X Factor Signs Britney Spears and Demi Lovato as Judges

Spears and Lovato will be X Factor Judges This Fall.

Multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning worldwide pop icon Britney Spears and singer, songwriter and actress Demi Lovato will join L.A. Reid and Simon Cowell as judges on THE X FACTOR this fall on FOX.

Spears, one of the most successful and celebrated entertainers in pop history, has sold nearly 100 million albums worldwide and has won numerous awards, including the 2011 MTV Video Vanguard Award and Billboard’s Best-Selling Female Artist of the Decade (1998-2008). Spears' first single “…Baby One More Time,” was an international hit that is currently 14x Platinum in the U.S. So far, Spears has earned a total of five No.1 debut albums and 24 Top 40 songs in her career.

Lovato is an accomplished singer and actress with a devoted young fan base. Her single, “Skyscraper,” from her most recent album, “Unbroken,” recently went platinum, while the video for her new single, “Give Your Heart a Break,”  has garnered 10 million YouTube views. Her first album, “Don't Forget,” debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart and her second album, “Here We Go Again,” debuted at No. 1. Lovato began acting at the age of 10, and starred in the cable television series, “Sonny With A Chance.” Her film credits include “Camp Rock” and “Princess Protection Program.”

“I'm absolutely delighted Britney and Demi are joining us,” said Simon Cowell. “Britney remains one of the biggest stars in the world, she's talented, fascinating – and I believe she knows exactly how to spot THE X FACTOR. Demi's had an amazing career in music, TV and film for someone her age. She's young, confident, and enthusiastic. I think it’s really important that she speaks to our younger audience. The new panel will be dynamic and will work really well with the changes we are making to the show.”

Spears added, “I couldn't be more excited to join THE X FACTOR judging panel. I'm a huge fan of the show and now I get to be a part of the action. Simon and L.A. better watch out!”

“I'm so thrilled to join this legendary group of judges on THE X FACTOR,” said Lovato. “To be able to spend each week with Simon, L.A. and Britney watching the best that America has to offer is truly a dream come true.”

In its first season on FOX, THE X FACTOR hit No. 1 among unscripted series for the fall.  The show searches for undiscovered talent 12 years old or over – both solo artists and vocal groups who compete to win a $5 million recording contract with Syco/Sony Music. 

Interested artists can find audition information at www.fox.com/theXfactor.

About Britney Spears

In a little more than a decade, Britney Spears has sold nearly 100 million records worldwide, making her the fourth best-selling female artist ever in America. Born in Mississippi and raised in Louisiana, Spears became a household name as a teenager when she released her first single “…Baby One More Time.” Her recently released album, “Femme Fatale,” includes the No.1 hit “Hold it Against Me,” and additional hits “Till the World Ends,” “I Wanna Go” and “Criminal.” “Femme Fatale” is her seventh studio album since her 1999 debut album, “…Baby One More Time,” which broke sales records selling over 27 million copies worldwide and established Britney as a prominent figure in popular music and culture. Spears also recorded high-grossing albums “Oops!.I Did It Again”; “Britney”; “Blackout”; and “Circus.” An artist so beloved that she inspired her own episode of GLEE, Spears began crafting her most recent album, “Femme Fatale,” while on the road for “The Circus Starring Britney Spears” tour. The tour grossed more than $130 million to become the fifth highest grossing tour ever by a female. Spears has been nominated for eight Grammy Awards and won for Best Dance Recording in 2005.

About Demi Lovato

Singer and actress Demi Lovato started in show business as a pre-teen and rose quickly. By the time she was 15, she was a bona fide TV star cultivating a promising singing career. In the late 2000s, while maintaining a rigorous TV and film shooting schedule, Lovato released two massively successful solo albums, “Don’t Forget” (2008) and “Here We Go Again” (2009); the former debuted at No. 2, the latter at No. 1.

She recently hit the studio with an all-star list of collaborators, including Timbaland, Jason Derulo, Ryan Tedder and Missy Elliot on her 2011 album "Unbroken." The first single, “Skyscraper,” debuted at No. 1 on iTunes’ chart and recently went Platinum. Lovato’s new single, “Give Your Heart a Break,” is cruising up the Top 40 radio charts, while the music video has reached over 10 million YouTube views, as she has some of the most engaged fans in the business. Earlier this year, Demi accepted the People's Choice Award for Favorite Pop Artist, an award chosen solely by the fans. This summer, she will embark on a 21-date U.S. tour.