Sting Slams Simon Cowell’s “The X-Factor”

Sting isn’t very impressed with Simon Cowell’s reality singing competition show, The X Factor. The Brit rocker recently told London’s Evening Standard: “It is a soap opera which has nothing to do with music. In fact, it has put music back decades.”

Although The X Factor has already produced an international sensation in singer Leona Lewis — whose debut album Spirit received three Grammy nominations –Sting doesn’t think the world’s next musical superstars can be found on British television.

And he has no problem telling Simon so.

“I am sorry but none of those kids are going to go anywhere, and I say that sadly. They are humiliated when they get sent off,” the rocker ranted. “How appalling for a young person to feel that rejection. It is a soap opera which has nothing to do with music. In fact, it has put music back decades. Television is very cynical,” Sting continued.

“I tried to keep an open mind, but basically I was looking at televised karaoke where they conform to stereotypes. They are either Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston or [Irish boy band] Boyzone and are not encouraged to create any real unique signature or fingerprint. That cannot come from TV,” he said. “The ‘X Factor’ is a preposterous show and you have judges who have no recognizable talent apart from self-promotion, advising them what to wear and how to look. It is appalling.”

Cowell has defended his program, which is rumored to be heading stateside in the coming years.

“Talking about these contestants being a bunch of karaoke no-hopers … I thought it was pompous,” he told PEOPLE, before inviting Sting to come on the show as a mentor.

Leona Lewis Denies Plastic Surgery Rumors

British pop star Leona Lewis has dismissed rumours she recently went under the knife for a boob job insisting her assets are all natural.

The “Bleeding Love” hitmaker has shown off a fuller figure over the last few weeks, fuelling speculation she has boosted her chest with cosmetic surgery.

But Lewis insists the stories aren’t true – blaming her inflated bosom on recent weight gain.

She says, “Every few months I get people asking me if I’ve had a boob job. No, I haven’t. With me, every time my weight goes up or down a little bit, it’s so noticeable there and people start to speculate about it. But, no, they aren’t fake.”

Lily Allen Retiring From Music?

ClashMusic.com

Foul mouthed pop pixie Lily Allen has confirmed that she plans to quit music, with the singer having no desire to record another album.

Lily Allen has always been a somewhat reluctant pop star. Her debut album ‘Alright, Still’ may have effortlessly climbed to the top of the charts on its release in 2006 but the singer seems to shy away from the rigours of touring.

Taking three years to release a follow up, in the meantime Lily Allen recorded a new chat show which was roundly panned by critics and viewers.

Returning to music, Lily Allen released ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’ which enjoyed massive success. Summer anthem ‘Not Fair’ managed to sneak some fairly badly disguised filth onto the nation’s airwaves, before the singer returned to the festival circuit.

An always entertaining live act, Lily Allen recently bemoaned her finances. Revealing to press that she was growing tired of music the singer explained how record companies swallow up any money she makes from her recordings.

Which may explain her recent desire to clamp down on file sharing. A MySpace blog on the subject lambasted musicians group the FAC for their perceived weakness over the issue of internet piracy.

Now it seems that Lily Allen is ready to retire from music altogether. In a (now deleted) message to fans on her blog, the singer revealed that she is set to allow her contract with EMI to expire.

Referring to her campaign against file sharing Lily Allen said: “Just so you know, I have not renegotiated my record contract and have no plans to make another record. I do however remain a fan of new music, so this is not some selfish crusade.”

“The days of me making money from recording music have been and gone as far as I’m concerned, so I don’t (at this point) stand to profit from legislation (against file sharing). Except future purchases of previously recorded material (which won’t be much).”

There has been no official confirmation of this from Lily Allen’s record label.