Antonio “L.A.” Reid, once best known as the other half of L.A. and Babyface’s hitmaking production team and the former chairman at Island Def Jam, will soon be choosing the next superstars by way of TV. He joins acerbic former “American Idol” creator and judge Simon Cowell on the U.S. version of “The X Factor,” debuting on Fox this fall.
“The X Factor,” much like “American Idol,” is a singing competition show that has discovered major stars from the U.K., including Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke, and, like “Idol,” judges choose their favorites in the early rounds but the eventual winner is chosen by the public. Winners of the American version, which includes contestants in both group and solo categories, will win a $5 million dollar recording contract from Syco/Sony Music.
Reid certainly knows talent. He ran LaFace Records with partner Babyface, signing Toni Braxton, Outkast, TLC, Usher and more. As chairman of Island Def Jam, he oversaw the careers of superstars Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson and Jay-Z, among others. He’s a three-time Grammy winner who’s responsible for 33 number-one hits.
