Highlights
- Britney Spears had a difficult time on The X-Factor, experiencing panic attacks and struggles with judging young contestants.
- Despite her challenges, she earned a significant salary of $15 million for one season compared to fellow judge Demi Lovato.
- Simon Cowell enjoyed working with Britney and still expresses interest in collaborating with her again, praising her intelligence and talent. Meanwhile, Britney has been busy with new music releases and the soon-to-be-released memoir.
Simon Cowell has been working in the music industry since 1980 thanks to his father's executive position at EMI Music Publishing. Yet he didn't become a household name until 2002 thanks to American Idol, a reality singing competition known for starting the careers of vocalists like Kelly Clarkson, Jordin Sparks, Jennifer Hudson, and Fantasia Barrino.
He also worked on The X Factor, which saw him playing judge alongside the likes of Sharon Osbourne, Kylie Minogue, Nicole Sherzinger, Demi Lovato, and Britney Spears. This was not Britney's first time on reality television, since the pop princess appeared on the short-lived Britney and Kevin: Chaotic, but it was her first time being a judge on a reality competition show.
Her time on The X-Factor was short-lived (just one season in 2012) she quickly became a fan favorite for her quirky behavior, although some who were working on the show claim Britney's behavior was more odd than anything.
Britney And Simon Worked Together On The X-Factor
Britney Spears apparently had a hard time working on The X-Factor, admitting that she was going through "panic attack after panic attack" and also struggling with telling "such young kids whether they have what it takes or not" to succeed in the industry.
Related: Claims That Britney Spears Was Heavily Medicated On 'X Factor' Is Troubling Fans
Even though her time on The X-Factor was short-lived, Britney Spears still managed to make a $15 million salary for one season of the show, a huge sum compared to her fellow judge Demi Lovato, who made only a combined $3 million for both seasons they appeared in.
Spears had a hard time while she was a judge on The X-Factor, with her fellow judge Louis Walsh telling outlets "They would literally have to stop the show and take [Britney] out because she was on so much medication and other stuff. I felt sorry for her."
Cowell agreed that Britney Spears had a hard time while she was on the show. As much as he liked Britney Spears personally, he "kind of booked someone who couldn't talk, which is a bit of a problem when you want someone to judge. She was just uncomfortable."
Simon Cowell Has Continued To Express Interest In Working With Her Again
Simon Cowell seemed to love working with Britney Spears, telling E! News that the Womanizer singer is "super smart" and had "lovely ideas about how to launch someone else's career." He also says that he "had a fantastic relationship with her" while they were working together on The X-Factor.
Related: Simon Cowell's Newest Talent Show: What It Is And How To Watch It
And he is still interested in potentially working with Britney Spears on The X-Factor, or another reality competition where her talents and knowledge are a useful tool, and continues to sing her praise nearly a decade after they worked together. He says he'd "work with her again, honest, in a heartbeat."
Simon Cowell elaborates further by complementing Britney's choreography, ability to release hit after hit, and her intelligence, and admits that "the more we talk about it, it's kind of like, yeah, we should do it...totally encouraged."
Even with Simon Cowell in her corner and showing support for both her and her ideas for how to be a judge on the show, Britney Spears initially received mixed reactions from viewers. That coupled with a drop in ratings, and Spears' alleged personal desire to return to performing, ultimately lead to her leaving the show.
Britney Spears Has Been Keeping Busy In Her Own Way
She may now be known for her dancing videos on Instagram, but Britney Spears has apparently been working on some other projects on her own time and terms. Spears released Hold Me Closer with none other than the legendary Elton John, and a second single with Will.i.am entitled Mind Your Business.
Related: Britney Spears May Have Reconciled With Jamie-Lynn, But Fans Aren't Happy
She has also taken to Instagram to announce the release of her highly anticipated memoir, The Woman in Me. The book already made her around $15 million thanks to an advance she received through her negotiations with Gallery Books.
While some fans feel like Britney Spears is being forced into fame all over again, others have been incredibly supportive and are ready to read her story, specifically, the details surrounding her public mental health battle and the conservatorship that seemed to take over her life and career.
Britney tells her fans that she had to do a lot of self-work, including massive amounts of therapy, to get through writing the book and that she is looking forward to it finally being released for people to read and hear her story, in her own words.
The Scream & Shout singer has certainly had her fair share of hardships, but she is finally back to releasing music on her own terms while also dropping one of the highest anticipated books of the year. Fans, and the media for that matter, will have to sit back and wait to see if this is Spears slowly making a comeback.
