Simon Cowell Admits He’s “Not Proud” of Past American Idol Critiques

by

Simon Cowell is reflecting on his harsh process in finding a superstar.  

The former American Idol judge has apologized for his behavior towards contestants during the show’s first seasons.

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Simon explained he didn’t intend to be unkind. He said his goal with the show was simply to discover talented artists to sign to his record label. He clarified that if contestants couldn’t sing, they were told quickly and directly, focusing on their lack of ability rather than offering false hope.

The 66-year-old, who was one of the original judges on the show with Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson from 2002 to 2010, explained that he was initially worried. He thought if they didn’t discover a truly talented contestant, the show might not be renewed.

I’ve always watched Simon, and honestly, he used to be really tough on contestants during auditions – he’d really tear them apart if he wasn’t impressed. He’s admitted now that he went a bit too far with that direct, sometimes harsh, feedback. It’s good to see him acknowledge that his approach wasn’t always the kindest.

I’m not happy with how I behaved back then, to be honest,” the creator of The X Factor said. “That’s why I’ve changed over the years. I avoid watching old clips online, so when I hear about them, I cringe. But on the bright side, those moments definitely helped make the shows incredibly popular around the world.

Simon, who has a son named Eric Powell, 11, with his fiancée Lauren Silverman, regrets his behavior in the past. He also feels that the show American Idol contributed to his harsh judging style by selectively editing footage to make it seem like he was easily frustrated with lengthy and uninteresting auditions.

He admitted he never enjoyed auditioning. He realized that even if he received many positive comments, the media would inevitably focus on any negative moments – specifically, times when he seemed unhappy. He acknowledged this pattern and simply apologized for it.

The judge has thought about how he judges before. He shared that his son actually encouraged him to be more gentle when he began working on America’s Got Talent in 2016.

He explained to Fox News in August 2022 that, as a father, he feels more understanding towards younger performers. He genuinely wants everyone to succeed, but gets disappointed when they struggle.

Keep reading to see where former American Idol contestants are now…

Kelly Clarkson, mother to River and Remy, has achieved incredible success since first appearing on American Idol in 2002. Based in New York, she’s won three Grammy Awards, topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart three times, served as a judge on NBC’s The Voice, and now hosts the popular and award-winning The Kelly Clarkson Show.

The runner-up from season two of the show shared two important things in September 2008: he announced the birth of his son, Parker, with his friend and music producer Jaymes Foster, and that this inspired him to publicly come out as gay. He explained on Good Morning America that he couldn’t teach his son to be dishonest or hide parts of himself, and he wanted to create a supportive environment where his son could be his true self.

Since then, this well-known singer with red hair moved from music into politics, even running for Congress in 2016. After the election, he released a documentary about his life. However, he hasn’t completely stopped making music, recently touring with season two winner Ruben Studdard in 2023 and 2024.

Ruben, the winner of season two of Idol, went on to achieve significant success, including a Grammy nomination and several popular albums. In 2013, he appeared as a contestant on The Biggest Loser, quickly becoming a favorite among viewers. Though eliminated twice, he gained valuable insights from the experience. Despite his career, Ruben has prioritized his personal life, maintaining a close friendship with Clay and finding lasting love with his wife, Kristin, who gave birth to their second child in 2024.

The season three champion recently expressed gratitude for her entire career path. In a December 2023 interview with TopMob News, she explained that success comes with challenges, saying, “You fall, you get back up.” She added that overcoming hardship – including twice losing everything and rebuilding her life – makes her current achievements even more meaningful.

Beyond her professional success, she’s also experienced personal joy, welcoming daughter Keziah with husband Kendall Taylor in 2021. She’s also a mother to her adult daughter, Zion, and was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for her work in The Color Purple remake. The North Carolina native shared that she wants to savor this moment, knowing how much effort she put into reaching this point.

Although she didn’t win season three of the competition, this musician has achieved incredible success! She won an Oscar for Dreamgirls in 2006 and a Grammy for her work in the 2017 adaptation of The Color Purple. She’s also been a judge on The Voice. Most recently, this mother to son David is launching her own talk show.

Carrie Underwood quickly became a pop culture icon the moment she appeared on Idol. She not only won season four, but has since become a leading figure in country music.

For over a decade, she also co-hosted the CMA Awards alongside Brad Paisley. Balancing her successful music career with her hosting responsibilities, Carrie is also a mother to two sons with her husband, retired hockey player Mike Fisher.

