|
It's fair to say the success of the revamped X Factor is banking on her huge fan base.
And Britney Spears certainly did not disappoint tonight as she electrified the blue carpet in Hollywood for the official premiere of the TV competition.
The singer, 30, flashed a megawatt smile as she waved to a raucous crowd outside of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in a bold cobalt blue dress.
Scroll down for video
She's electric! Britney Spears wowed in a cobalt blue dress with floral pattern detail as she attended the premiere of the X Factor at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood tonight
Joined by fellow judges Demi Lovato, L.A. Reid, and show creator Simon Cowell, Britney made herself the clear favourite ahead of tomorrow night's premiere.
While her name trended on Twitter, excitement surrounding her appearance seemed to be mutual, with Britney taking to the micro-blogging website to announce: 'I'm here!!! Just walked the blue carpet for the #XFactorParty - so exciting!'
Lovato, Cowell and Reid meanwhile greeted throngs of awaiting fans before the group participated in a special handprint ceremony.
Set in stone: The pop star got her hands dirty as she performed a hand printing ceremony outside the theatre ahead of the premiere
Nervous at first? Britney appeared slightly stiff on the blue carpet at first, but relaxed as she made her way down whilst posing for photographs
Demi, who was dressed in a retro-inspired fit-and-flare dress, called the experience of writing her name - and leaving her prints - in cement outside the famed venue as 'surreal'.
Spears was meanwhile tempted to join The X Factor by a reported $15 million salary after a 14-year singing career that made her the world's biggest pop phenomenon of the 2000s.
X Factor creator Cowell is banking on her huge fan base and a strong curiosity factor to give his show a second chance with audiences after a disappointing first season in 2011 that attracted about 12.5 million viewers, and ended with the firing of two judges (Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul) and the host (Steve Jones).
Looking good: Britney's form-fitting dress expertly displayed her stunning curvaceous figure
Not the best look: Britney pulled some quirky faces as she signed her name under her hand prints
Jones is set to be replaced before live episodes begin in November by a likely male-female duo yet to be chosen (Kevin McHale of Glee, Kelly Osbourne and Khloe Kardashian are among the rumored candidates).
And in what TV pundits expect to be a tough contest for the most viewers, The X Factor returns to Fox television for a second season on Wednesday, after The Voice moves to the fall slot on NBC for a three-night season opener, starting on Monday.
The Voice, which was watched by an average 15.6million Americans last season, got off to a rocking start on Monday with judges Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton performing a cover of Rolling Stones hit Start Me Up.
Glamour girl: Fellow judge Demi Lovato looked glamorous in a black baby doll dress featuring a bejewelled neckline and sleeves
Suits you sir: Simon Cowell opted for his obligatory white shirt and jean combination, while L.A. Reid suited up for the occasion
Tomorrow the rival shows will compete head-to-head in a late programming move by NBC that Cowell condemned last week as a mean-spirited spoiling tactic.
'I think it's going to be a really tight race. At most, a big name gives a little pop in the ratings at the beginning,' said James Hibberd, senior entertainment writer with Entertainment Weekly.
'But the celebrity judges are there to perform every bit as much as the people on stage, and their charisma and their wit need to be compelling to the audience,' Hibberd said.
Signing her life away: Demi also knelt down to sign her name into the cement alongside Britney
Having a ball: The former Disney star let out a little shriek as she put her hands in the cold cement
A survey by Yahoo! TV and Entertainment Weekly showed that 80 per cent of those questioned were excited about Spears joining X Factor. Some 59 per cent of 18-35 female viewers said they would tune in to see how Spears, and fellow new judge, 20-year-old singer Demi Lovato, will fare.
Spears is little known outside her stage persona and choreographed sell-out concerts of hit songs like Circus and Toxic.
But according to advance clips of early audition rounds, she has a sharp tongue for poor singers, and she is being promoted as competing with the sarcastic Cowell himself as the nasty judge on the show.
