Simon Cowell, Pop Idol, American Idol judge

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Simon Cowell

Profession: Music mogul
Place/Date of Birth: Brighton, 07 October 2020

Who wants him? - 03/09/02
Simon Cowell’s mum is searching for a "nice all-American girl" to be his wife. While appearing on US TV Julie Cowell begged for someone to settle down with her son - Si quickly said she was just joking after being "on the vodka again". Courtesy of Heat Magazine

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Biography

As a music industry mogul Simon Cowell’s had a hand in ’shaping pop music today’. Public recogintion had to wait until he was cast as the nasty judge on the hit ITV show Pop Idols .

Starting in 1979 with EMI Music Publishing, Cowell (42) got a taste for what the public wanted and it wasn’t long before he decided to take these qualities and put them to use for himself, setting up his own label, Fanfare, along with partner Iain Burton.

By 1989 BMG had offered Simon a position as A&R Consultant. It was a relationship which would prove to be hugely successful, profitable and enduring. Cowell has set-up his own label through BMG, S Records, reflecting the success and vision he has manifested.

Simon’s roster of signing reads like a who’s who of pop success stories over the last decade. Highlights include, Curiosity Killed The Cat, Sonia, and cornering the boy band market, bad boys of pop Five (who disbanded last year) and the global multi-platinum phenomenon, Westlife.

Always pop but never predictable, Simon has enjoyed some of his most successful signings by always keeping an eye firmly on the TV world, sensing a public following and always being the first knocking on the door. The Power Rangers, World Wrestling Federation, Zig & Zag and the Xmas Number 1 smash Teletubbies moved from the small box to the airwaves due to Simon, although, he claims his biggest shock success would come in the form of Robson & Jerome.

Making records and breaking them, in the last 10 years, Cowell has achieved sales of over 25 million albums, over 70 top 30 records and 17 number 1 singles.

Simon is currently a judge on the US version of Pop Idols and is busy looking after Will, Gareth and Sarah Watemore, who he signed to BMG after the show.
December 2007