Carrie Underwood will be joining the judging panel of American Idol in 2024, taking over for Katy Perry.

The singer who finished second on season four of the show is now married and has four children—three sons and a daughter. Even after facing significant health issues in 2006, this Southern rock artist has continued to release successful albums since appearing on Idol.

Constantine, known for his powerful voice and memorable performance of “Bohemian Rhapsody” on season four of a popular show, transitioned seamlessly to Broadway, earning a Tony nomination for his role in Rock of Ages. The father of Malena, born in 2010, continued his stage career with a starring role in Rock & Roll Man in 2023.

Following his win on season five, the singer released a platinum-selling album and appeared in a Broadway production of Grease. In 2016, he transitioned to television, hosting State-Plate, a show centered around locally-sourced food. Despite his TV work, he still loves music and continues to perform in concerts.

Before Justin Bieber captivated fans, Katharine McPhee gained attention through what some called “McPheever,” which launched her career in both singing and acting. She’s best known for her roles in the musical drama Smash and the series Scorpion.

Married to music producer David Foster since 2019, Katharine is now a mother to their son, Rennie, who shows a natural talent for music. In a 2023 interview with TopMob News, she shared her hope that Rennie will become proficient in many instruments, just like his father. However, she emphasized that they’re letting him explore his interests naturally, saying, “We’re not pushing him. We’re just letting him do his thing.” She believes he’s well on his way to developing a strong musical foundation.

Following his appearance on American Idol, season five finalist Elliott, known for his song “Wait for You,” traveled to Angola. There, he teamed up with former Idol judge Kara DioGuardi to support Malaria No More. In 2010, Elliott also gained attention for surviving the earthquake in Chile and sharing his experience on Twitter. He continues to make music and is a father to Camilla, with Karen Cruz.

Kellie Pickler gained recognition after placing sixth on the fifth season of American Idol. She went on to star in the Hallmark movie Christmas in Graceland and received three Daytime Emmy nominations for her TV show, Pickler & Ben.

Following the tragic death of her husband, Kyle Jacobs, in February 2023, Pickler shared a valuable lesson he taught her. In difficult times, he advised her to simply “do nothing, just be still.” As she told People magazine in 2023, she is choosing to follow his guidance.

The winner of season six made a big impact in 2007, becoming the youngest female to ever win the competition. She followed up her win with a 35-city tour and, just a few years later, made her Broadway debut in the musical In the Heights. Her success continued, and in May 2018, she and Dana Isaiah welcomed their first son. Since then, she’s returned to Idol and competed on season 31 of Dancing With the Stars.

David, the season seven winner known for his hit song “Time of My Life,” has experienced success both on and off stage. In 2010, he traveled to Ethiopia with the United Nations to support their work empowering women. He also participated in the Race for Hope in Washington, D.C., raising money for brain cancer research in memory of his brother, Adam, who passed away in 2009. Married to Racheal Stump since 2015, David continues to tour and released his latest single, “TABOS,” in 2022.

Oh my gosh, you won’t BELIEVE this! After coming so close to winning season seven – seriously, that other David was so good, but still! – he dedicated two whole years to serving a mission in Chile with our Church. He came back in 2014 and thankfully kept performing, because I NEEDED his music! Then, in June 2021, he shared that he’s part of the LGBTQ+ community, and it was just… amazing. He posted on Instagram in October 2023 that it’s been a gorgeous journey learning to love himself, and he hopes seeing him live his truth will inspire others to do the same. Seriously, he’s everything! It makes me so happy to see him being so authentic.

While Adam Lambert received a lot of attention as a runner-up, season eight’s winner has been steadily successful with his second album, released in November 2009. The album debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200 chart, and his single “I Need to Know” was used in an episode of The Vampire Diaries. He’s also been busy growing his family, welcoming three children with his high school sweetheart, Katy O’Connell.

The runner-up from the eighth season of the show has truly become a superstar. Since appearing on the competition, he’s released multiple albums, gone on tour as a headliner, and received numerous award nominations. He’s even followed in the footsteps of Freddie Mercury by becoming the lead singer for Queen and starred in a remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He’s also returned to the show as a guest judge and kicked off the 2019 Oscars with a performance of Queen’s classic songs, “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions.”

