Simon Cowell surprised passersby in London on Tuesday as he got to work erecting a mammoth billboard to launch his nationwide hunt for the next big boyband.
The music mogul, 64, famously helped form One Direction – made up of Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Niall Horan – on The X Factor in 2010.
He then signed the group to his record label, Syco Records, where they skyrocketed to global stardom, becoming one of the best-selling boybands of all time.
And now Simon is looking to find a brand new British band that can equal their incredible success, commencing auditions across the UK next month.
Simon left Londoners shocked as he rocked up in a pair of black dungarees, armed with a bucket and a brush.
Simon Cowell surprised passersby in London on Tuesday as he got to work erecting a mammoth billboard to launch his nationwide hunt for the next big boyband
The music mogul, 64, famously helped form One Direction – made up of Harry Styles , Louis Tomlinson , Zayn Malik , Liam Payne and Niall Horan – on The X Factor in 2010 (pictured on show L-R Louis, Zayn, Simon, Niall, Harry and Liam)
He then signed the group to his record label, Syco Records, where they skyrocketed to global stardom, becoming one of the best-selling boybands of all time
The star proceeded to scale ladder and begin pasting a poster of his own face to the wall, as stunned fans looked on.
The poster saw Simon beaming for the camera in his signature aviator sunglasses, emblazoned with the message: ‘Simon needs you! Future megastars wanted for new boyband. No time wasters.’
His new mission to discover the next big boyband will not follow the televised talent show format that Simon is known for, like Pop Idol, The X Factor or Britain’s Got Talent.
With no TV spectacles or public votes, the search will focus on unearthing talent and finding the next big stars.
Speaking about the hunt, Simon said: ‘Every generation deserves a megastar boyband and I don’t think there has been one to have the success of One Direction in over 14 years.
‘The industry tends to focus on solo artists – so it usually takes someone from outside to put a group together.
‘Nothing beats the fun of being in a group, touring the world and performing for thousands – and it’s also a brilliant launchpad for a solo career.
‘When you have a great group, it’s like lightning in a bottle but there’s no magic formula and a fair bit of luck involved!’
And now Simon is looking to find a brand new British band that can equal their incredible success, commencing auditions across the UK next month
Simon left Londoners shocked as he rocked up in a pair of black dungarees, armed with a bucket and a brush
The star proceeded to scale ladder and begin pasting a poster of his own face to the wall, as stunned fans looked on
The poster saw Simon beaming for the camera in his signature aviator sunglasses, emblazoned with the message: ‘Simon needs you! Future megastars wanted for new boyband. No time wasters’
The record executive admits that there’s no guarantee that lightening will strike twice, acknowledging there is a big chance he won’t be able to recapture the magic of One Direction.
He said: ‘There’s always a high degree of risk and I genuinely have no idea what’s going to happen!
‘We might uncover an incredible group; we might not get there. What if no one shows up to auditions? That could be awkward.
‘There is no guaranteed path to success – anything can happen, but that’s what’s exciting for me and that’s why I’m doing this.’
Simon pointed at the long-standing pattern of boyband members achieving huge success after going solo, stressing how important groups were as launch pads for huge solo artists, like Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
He said: ‘A huge number of solo artists began their journey in a group and have achieved great success, including Beyoncé, Sir Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams, and our very own One Direction boy.
‘Even artists who came from High School Musical were effectively launched from groups.’
His new mission to discover the next big boyband will not follow the televised talent show format that Simon is known for, like Pop Idol, The X Factor or Britain’s Got Talent
With no TV spectacles or public votes, the search will focus on unearthing talent and finding the next big stars
The record executive admits that there’s no guarantee that lightening will strike twice, acknowledging there is a big chance he won’t be able to recapture the magic of One Direction (pictured in 2014)
Simon is seeking talented males aged 16-18 who possess the passion, charisma, and star quality to form the next boyband sensation.
Auditions are scheduled in cities across the UK, kicking off in Newcastle on July 4 and July 5, followed by Liverpool on July 7 and July 8, Dublin on July 28 and July 29 and London from August 1 to August 3.
While the search is deviating from the televised talent show format, it is being documented by Box To Box for a potential documentary series.
Aspiring participants can sign up for the auditions from now until July 31 at: simonneedsyou.com
Simon is seeking talented males aged 16-18 who possess the passion, charisma, and star quality to form the next boyband sensation
Auditions are scheduled in cities across the UK, kicking off in Newcastle on July 4 and July 5, followed by Liverpool on July 7 and July 8, Dublin on July 28 and July 29 and London from August 1 to August 3
