Yahoo News Simon Cowell 'praying' as he comes to Liverpool to find next superstar
Simon Cowell is praying for help as he launches a nationwide search for a new boyband.
The X Factor judge is renowned for his ability to spot the next star and launched the career of One Direction. He is now hoping to repeat the success as he has embarked on a new hunt to find the next big pop group.
The 64-year-old told PA: "I would pray to find a band as good as One Direction and to find the records as good as they made, there are so many factors involved to make a band successful all over the world.
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"You can't fake this, even though I'm the one going out to do the auditions, it really depends on the individuals. If you find the right people I'm not someone who says dress like this, say this, do this, it is just not my style and I never once did that with One Direction."
The search will bring him to Liverpool as he is hosting auditions in the city on July 7 and 8. They are also scheduled to take placed in Newcastle, Dublin and London.
Simon hopes to go back to basics with the search as the audition process will not take place in front of crowd. However, it is being filmed and could be the basis for a new documentary series.
He said: "Bands never knock on your front door, it's never happened in my career, someone has to go out and put them together and the truth is since One Direction there hasn't been a successful UK boyband. The only way to do it is do what I used to do, go out and do it and audition and do it face to face and don't have any pre-casting."
"In other words, don't have people choose people in advance, it really is first come first served. You have to see a lot of people, the auditions are quick and you have to pray and hope enough people turn up and the right people turn up. If we are lucky enough to find the right people then there has never been a better time to be in a band right now."
To be eligible, you must be aged around 16 - 18 years old as the requirements added: "You are not: a. Currently (nor have you been recently) employed, nor do you have any business or financial connection with, by us, the Distributor or any of the Box to Box, Distributor, Syco group of companies; or b. currently (nor have you been previously) professionally represented in the music industry, nor do you have a recording and/or publishing deal with any third party; or c. a close relative (for example, mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister) or close friend of anyone who is an employee or contractor of Box to Box, Syco (or any of their respective group companies) or the Distributor or anyone working on, appearing in, or connected with the Programme."
Applicants must send over two videos singing acapella without any backing tracks that must have been recorded within the last two months. You can find the full details on how to apply here
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