Musical legend Sir Elton John, 63, has branded talent shows such as The X Factor as “boring” and “brain crippling”. Do you agree with him, or are you an X Factor addict?
Speaking to The Radio Times, Sir Elton admitted that he isn’t one for watching talent shows such as Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor: “I’m not a fan of talent shows. I probably wouldn’t have lasted if I’d gone on one. I was asked to judge American Idol. I couldn’t do it because I won’t slag anyone off.
“Also, I don’t want to be on television. It’s become boring, arse-paralysingly brain crippling. I like Simon Cowell, but what he does is TV entertainment. There have been some good acts, but the only way to sustain a career is to pay your dues in small, s**t clubs.”
Despite having performed with X Factor winner Alexandra Burke, Sir Elton warns against the overnight success that comes with winning talent shows: “TV vaults you to superstardom and then you have to back it up, which is hard. Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke are at the mercy of the next song they can get.”
So who does Sir Elton admire in the music world? "Lily Allen is incredibly talented and can do anything she wants – act, sing, write. I’m also a huge fan of Lady Gaga. And I adore Amy Winehouse,” said the singer. “It’s important they write their own songs, so they’re not at the mercy of anyone. Songwriters today are pretty awful, which is why everything sounds the same. Contemporary pop isn’t very inspiring.”
What do you think of Sir Elton’s comments? Do you think talent shows like The X Factor are boring, or are they great for breeding new musical talent?
Picture kindly from here
