Kelly Rowland is on the rise with a new No. 1 single on her hands and an album on the way.
Adding to her growing buzz, the former Destiny’s Child singer has now been tapped to replace British pop star Cheryl Cole as the new judge on the U.K. version of the singing competition “The X Factor.”
According to The Daily Mail, Rowland, who’d been a judge on the U.K.-based show for three seasons since 2008, was initially set to judge on the upcoming American version of the show before being abruptly fired last week and replaced by former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger. Cole’s boyfriend, her accent and her weight were all cited as possible reasons for her firing, although neither Cole nor her reps have commented on the rumors.
Producers offered Cole her job back on the U.K. version of the hit show but according to the executives, Cole has become “uncontactable,” even to the show’s creator, former “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell.
According to Billboard, after the producers withdrew their offer to Cole, it was announced by Cowell during the semifinals for “Britain’s Got Talent” that Rowland would take Cole’s spot alongside fellow new judges singer-songwriter Gary Barlow, Tulisa Contostavious of British urban hip-hop band N-Dubz and veteran boy-band impresario Louis Walsh.
“These four will be totally up for it, and each of them bring a different attitude,” said Cowell. “They have a ton of hits between them and they are all committed to finding a star.”
This isn’t the first time Rowland’s flexed her judging skills on a reality show. In 2009, the “Motivation” singer acted as a co-host alongside veteran designer Isaac Mizrahi on the first season Bravo’s fashion-themed reality competition, “The Fashion Show.”
What do you think of Rowland’s new gig on U.K.’s “The X Factor?” – nicholas robinson
