Simon Cowell Has A Softer Side – Does Fatherhood Have A Hand In It?
Simon Cowell is known for his unbridled bluntness as a judge on American Idol and The X Factor. Cowell’s point-blank candor has upset many a hopeful contestant on these shows. However, Simon seems to be softening, in the first audition show of the British version of X Factor, a contestant, Josh Daniel, recently caused the bristly judge to seemingly tear up. Cowell was seen brushing away a tear, and then he could not bring himself to critique the contestant, instead asking to go immediately to a vote. Daniel was the last contestant, so at the end of the show, Cowell is shown leaving the auditorium still clearly at a loss for words.
Simon did lose his mother about a month before the show aired, so it is most likely he was still grieving and the song touched him due to his loss. Cowell also became a father recently, so his softer side may also be due to that fact as well. In February of 2014, Cowell became the proud father of a baby boy, Eric. Eric is Cowell’s first child with Lauren Silverman. Cowell’s Twitter account is full of snapshots of Cowell clearly enjoying being a father. From the looks of it, Cowell is definitely softening up all due to his adorable little boy!
Taking after daddy pic.twitter.com/O16zcTZEL2
— Simon Cowell (@SimonCowell) August 13, 2014
After watching the Jungle Book1000 times we have moved on to the Lion King pic.twitter.com/lisb3cKqYR
— Simon Cowell (@SimonCowell) April 27, 2015
Very cool hat pic.twitter.com/6UMqTGwgiR
— Simon Cowell (@SimonCowell) August 17, 2015
Just recently, the Daily Mail reported that Simon visited the Brit School in Croydon, where his softer side was revealed even more. The Brit School is an innovative, free public school for for 14- to 19-year-old students that is devoted to arts and technology. It is the U.K.’s leading performing arts and technology state school has an impressive list of alumni including Adele, Jessie J, Leona Lewis, and Amy Winehouse. Cowell made a surprise visit to the school to encourage the students and give advice and said he would have loved to have attended a school like it. He talked about his early days at school, admitting: “I was bored out of my mind actually.”
https://youtu.be/As4prtVXuJw
Simon took a tour of the school and some of the classes he visited were a dance class, computer class and a recording studio. After watching two students, Dayo Bello and Rehaim West, perform in the studio, Cowell congratulated them, saying “That was great.” The two music students were excited to have Cowell visit, and also a little bit nervous. “It was a little nerve wracking,” said 17-year-old Rehaim, who is from East Dulwich.
When Cowell visited a set design class, he took time to speak with the class and answer some of their questions. “It’s quite nice to see he’s interested in stuff like set design, not just people on stage,” said 17-year-old Rachel Chrystie, a student from south Croydon.
Cowell also visited the Nordoff Robbins facility, which is a musical therapy facility on the grounds of the Brit School. Nordoff Robbins provides therapy for disabled and impaired patients by teaching them to play musical instruments. This style of therapy is believed to help the patients’ personal growth and development with the help of creating music. While at the facility, Simon met mother Gabriella Emery and her 4-year-old daughter, Claudia, who was having music therapy at the time.
Cowell also will be honored next month, November 2, at the Music Industry Trust Awards (MITS), which is held to raise money for the school and the music therapy charity.
What do you think about Simon Cowell’s new softer side? Do you think being a father has mellowed the formerly brusque Brit?
[Lead Image Via BBC; Other Images Via Daily Mail]