Danny Gokey married Leyicet Peralta in 2012, following his appearance on season eight of American Idol. They now have four children together.

Danny Gokey, a three-time Grammy nominee, released the Christian music album Jesus People in 2021. He’s also the founder of Danny Gokey Eyewear, a brand specializing in eyewear.

Following his appearance as a top 10 finalist on the summer tour in 2010, the season nine winner began his career as a solo musician. He married model and actress Jonna Walsh in 2012, after meeting her while filming the music video for his first song after Idol. Today, he’s a successful singer-songwriter, and his music has even been featured on shows like The Walking Dead.

The rocker, who finished as a runner-up on season nine of a singing competition, married musician Brian Walker and released her debut album, Farmer’s Daughter, in December 2010. Although her record label closed down, she later made her acting debut on the second season of ABC’s Body of Proof.

In May 2013, she and her husband separated. Following their divorce, she described her second album, All That For This, as a fresh start and the beginning of a new phase in her life in an interview with The Boot.

The winner of season 10 was the first American Idol champion since Ruben Studdard to have a debut album, Clear as Day, reach the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart. He was recognized as New Artist of the Year at the 2011 American Country Awards and performed the national anthem at the first game of the World Series that year. In June 2018, the singer of hits like “This Is It” and “Five More Minutes” married his longtime partner, Gabi Dugal. They welcomed their son, Avery, in October 2022.

Though she placed second on the show, this country singer quickly signed a record deal and released her first album, Wildflower, in October 2011. After appearing on the show, she performed at the CMT Music Awards with the winner, made her debut at the Grand Ole Opry, and even shared the stage with Martina McBride at the CMA Music Festival.

In 2017, she received her first CMA nomination for Best New Artist thanks to the success of her album, Road Less Traveled. She also expanded her career into acting, starring in a film with the same title.

More recently, the singer announced her engagement to Cam Arnold while performing at the Grand Ole Opry in November 2022, and they were married in February 2024.

Despite finishing in sixth place on season 10, this contestant became a fan favorite. He joined the Idols Live tour and even recorded a duet of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” with fellow finalist Haley Reinhart, with whom he was rumored to be romantically involved. He eventually signed with the jazz label Concord. His first self-titled album came out in 2012, followed by I Put A Spell On You in 2018 and Jazz in 2019.

Jimmie Allen was eliminated before the live shows on season 10 of a singing competition, but he’s since become a successful country artist with two number-one hits: “Best Shot” (2018) and “Make Me Want To.” He also won the Country Music Association Award for New Artist of the Year in 2021.

In April 2023, Jimmie and his wife, Alexis Allen, announced they were expecting their third child while also ending their two-year marriage. Shortly after, Jimmie was accused of sexual assault and abuse by his former manager in a lawsuit. He admitted to infidelity and publicly apologized to Alexis for the affair, but denied the allegations of misconduct, claiming the relationship with his former manager was consensual.

After welcoming their son, Cohen Ace James, in September, the couple announced they were working to save their marriage.

Following his victory on season 11, the musician quickly gained popularity with his song “Home,” which was also featured in NBC’s broadcast of the 2012 Summer Olympics.

He married Hannah Blackwell in an intimate ceremony with loved ones in 2015, and they later welcomed their son, Patch, in 2019.

The singer hinted to TopMob News before the 2019 release of her album, Whirlwind, that it features a diverse range of musical styles. A year after winning season 16 of Idol, she explained she couldn’t choose a single sound for the album because she enjoyed experimenting with different genres.

Since finishing as a finalist on season 16 of the show, the singer has been busy making new music and taking advantage of the opportunities that came with being on ABC. Caleb Lee told TopMob News that he’s always been passionate about music and dreamed of being a performer, but the show taught him a lot about the entertainment industry. He even had the chance to join Luke Bryan on stage during Bryan’s final tour show and perform a song. Caleb’s newest album, Southern Galactic, was released in October 2023.

Following her third-place finish on season 16 of Idol, singer Gabby Barrett dedicated herself to completing her album. She expressed her excitement about performing at Stagecoach and called touring with Brad Paisley a fantastic bonus. “It’s amazing to be touring with him,” she told TopMob News.

Nearly two years after welcoming their daughter Baylah with her husband Cade Foehner, the couple had a son, Augustine, in October 2022. They expanded their family again in February 2024 with the arrival of their third child.

Read More

2025-12-01 18:19