Elton John slams X Factor and American Idol as he encourages musicians to play in pubs
Sir Elton John has encouraged aspiring musicians to play live shows, including in pubs, as much as possible rather than audition for the likes of 'The X Factor' and 'American Idol', which he described as the "worst thing".
Sir Elton John has hit out at TV talent shows 'The X Factor' and 'American Idol' as the "worst thing" that can happen to aspiring musicians.
The 77-year-old music icon has encouraged up and coming music acts to play live shows as much as possible rather than audition for 'X Factor' - which he once branded "boring and brain crippling" - because those live experiences gave him "backbone".
Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine, he said: "Just keep trying to play live. That’s the way you improve as a musician and songwriter.
"It doesn’t matter if you’re playing to 40 people.
"The more experience you get playing to nobody, the better. Because when I played in Musicology, we played to hardly anybody sometimes.
"That experience stood me in great stead for when I became Elton John because I had backbone. 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.
"You get put on stage, you go, and you can’t do it. That’s the worst thing.
"'American Idol' - just the worst."
Elton believes aspiring singers should try to land gigs in pubs rather than audition for 'The X Factor' or 'American Idol'.
He added: "Take risks. Go and play in a pub."
In 2016, the 'Rocketman' hitmaker insisted he was "glad" shows like 'The X Factor' were "on the way out".
He told ES Magazine: "I never liked shows like The X Factor; I’m glad they are on the way out."
However, Elton did appear in the 2013 finale of 'The X Factor' - which ran from 2004 to 2018 - when he collaborated with then-judge Gary Barlow.
