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After months of speculation, Fox has announced that Grammy-winning superstar Kelly Rowland and international pop star Paulina Rubio will join the judging panel for third season of The X Factor.
Rowland and Rubio join veteran judge and executive producer Simon Cowell and returning judge, pop star Demi Lovato, for the network’s fall music competition.
“We are thrilled that Kelly and Paulina are joining Demi on the panel this season, in what is sure to be a triple threat of talented and successful women against Simon week-to-week,” noted Mike Darnell, President, Alternative Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company. “This is an incredible panel of judges and we can’t wait for fans to see what’s in store for Season Three of The X Factor.”
Surrounded by three beautiful women, the sharp tongued Cowell was pleased with his picks for a panel. “It’s taken more than a decade, but I’m delighted to finally be on a panel with three girls (I think!),” said Cowell in a statement. “Paulina and Kelly both have great taste and massive experience in the music industry and together with Demi, this is going to be a fun panel. It just feels like the time to do something different.”
Kelly Rowland is no stranger to the X Factor world. The original Destiny’s Child singer served as a judge on the eighth season of the U.K. version of The X Factor. “I am very excited to be reuniting with Simon Cowell and THE X FACTOR family,” said Rowland. “It feels great to be able to take this journey here at home in the states!”
A pop star since the age of 16, Kelly Rowland grew up in the spotlight as a member of Destiny’s Child, one of the best-selling groups of all time. Her powerful voice was a key ingredient in the group’s awe-inspiring list of chart-toppers and dance floor smashes, including four No. 1 singles in the U.S. and more than 60 million albums sold worldwide. The group received 14 Grammy Award nominations, and won three times, including Best R&B Song in 2001 for “Say My Name.” As a solo artist, Rowland has released three successful studio albums – “Simply Deep,” “Ms. Kelly” and “Here I Am” – selling more than five million records.
Rowland’s first forays as a soloist contributed to the 2002 Grammy Award-winning song, “Dilemma (with Nelly),” and have been further evidenced by her gold and platinum solo albums. Her upcoming album, “Talk a Good Game,” will be released June 18. Her newest single “Dirty Laundry” lit up the internet when the singer published it to her official SoundCloud account. The deeply emotional mid-tempo ballad tells the story of Rowland’s rough patch after the members of DC went their separate ways, including an abusive relationship. “Dirty Laundry” hits iTunes on May 28.
Latin pop star Paulina Rubio was thrilled to be joining the panel. “I love THE X FACTOR! I can’t wait to find the next big music star here in America,” added Rubio. “I’m so thrilled to be part of the show as a judge. Simon, be careful what you wish for, let’s see if you are ready to handle me, empieza la fiesta, amigo!”
Considered to be one of the most influential contemporary Latin artists, Rubio has sold more than 20 million records around the world and has released 10 studio albums. Raised in Mexico, she began her professional music career in 1984, as a member of the popular teen pop group, Timbiriche. Since going solo in 1992, Rubio has created major hits both in English and Spanish and has been nominated for two Grammy Awards in the category of Best Latin Pop Album. Her prominence as an international artist extends to the digital world, as well. Official YouTube/VEVO views of Rubio’s videos exceed 87 million. She has more than 1.2 million Facebook “likes” and more than 6.6 million Twitter followers.
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