Is One Direction’s Niall Horan About To See Simon Cowell’s Nasty Side?
Everyone on the planet must know that Simon Cowell hand picked Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Liam Payne and Zayn Malik to form One Direction. Like his bandmates, Horan was a hopeful on the 2010 season of Cowell’s X-Factor but had entered the show as a solo artist. Niall and the boys all made it through the auditions but were cut at the “boot camp” stage. Horan and the other boys were given a lifeline when Cowell invited them to forgo solo careers to become part of One Direction.
Ex One Direction star Niall Horan “BANNED from X Factor” by angry Simon Cowell? – Unreality TV https://t.co/4OBK7CUgCI
— One Direction Gossip (@OneDirectionAce) October 23, 2016
They may have come third on the show, but Horan and his pals went on to become the biggest thing in pop music for many years. Cowell would have been as dismayed as any One Direction fan when Horan and the band announced that they were to take an extended hiatus. In the beginning, Cowell seemed supportive of One Direction’s hiatus and said that he hoped to tie up solo deals for Horan and all of the other boys. As the story developed, Cowell managed to keep both Zayn Malik and Harry Styles on Sony labels, but Niall and Liam Payne both signed with rival labels.
Horan’s move reportedly enraged Cowell, and earlier this month Metro reported that he had slammed Niall’s lack of loyalty. Further signs have now emerged claiming that Cowell has fired the first salvo in what could develop into a war of words between Horan and Cowell. According to the Sun, Simon has banned Niall from performing his new single “This Town” on this season’s X-Factor.
“Niall hasn’t been invited to sing on any of the remaining live shows, despite having a big release. That’s not an oversight from the bookings team, it’s intentional.
“Simon really thought the 1D boys would show loyalty after he mentored them on the show and made them the huge global success they are. Instead they went behind his back.
“He’s not going to do them any favours. He knows artists love performing on the show as there are eight million viewers to promote their songs to.”
Earlier this year, the Express reported that One Direction was one of only nine acts, out of 155 X-Factor finalists, who remained signed to the Sony labels. Steve Brookstein, who won the first ever X-Factor, has repeatedly spoken about the effect that Cowell has had on his career. Way back in 2010 the Daily Mail reported that Brookstein had said that Cowell was “like a mafia boss.”
“It’s amazing how many doors close when you part company with Cowell. It’s almost like leaving a mafia family. Simon Cowell has such an enormous ego, he believes that if he can’t make you a star, then no one will.
“Because he’s so powerful, it’s virtually impossible to get any attention once he’s lost interest.”
In 2014 the Guardian reported that Brookstein went much further in airing grievances against Cowell. In his book, Getting Over The X, Brookstein claims that Cowell deliberately set out to destroy his career.
Has Simon Cowell ‘banned’ Niall Horan from X Factor after record deal snub? https://t.co/sNZEKN6tSX?x
— TellyMix (@tellymix) October 23, 2016
According to the Mirror, Cowell has now “blacklisted” both Niall and Liam Payne because they signed with rival labels. Of course, Cowell is known to have strong links to the press and media, and Brookstein claims that he used those contacts to destroy his career. According to Brookstein his “crime” was that he refused to go along with “PR stunts” devised by Cowell.
If all of Brookstein’s claims are true, then Cowell was extremely vindictive towards him simply for trying to be true to himself. If that is the case, how much more angry will he be with Niall who has set himself up with a rival, something Cowell could easily see as a direct challenge?
The question One Direction fans will want answered is whether or not Cowell could set out to sabotage Horan’s fledgling solo career. According to MTV, Cowell denies that he has banned Niall, or any One Direction member, from appearing on X-Factor.
Loved the show tonight. A long night. Reading some stories. To be clear I would never 'ban' anyone from One Direction appearing on the show
— Simon Cowell (@SimonCowell) October 23, 2016
Are you a One Direction fan? What do you think of Niall’s move away from Cowell’s influence? Will Niall be a hit without Simon’s backing? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
[Featured Image by KGC-246/STAR MAX/IPx/AP Photo]
