Who Was Simon Cowell Before American Idol?

Simon Cowell is a TV and music producer who is arguably the most popular talent search judge ever. His popularity rose when he judged British shows Pop Idol and Britain’s Got Talent, and American shows American Idol and X Factor.

Cowell was born on October 7, 1959 in Brighton, England. His aesthetic inclinations were passed on to him by his father Eric Philip, who was a music industry executive, and his ballet dancer mother Julie. They helped the young Cowell shape his interest in music and arts.

Cowell had difficulty maintaining friendly ties with co-workers and employers. So his father found him a job at EMI Music Publishing. Soon, he was hired as an assistant to an A&R (artists and repertoire) man. He helped the A&R man scout for new talents. Because of his experience, he was promoted to a music publishing position.

He left EMI to form his own music company known as E&S Music. The Company did not perform well so it was closed after just one year. Cowell found himself working for Iain Burton at Fanfare Records Ltd. During his stint at Fanfare, he helped the company become successful as an “indie pop” recording outfit. He left Fanfare when he faced problems with his debts.

Cowell became an A&R consultant for BMG, Fanfare’s parent company. There he helped the careers of many popular artists like Sonia Evans, Five and Westlife. He started his own recording company, Syco Records, in 2002. Eventually, Syci became a part of the Sony BMG Music Entertainment. Syco is into deals with contestants of America’s Got Talent and The X Factor.