Sunday 20 March 2011

Simon Cowell Announces First 'X Factor' Judge.

Simon Cowell's reality show The X Factor is slowly but surely making its way stateside, and a big development was revealed today: Antonio "L.A." Reid will be a judge!

The former Chairman of Island Def Jam Records will join Cowell on the judges panel on the new FOX series when the show premieres this fall. A lot of names have been tossed around for the judges positions, like Paula Abdul and Cheryl Cole, but Simon says L.A. was his top pick.

"L.A. was my number one choice to sit alongside me on the show," Cowell said (via Us magazine). "In my opinion, he is one of the greatest ever music executives and of course a fantastic writer and producer. I am thrilled he has agreed to join the show, and for any artist auditioning, they know they have the chance to meet a true star-maker."

As an exec at Def Jam, Reid helped launch the careers of stars like Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Mariah Carey. He's also won three Grammys and 33 of his songs have reached the top of the charts.

"I am proud to stand next to my dear friend Simon, one of the world’s most gifted and charismatic talent magnets," Reid said. "The X Factor provides an extraordinary opportunity for aspiring artists of every age and genre to showcase their unique talents. I truly look forward to discovering our next generation of superstars."

The TV talent show, which is already a big hit in the UK, will come to the states in the fall and will award the big winner with a $5 million recording contract from Simon's Syco/SonyMusic imprint. Additional judges and the show's host will be revealed in the next few months.

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