Simon Phillip Cowell is an English television personality, entrepreneur, and record executive. He has judged on the British television talent competition shows Pop Idol (2001–2003), The X Factor UK, and Britain's Got Talent (2007–present), as well as the American television talent competition shows American Idol (2002–2010), The X Factor US (2011–2013), and America's Got Talent (2016–present). Cowell founded the British entertainment company Syco in 2005, as well as its now-defunct predecessor, Syco Music in 2002.
Syco Entertainment is a British media entertainment and production company, headquartered in London, founded and owned by British entrepreneur and record executive Simon Cowell. The company focuses on TV production. The company was formed in 2005 through Sony Music Entertainment entering a joint venture by purchasing Cowell's shares of his record label S Records and television company Syco Television. In 2009, Sony and Cowell entered a joint venture agreement that covered the joint ownership of Syco's television formats, which include the Got Talent and The X Factor franchises. Until 2020, the company operated television and music projects with Sony Music labels around the world and television production company Fremantle. It employs a staff of more than 50 in offices in London and Los Angeles, and manages a string of television and music brands through partnerships with the label Sony Music and the television production company.
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. The fifth series was broadcast on ITV from 16 August 2008 until 13 December 2008. Dermot O'Leary returned to present the main show on ITV, while Fearne Cotton was replaced by Holly Willoughby as presenter of spin-off show The Xtra Factor on ITV2. Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, and Dannii Minogue returned to the judging panel. Sharon Osbourne left after four series and was replaced by Cheryl Cole. The series was won by Alexandra Burke, with Cole emerging as the winning mentor. Auditions in front of producers were held in April and May, with callbacks in front of the judges in June. The number of applicants for series 5 reached an all-time high with a reported 182,000 people auditioning. A number of well-established music acts from around the world, such as Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Girls Aloud, Take That, Il Divo, and series 3 winner Leona Lewis, performed during the live stages of the show.
"The Promise" is a single by British girl group Girls Aloud, taken from their fifth and final studio album Out of Control (2008). The song was written by Brian Higgins, Miranda Cooper, Jason Resch, Kieran Jones, and Carla Marie Williams and produced by frequent contributor Higgins along with production team Xenomania. Influenced by Phil Spector and music of the 1960s, "The Promise" is an upbeat love song about falling in love uncontrollably after promising to never fall in love again.
Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke is an English singer, songwriter and actress. She won the fifth series of the talent television show The X Factor in 2008. Following the show, she was signed to Syco Music and released the winner's single "Hallelujah", which became the European record holder for the most singles sold over a period of 24 hours, selling 105,000 in one day, and became the top-selling single of 2008 in the UK and the UK's Christmas 2008 number one.
Marvin Richard James Humes is an English singer-songwriter, disc jockey, radio host, television presenter, and former actor. Before rising to prominence as a member of the British boy band JLS, he had an acting role in Holby City. As part of JLS, he achieved five number-one singles on the UK Singles Charts and a number-one album on the UK Albums Charts. As of December 2013, they have sold over 10 million records worldwide.
"Fight for This Love" is the debut solo single by English singer and Girls Aloud member Cheryl Cole, recorded for her debut studio album, 3 Words (2009). It was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland as the lead single on 2009 by Fascination Records and in 2010 in some European countries as the album's second single through Universal Music. It was written and produced by Wayne Wilkins and Steve Kipner with an additional writing from Andre Merrit. The up-tempo pop, dance-pop and R&B song revolves around a lyrical content of not giving up on the partner.
Oliver Stanley Murs is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence after participating on the sixth series of the television talent show The X Factor in 2009, where he finished as runner-up. Following the show, Murs was signed to RCA Records and Sony Music in the United Kingdom, and Columbia Records in the United States.
"Promise This" is a song by English recording artist Cheryl Cole, taken from her second studio album Messy Little Raindrops (2010). It was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland as the album's lead single on 24 October 2010 by Fascination Records. The up-tempo dance-pop song was written by American songwriter Priscilla Renea Hamilton, British music producer Wayne Wilkins, and Christopher Jackson and produced by Wilkins. The lyrics to "Promise This" reference Cole's personal life and relationships, as well as incorporating the French language. The single's release came in the aftermath of a public divorce from footballer Ashley Cole, as well as a life-threatening battle with malaria.
