Season 2 of The X Factor has a lot to boast about. Demi Lovato and Britney Spears are on board—and offer good critiques—as the show’s brand new judges, and producers have tried a whole slew of backstage tactics to give audiences a more all-encompassing feel for what goes on during the shooting of the show. Tuesday, The X Factor had a very special blue carpet premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theater, and afterward the floor was open for some pretty interesting Q&A questions regarding the direction of Season 2. As the judges spoke out about their experiences, a few interesting thoughts emerged.
Simon Cowell, in particular, wanted to give fans a whole new viewing experience this year. In order to achieve this, producers went backstage and taped more of the behind-the-scenes interactions between the contestants and the judges so fans get to see everything from catty contestants to know-it-alls, as well as moments of resilience and breakdowns.
“We allow you, the viewer, to take something that people haven’t seen before and we deliver it without voiceover or narrative telling you how to feel.“
This isn’t totally true. The X Factor certainly uses background music as a starting point for where the audience should be emotionally, but the sentiment is still very sincere. At the end of the day, the season premiere will feature some production ideas that audiences have never seen before, and Cowell wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Yeah, I’ve been making these shows for 10 or 11 years, and I’ve seen them told in pretty much the same way. What I was always fascinated with as a viewer was what it would be like to be a contestant on the show. My gut feeling was there was a lot of competitiveness and bitchiness behind the cameras, which we never show the audience.”
Even with new ideas set forth to attempt to redefine the reality market and new judges and talent in the arena, what will set a contestant apart on The X Factor remains the same. Passion and enjoyment will separate the losers from the winners, according to veteran judge L.A. Reed, but newer judge Britney Spears summed up the idea best.
“[I’m looking for] someone who genuinely enjoys what they do. You can have a great voice and be a great performer, but if you don’t genuinely enjoy it, it shows.”
If only some contestants had taken this advice before jumping on that stage.
Season 2 of The X Factor airs Wednesday on Fox at 8 p.m. ET. For our full review of the premiere, check back soon.
