Simon Phillip Cowell is an English television music and talent competition judge, A&R executive, entrepreneur, entertainment manager and consultant, television producer and critic. He has judged on the British TV talent competition series Pop Idol, The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, and the American TV talent competition shows American Idol, The X Factor and America’s Got Talent.
Cowell is the principal founder and chief executive of the British entertainment company Syco. Cowell has produced and promoted singles and albums for various singers whom he has taken under his wing. He is popularly known for signing successful boy bands such as Westlife, One Direction and CNCO.
Some of the best quotes from Simon Cowell are listed below.
- “Anything I shouldn’t laugh at makes me laugh. I mean, I’m bad at that, when somebody is singing something terribly and I’m thinking to myself, ‘If I laugh now, this is the absolute worst thing I could ever do,’ and then I start laughing and I can’t stop.” – Simon Cowell
- “Britain’s got talent, enormous talent; that’s very obvious.” – Simon Cowell
- “Choosing how you vote should not be a snap verdict based on a few minutes of television.” – Simon Cowell
- “Good is not enough. You’ve got to be great.” – Simon Cowell
- “I could just sit back and get someone to spin my achievements, I suppose, but when I see others do it, I always think, ‘Why are you telling me how successful you are?’ I am always suspicious of those kinds of boasts.” – Simon Cowell
- “I don’t want to tell a 15 or 14-year-old what they should be doing. I want them to tell me. And that’s what I got when I met Justin Bieber for the first time.” – Simon Cowell
- “I genuinely believed no one would want to marry me. I am difficult to live with. I’m selfish, quite weird and I need time on my own to think – and then I work all night long.” – Simon Cowell
- “I hate belongings. I hate clutter. It really bothers me because I can’t think properly. If you’ve got distractions in front of you, your mind goes nuts.” – Simon Cowell
- “I never knew how much love and pride I would feel.” – Simon Cowell
- “I think America is a hard nut to crack. But once you get a toehold, it’s a great place for an entrepreneur because people are so enthusiastic, and you have the most enthusiastic audiences in world.” – Simon Cowell
- “I think that by ignoring the show you’re ignoring the audience who put you there.” – Simon Cowell
- “I think you have to judge everything based on your personal taste. And if that means being critical, so be it. I hate political correctness. I absolutely loathe it.” – Simon Cowell
- “I was slightly cynical of the American mentality before I came over here, but now I preach it.” – Simon Cowell
- “I’ve never liked the idea you have to be a certain age to be a pop star. I like the idea that anybody can enter, anybody can compete.” – Simon Cowell
- “If you’ve got a big mouth and you’re controversial, you’re going to get attention.” – Simon Cowell
- “If your lifeguard duties were as good as your singing, a lot of people would be drowning.” – Simon Cowell
- “It’s personalities, it’s conflict, it’s all of these things that actually make performers interesting.” – Simon Cowell
- “It’s the government’s job to encourage entrepreneurialism and investment. Most importantly, it’s the government’s duty to inspire confidence.” – Simon Cowell
- “Money brings you security and choice. You can make decisions in a different way if you have a lot of money. But when you have nothing, you have a naivety, and a more fearless attitude because you have nothing to lose.” – Simon Cowell
- “Most things in music go full circle eventually.” – Simon Cowell
- “My advice would be if you want to pursue a career in the music business, don’t.” – Simon Cowell
- “My attitude is, if someone’s going to criticize me, tell me to my face.” – Simon Cowell
- “My proudest achievement has been the success of the shows and artists I have been involved with, because they were made in Britain.” – Simon Cowell
- “Not everybody is perfect, and I don’t think we should be looking for perfect people.” – Simon Cowell
- “On one level, going bust didn’t bother me. It was the 80s, and there wasn’t the stigma about bankruptcy that you might think. My mates weren’t bothered.” – Simon Cowell
- “People confuse ego, lust, insecurity with true love.” – Simon Cowell
- “So, I would only feel guilt if I misled somebody who was terrible.” – Simon Cowell
- “Thank God kids love following an artist. When you get a group who pop, it’s the best thing in the world.” – Simon Cowell
- “That was extraordinary. Unfortunately, extraordinarily bad.” – Simon Cowell
- “The artists who endure are the ones who stay focused even after they have reached the top of their profession.” – Simon Cowell
- “The best way to kill someone is from the inside, by crushing their hopes and dreams.” – Simon Cowell
- “The end of the animal trade would leave more time to trap or beat to death pop star wannabes.” – Simon Cowell
- “The object of this competition is not to be mean to the losers but to find a winner. The process makes you mean because you get frustrated.” – Simon Cowell
- “The only people with power today are the audience. And that is increasing with Twitter, Facebook, and everything else. We cater to their likes and dislikes, and you ignore that at your peril.” – Simon Cowell
- “The young people working for me are ambitious and hard-working. That work ethic has always been a trait of the British.” – Simon Cowell
- “We have hated the French for years. Now you have just joined the club. It makes you much more likable.” – Simon Cowell
- “What luxury would I take to a desert island? A mirror. It’s true. I’d miss me.” – Simon Cowell
- “When I was young and we got caught pinching apples, we got a smack from the local policeman. Today if that happened, he would be sued. There is a tendency to punish the victim, not the criminal.” – Simon Cowell
- “Work hard, be patient, and be a sponge while learning your business. Learn how to take criticism. Follow your gut instincts and don’t compromise.” – Simon Cowell
- “You didn’t beat the competition you crushed the competition!” – Simon Cowell
- “You know what the secret to weight loss is? Don’t eat much.” – Simon Cowell
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