Sir Elton John slams ITV show as 'the worst thing that can happen' to young stars
Sir Elton John has never been a fan of TV singing competitions and has once again shared his thoughts on The X Factor, saying it's 'the worst thing that can happen'
Sir Elton John has criticised TV singing competitions such as 'The X Factor' during a radio interview.
The 78 year old, who has previously expressed his disdain for these types of shows, stressed the significance of nurturing young emerging talent in the discussion.
Previously, the music legend had stated that gaining fame through TV contests is 'the worst thing that can happen to you in the music industry'.
On Thursday, Sir Elton joined Capital Breakfast and shared his views on The X Factor, a programme he feels thrusts individuals into stardom before they are fully prepared.
Speaking with hosts Chris Stark, Sian Welby, and Jordan North, he expressed his delight over Lola Young's viral TikTok hit 'Messy' from last year, reports the Mirror.
Reflecting on his own rise to fame alongside former bandmate Bernie Taupin, he recounted their early struggles in the music business.
"Bernie and I struggled a long time before we made it, we had four years of disappointments, near hits and a lot of near misses," the industry icon recounted.
He added: "But when we happened, we were ready for it. So, all those years of being disappointed gave you the backbone to be successful."
To which Chris responded: "It's okay to be disappointed, it doesn't need to be perfect the first time."
Elton expressed his aversion to talent shows, critical of the way they can catapult artists into a spotlight for which they may not be prepared.
"That's why I don't like X Factor shows and everything like that because people like that just aren't ready for the career. You know, they get on television, and when it comes to actually performing live, it's difficult."
He advocated for a more traditional approach, stating: "I'd rather people did gigs and then did it that way where they are playing to twenty or thirty people. I mean Ed Sheeran playing in living rooms and James Blunt and people like that."
Sir Elton also reflected on how smaller gigs laid a strong foundation for his later fame.
The intimate performances provided him with a solid 'backbone', something he deems essential in the music industry.
"And backbone is so important, because the worst thing that can happen to you in the industry are things like X Factor and instant fame on television where you have no experience of playing live," he told Rolling Stone.
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The detriment of not having live performance experience was underscored by Elton's comments: "You get put on stage, you go, and you can't do it. That's the worst thing. American Idol - just the worst. Take risks. Go and play in a pub."
In 2010, Elton reiterated his disdain for TV music competitions during an interview with Radio Times, saying: "I'm not a fan of talent shows. I probably wouldn't have lasted if I'd gone on one. I was asked to judge American Idol. I couldn't do it because I won't s*** anyone off."