Matthew Sheridan Cardle is an English pop singer. He was born in Southampton and grew up in Halstead, Essex. Cardle has been involved in music since his early teens and has been a member of two different bands; Darwyn and Seven Summers. Cardle rose to fame after winning the seventh series of The X Factor in 2010, and received a £1 million recording contract with Syco Music and later signed a deal with Columbia Records.
Aiden Samuel Grimshaw is an English singer, songwriter and actor who was formerly known by the stage name Butterjack. He successfully made it to the live shows in the seventh series of The X Factor in 2010 and was the eighth contestant eliminated. After his elimination, Grimshaw was signed by RCA Records.
"The Wah Wah Collective" were a British, initially a London-based neo-soul underground music group, who released vinyl-only EPs and singles in the mid 2000s. The music group gained notoriety for their mixture of neo-soul, nu-jazz, Latin grooves with alternative dance. In more recent years the band have described their music as 'Eclectic Soul'. The Wah Wah Collective founding members were George Eyo and Najero Okenabirhire. The Wah Wah Collective were on the Greasy Geezers imprint label distributed by Kudos Records, Discograpgh (France), Goya and Pinnacle. The Greasy Geezers label was the creation of Najero Okenabirhie who previously worked with Sanctuary Music Management. The sister arm of the Wah Wah Collective were a Latin /acoustic based group called Gafanhoto Lingo an additional project created by The Wah Wah Collective founding members. Gafanhoto Lingo were accompanied by songwriter/ guitarist Mathieu Karsenti.
"Greasy Geezers" are a dance production unit based in East London whose production portfolio covers commercial urban/pop, electro dance, hip-hop and go-go (DC) remakes. The group is composed of producers and songwriters whose backgrounds include working with Sanctuary Music Management, Trinity Records and Sacred Records.
"Fry You Like Fish @ The Jam" is an electro commercial dance single from the dance production unit Greasy Geezers. The song was released on 3 October 2011 as part of a digital EP under the same name.
James Andrew Arthur is an English singer and songwriter. He rose to fame after winning the ninth series of The X Factor in 2012. His debut single, a cover of Shontelle's "Impossible", was released by Syco Music after the final, and debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart. Since then, it has gone on to sell over 2.5 million copies worldwide, making it the most successful winner's single in the show's history.
British recording artist Cheryl has appeared in numerous music videos and films. Her videography includes ten music videos, three guest appearances in other artists' videos, two film appearances and several television appearances.
Cry Baby Soul is the debut studio album by British eclectic soul group The Wah Wah Collective. Released digitally on 24 February 2014 on I-innovate (UK), the multi-genre album covering neo soul, R&B, nu jazz, electronica, hip hop and breakbeat was accompanied by re-issued vinyl releases. The album featured a variety of songs often with guest vocalists. The album was the first release by The Wah Wah Collective in over 7 years and showcased an eclectic theme, a variation of different musical genres, played alongside the Fender Rhodes bass sound.
"Tell Me Why" is a song by British eclectic soul group The Wah Wah Collective. The original version was a vinyl only release in March 2004 on the Greasy Geezers label. A new remastered radio edit version of the song was circulated in late 2013 by I-innovate (UK) to support The Wah Wah Collective debut album Cry Baby Soul released 24 February 2014. To accompany the release of Cry Baby Soul, re-issued 12" vinyl versions of "Tell Me Why" were redistributed. The album Cry Baby Soul features the full length version.
Fleur Lillibeth Yolande East is an English singer-songwriter, rapper and presenter. East competed on the second series of The X Factor in 2005 as part of the girl group Addictiv Ladies but was unsuccessful. In 2012, she signed with Strictly Rhythm and released songs with dance musicians including Drumsound & Bassline Smith and released One in a Million" (2013), which peaked at number fifty three on the UK Singles Chart. As a solo act she returned to The X Factor for its eleventh series, and finished in second place.
Trouble is the debut and only studio album by British singer Matt Terry. It was released on 24 November 2017 and it debuted at No. 29 on the charts. This is the first time that an X Factor UK winner has released their first album with another label instead of with Cowell's label, Syco.
