Simon Cowell is now a £460m talent scout: Universal has hired a British talent show judge to find new musical artists as he returns to his roots.
Simon Cowell returns to his roots after getting a job as a talent scout for Universal Music Group.
The Britain’s Got Talent judge, who closed his own Syco Entertainment business earlier this year, has been hired by Lucian Grange, chief executive of Universal, which includes Rihanna, Sam Smith and Take That.
The move puts the 62-year-old actor, who is worth an estimated £460m, in direct competition with his previous employer, Sony, where he has made a career as an artist and A&R manager, signing big acts like Westlife.
The judge for Britain’s Got Talent, who closed his own Syco Entertainment business earlier this year, has been hired by Lucian Grange, chief executive of Universal, which includes Rihanna, Sam Smith and Take That.
As the creator of The X Factor, the hugely successful ITV talent show, he discovered One Direction, Leona Lewis and Little Mix. He also supported Susan Boyle on Britain’s Got Talent.
A source told The Mail on Sunday: “Anyone who wrote Simon off when he closed Syco was very stupid – he’s coming back. For him, this is a dramatic change of fate.
“Any record label would be happy to have his knowledge, wisdom and industry connections, and his old pal Lucian got there first.”
Mr. Grange, who has headed Universal since 2005, said four years ago that he had previously tried to hire Cowell.
The judge for Britain’s Got Talent, who closed his own Syco Entertainment business earlier this year, has been hired by Lucian Grange, chief executive of Universal, which includes Rihanna, Sam Smith and Take That.
“I tried several times to get Simon to UMG and each time he left me waiting at the altar,” he said at the awards ceremony.
“He’s a brilliant record-breaker with a phenomenal flair for crossover hits.”
In January, Cowell, who recently announced his engagement to longtime partner Lauren Silverman, shut down Syco and fired its employees. He has already closed the musical part of his empire.
Sources said he wanted to spend more time with Ms. Silverman and their eight-year-old son Eric after breaking his back in an e-bike accident in Los Angeles in August 2020.