Hot Music Beat

Sting had some choice words for Simon Cowell and his show The X Factor, including the “appalling”, “bland” and “soulless”. The singer said “It’s a preposterous show, and you have judges who have no recognizable talent apart from self-promotion. Basically I was looking at televised karaoke where they conform to stereotypes. It is a soap opera which has nothing to do with music.” Simon shot back with a jab of his own followed by a joking invitation for the singer to appear on the show. Sting couldn’t take a joke and replied with “I wouldn’t get on The X Factor because I don’t sound like anyone they’re after. I sound like myself. I think they are basically aping pre-existing stereotypes of what singers should do and they’re not being themselves.”

Jedward will take the floor of The X Factor with Wham! – aka George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley – hit songs.

The 1980s medley, which is expected to include I’m Your Man or Wham Rap!, was noted by The Daily Mail to have the potential to “disguise their off-key voices”.

Wham Rap!, the paper claimed, was the perfect track for John and Edward Grimes, who prefer rapping over singing. Leather-jacketed Wham! sent it to number 18 on the charts in 1983.

George Michael is tipped to make a surprise appearance at the Saturday night show, while Mariah Carey and Susan Boyle will perform on Sunday night. Ratings should soar.

Jedward this week drew controversy over an allegation it was rigged by muted sound that was ordered by the show’s bosses and its own revelations of a bullying past at a boarding school in Ireland.

John and Edward Grimes, aka Jedward, have been moved to make an apology to rival X-Factor competitor Lucie Jones, a report claims.

The twins, whose performance on the latest round of X-Factor saw them narrowly pushed ahead while the Welsh singer Jones fell out of the race, have said: “We feel bad.”

The comment comes after the flood of protest that hit the ITV network after Simon Cowell’s deciding vote gave them the round. “We’re so, so sorry that you didn’t get through, you are an amazing singer. We think you are going to have a brilliant career and we hope you won’t blame us. It’s been incredible to perform on the show, but the last thing we want to do is upset anyone,” said Jedward.

Jones for her part had commended the Jedward act for its ability after losing out. She said:”They felt guilty and unnecessarily so. It is not their fault, they didn’t say to Simon ‘pick us, pick us’. They handled themselves very well. They were lovely and didn’t need to apologise.”

Co-judges Dannii Minogue and Cheryl Cole had supported her with their vote and Minogue, her mentor, was said today to be fuming with Cowell over the upset.

Cowell has lately found fault with Minogue and Cole for their judging and urged them to stop worrying about their fashion and on-screen image and start dishing out some constructive criticism. He maintained he had no idea what the public vote was when he made his deciding Jedward vote. He did say, however, that he knew the move would make him unpopular.

X Factor judge Simon Cowell has been called “Mr Coward” on an advertisement written on a van parked outside the X Factor house.

A van has been outside the house in north London where the remaining contestants are staying while they compete in the show.

It reads the message: “Is The X Factor turning into the Deadlock Factor Farce, Mr Coward! Singers need not apply… Let the studio audience decide in the future!”

Cowell has come under fire from fans of the show after he refused to send twins John and Edward home and put it back to the public vote.

The twins were then saved, and fellow contestant Lucie Jones was voted out.

Robbie Williams has decided to pull out of his performance at the MTV European Music Awards, citing scheduling conflicts. Well there goes his comeback. What? Is the singer too busy relapsing? I doubt he has much else going on anyway. Not only is he nominated for an award but he needs to do something to counteract his insane X Factor performance. Snap out of it man! Or was he too embarrassed to go back on stage because of that? And I thought that he was serious about getting his music career back on track. The only thing that could probably save him now is a Take That reunion and that’s saying a lot.

Leona Lewis has been crowned the Sexiest Vegetarian by PETA for the second year in a row. The X-Factor winner has been living the greens only lifestyle since the age of 12 and holds to the belief that animals aren’t ours to wear. The singer, who also happens to be working on a vegan clothing line, said “I am vegetarian so I don’t have clothes, shoes or bags made from leather or suede or any animal products. … I’m on a mission.” Now she is a true role model for everyone to look up to. She’s got beauty, talent, brains and she won’t give up her beliefs for anyone.

Talent show judge Simon Cowell will boost revenues for himself and others by millions of pounds by keeping the X-Factor voting lines open for an extra 24 hours, it has been reported.

The results show will be extended to Sunday night.

An insider reportedly said: “Lines will open during the show on Saturday and won’t close until the results on Sunday, which means lots of extra cash.”

ITV, Talkback Thames and SyCo, Cowell’s production company, will split the profits, it is said.

Other celeb judges on the show, Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue, bring in hefty sums and will command an extra £100,000 from the deal.

A rivalry between Cole and Minogue has drawn viewers, but Cowell recently said the two are now mending their feud.

Cole is said to be earning £900,000, while Minogue gets £750,000.

Source: Splash News

Simon Cowell’s mum said the music mogul was a “difficult child” when he was younger, she has revealed.

The 49-year-old, famous for his role as a judge on The X Factor and American Idol, is featured in a new documentary called Where Did It All Go Right?

His mum Julie Cowell, 82, said: “He was a difficult child, he knew what he wanted and sent you barmy getting it. He was one of these children who made up their mind from a very early age and was very competitive as a child.”

His brother Nicholas Cowell added: “Simon once reversed into the driveway and smashed into my dad’s car breaking the glass. He picked up the glass and dropped it at the front of the house.”

He added: “He then let off the handbrake of dad’s car and rolled it up to the glass and drove off. My mum was the last person to use dad’s car, so Simon suggested Mum has left the handbrake off!

He added: “We were always in trouble, always doing something.”

Source: Splash News

Leona Lewis is getting geared up to make her sophomore album and amongst the many people she’s working with, the X Factor champ will be joining forces with Girls Aloud song writing and producing team, Xenomania. Songwriter Miranda Cooper said “We are not going to change Leona’s style but it’s interesting for us to do something downbeat; tragic songs with a twist.” If they want to know what it’s like to make those types of songs, just try to go a back a bit on Justin Timberlake’s career. Those songs are what came to mind when Miranda talked about what they’re trying to do for Leona.