cowell added that forming a “great group” is like finding “lightning in a bottle” — and he’s hoping he’ll be lucky enough to strike twice. The singing competition judge put out a call to action on Tuesday with a billboard in London to announce his search for musicians for a new band.
“Simon needs you!” read the billboard, which also included a picture of Cowell’s face. “Future megastars wanted for new boy band. No time wasters.”
Cowell will host auditions across England and Ireland in July and August. He’ll make stops in Newcastle, Liverpool, London and Dublin. He is looking for “talented males aged 16-18 who possess the passion, charisma, and star quality to form the next boy band sensation.” Anyone interested in trying out for the group can fill out an application on Cowell’s website.
“There’s always a high degree of risk and I genuinely have no idea what’s going to happen! We might uncover an incredible group; we might not get there,” Cowell said in a statement. “What if no one shows up to auditions? That could be awkward. There is no guaranteed path to success — anything can happen, but that’s what’s exciting for me and that’s why I’m doing this.”
As of right now, there are no plans to film Cowell’s journey to create a new music group as part of a current television show. However, the search is being filmed for a potential documentary.
