Simon Cowell breaks silence on Midas Touch fears after Netflix show suffers setback
Simon Cowell has not had the best start to his new career move, with auditions for The Midas Touch reportedly struggling to attract crowds.
Media mogul Simon Cowell has confessed that his latest venture is "one of the scariest" things he's ever embarked on.
Simon, aged 64, is currently in the middle of auditions for The Midas Touch, his new project aimed at assembling a new boyband sensation.
This project is reminscent of Cowell's golden days with The X Factor, which skyrocketed One Direction to international fame, reports the Mirror.
A whole 14 years after Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, and Zayn Malik were famously grouped together on the renowned talent show, Simon now harbours concerns that the rise of social media may have transformed the playing field for emerging artists.
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The production of The Midas Touch, already secured by Netflix, has reportedly encountered early setbacks, with the initial audition stages in Gateshead being delayed.
Insider reports suggest that the preliminary try-outs in Liverpool saw a meagre turnout, with no more than 40 individuals seen queuing at any given time, as per The Sun. This is a stark contrast to the massive queues witnessed during the peak of The X Factor era.
In an interview with Hello!, Simon had openly admitted that launching The Midas Touch was "one of the scariest things I've ever done because I have no safety net."
He elaborated: "I used to do this 25 years ago, before social media, so now, everyone is in their bedrooms. Are they going to audition? I hope so."
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The music industry has undergone a transformation since Simon Cowell's X Factor heyday, with chart-toppers like Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter reshaping the pop landscape.
Yet, Simon remains convinced of the boyband's enduring appeal, asserting: "I've always believed everything is cyclical. If One Direction formed tomorrow and put their first single out now, I honestly think it would be more successful."
Simon disclosed that he still keeps in touch with some members of One Direction, mentioning that Harry Styles contacted him after his stint on the Diary of a CEO podcast hosted by Steven Bartlett.
He regards not securing the rights to the One Direction name as one of his "biggest regrets" in his career.
Fans eagerly anticipating Simon's new show, The Midas Touch, are in for an unexpected treat, according to TV insiders who hint at a radically different approach.
An insider said: "These auditions will not look like The X Factor in the slightest - no shiny desks, big productions or celebrity guests. It will be incredibly stripped back."
"Simon has amassed a team of real experts - songwriters, producers and AandR people - who he really trusts. Together they'll be chatting to the talent and trying to work out who should go through."
In a significant departure from his previous shows, Simon has acknowledged that there won't be a record deal included in the prize package. Consequently, the winners will have to harness their own charisma and talent to attract attention from record labels independently.