Loving it: Simon Cowell left a friendly message for fans while Britney Spears drew a rudimentary flower
Easy to Reid: LA proved to be a clear draftsman while Demi Lovato had a more flowery style
Four's not a crowd: The four judges cosied up for a happy snap
'She is surprisingly quite mean. She is difficult to please,' Cowell told reporters last week.
But Hibberd noted that Spears was not well known for any off-stage wit.
'That's not to say she won't succeed. I am sure the first couple of episodes she will be packaged well and there will be some strong curiosity tune-in. But everything you know about Britney isn't really going to matter two weeks after the premiere,' he said.
Electrifying: Britney waves to fans at the special screening of The X Factor in Hollywood on Tuesday night
She's on board: Simon Cowell, left, recently spoke about Britney Spears' nerves ahead of her appearance on the show
Bold and beautiful: The singer flashed a megawatt smile as she was led into the event
So is X Factor sharper now that first-year judges Scherzinger and Abdul are out and Britney Spears and Demi Lovato are in?
Yes, said Cowell, with the new judges and new producers making a difference.
'The show looks better and feels better than what we did a year ago. I can see an improvement. I'm happy with it,' he said.
Not forgetting her fans: The success of the revamped X Factor is hanging on the pop star's huge fan base
Spears and Lovato are 'doing great,' according to Cowell. 'With Britney, everybody expects there's going to be some kind of car crash with her. But it's not. She's very switched on, very focused. ... She has good taste and from working with her you can understand why she's lasted so long in the industry.
'She totally understands the music business and understands the difference between a good singer and a potential star.'
But Lovato said viewers were in for a surprise.
Quick snap: Demi Lovato posed with a fan as she made her way to the blue carpet
Going for retro: The singer and actress wore an embellished fit-and-flare dress and slicked her hair back into a chic up-do
'I feel like the world hasn't really got a chance to see her (Britney's) personality over the last couple of years and now this is the perfect opportunity for people to see. She is very witty and funny and quirky,' the former Disney Channel star told reporters.
Cowell is also aware that it takes more than new judges - however famous - to make a show that will distinguish itself in a saturated TV talent show field.
He says X Factor - which was seen by many critics last year as a virtual copycat of long-running American Idol on which he was a judge - has seen major tweaks this year.
Leaving their marks: The X Factor judges all put their hands in cement as part of the ceremony
The man behind the show: The X Factor creator Simon Cowell smirked behind his sunglasses as he talked to eager fans
It will have more of a reality show element, with lots of behind the scenes action, and later more focus on the judges and the mentoring process of the aspiring stars.
'You have got to make a different show to everybody else, otherwise they all blur into one,' Cowell said.
'There is a lot more reality than we have ever shown before. If you have ever wondered what it's like to be on one of these shows, this show is a real glimpse of how stressful it is for the contestants,' he said.
Season 2 of the show premieres on Wednesday, September 12.
She's back! Britney looked put together as she posed on the blue carpet in a beautiful cobalt dress
I have an announcement: The star posted this message on Twitter, and began trending shortly after
The new X Factor: (L-R) Judges L.A. Reid, Demi Lovato, Britney Spears and Simon Cowell pictured during filming for the TV competition in Austin, Texas on May 24
Watch video here
Woman discovers ex-boyfriend living in her attic 12 YEARS...
Boyfriend stabs his lover to death after she didn't tell him...
Revealed: The heart-breaking story of four-year-old's battle...
Father 'killed young sons, aged five and one, in revenge...
American killed as gunmen attack U.S. consulate in Libya......
Ex-professor pleads guilty to shooting dead three colleagues...
Orchids for Kate - and Diana: Floral tributes get Far East...
Tears as brave flesh-eating bug victim Aimee Copeland WALKS...
'Shame on them': Viewers' outrage as Today show fails to...
The pain that never dies: 11 years on, the heartbroken...
Angelina Jolie's tears as she visits Syrian refugees at camp...
Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte makes waves as he poses with...
No comments:
Post a Comment