Britney Spears, Demi Lovato to join judges panel on 'X Factor' this fall
BY RITA SHERROW World Television Editor
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
5/15/12 at 10:02 AM
Oh baby, baby. It’s official.
Fox confirmed Monday that pop icon Britney Spears and former Disney star/singer Demi Lovato have signed on for the second season of "The X Factor."
The announcement was made at the network’s upfront presentations in New York. Spears and Lovato will be joining L.A. Reid and Simon Cowell on the judges panel in the fall.
"I'm absolutely delighted Britney and Demi are joining us," said Cowell at the event. "Britney remains one of the biggest stars in the world, she's talented, fascinating - and I believe she knows exactly how to spot 'The X Factor.'
"Demi's had an amazing career in music, TV and film for someone her age. She's young, confident, and enthusiastic. I think it's really important that she speaks to our younger audience. The new panel will be dynamic and will work really well with the changes we are making to the show."
Spears will be paid an estimated $15 million while 18-year-old Lovato will receive approximately $1 million and has reportedly changed her tour schedule to accomodate “X Factor” auditions this summer.
They replace judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger who were fired along with host Steve Jones after ratings for the debut season of the reality singing competition's ratings didn’t meet expectations last fall.
The show features singers and vocal groups, ages 12 and up, performing for a chance to win a $5 million recording contract.
International pop star Spears has sold nearly 100 million albums sold worldwide and received numerous awards, including the 2011 MTV Video Vanguard Award and Billboard's Best-Selling Female Artist of the Decade (1998-2008). She has earned a total of five No. 1 debut albums and 24 Top 40 songs in her career.
Lovato, who starred in the cable series "Sonny with a Chance" and the TV movies "Camp Rock" and the "Princess Protection Program," saw the single, "Skyscraper," off of her most recent album, "Unbroken," go platinum and the video for her new single, "Give Your Heart a Break," already has drawn 10 million YouTube views. Her first album, "Don't Forget," debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart and her second album, "Here We Go Again," debuted at No. 1. This year, she received a People's Choice Award for Favorite Pop Artist and she will kick off a 21-date U.S. tour this summer.
Associated Images:
Demi Lovato
FOX
Britney Spears
Courtesy of Management Artists Syndication
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