Same direction? Simon Cowell’s new boyband are the spitting image of his former proteges One Direction

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Simon Cowell is back to searching for musical talent with his latest show, The Next Act. He’s hoping to find a new boyband that becomes as popular as One Direction.

One Direction was created on the reality show The X Factor in 2010, but they went on a break in 2015. Following the recent and heartbreaking loss of Liam Payne last October, a reunion now appears very unlikely.

Honestly, when The X Factor went on hold back in 2015, it felt like my world stopped! It wasn’t just a show for me, you know? It meant Simon Cowell wasn’t actively searching for the next huge group, and that just… broke my heart. It was like the chance for amazing new music was just put on pause indefinitely, and I couldn’t believe it!

After a decade, he’s returned with a six-part Netflix documentary series that chronicles the journey of male singers – from the initial auditions to the launch of their first song.

But the new band bears a striking resemblance to the music mogul’s former proteges.

Four members of the seven-person boyband strongly resemble One Direction’s Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Niall Horan.

Photos from the London premiere of the Netflix show on Tuesday offered a first look at what seems to be the final group lineup.

Nicolas Alves, a contestant on the show, bears a striking resemblance to Harry Styles, right down to his long brown hair.

People have noticed that Josh Olliver bears a strong resemblance to Louis Tomlinson, while Sean Hayden looks a lot like Irish singer Niall Horan.

Danny Bretherton, who was on The Voice Kids two years prior to trying out for The Next Act, bears a strong resemblance to Zayn.

Simon faces a real challenge with the competitive group shown in the latest trailer. They’re constantly playfully fighting and disagreeing as they go through tough band auditions. Ultimately, the top 16 hopefuls will head to Miami.

Simon compared the process to ‘mining for diamonds’.

Simon stated before shooting began that he’s specifically looking to cast only new faces in his current project, even though Daniel had previously appeared on a different show.

A judge on Britain’s Got Talent is worried that the UK isn’t discovering enough exciting new talent. They believe record labels aren’t signing enough new artists, and that these artists are facing tough competition from the sheer volume of content available online.

Simon Cowell, famous for launching the careers of One Direction and Westlife, believes record labels need to do a better job of discovering new artists. He recently told the Daily Mail, ‘There just aren’t enough new talents being signed right now.’

There’s been a dramatic drop in the number of UK artists achieving international success, and I believe it’s due to the intense competition online. The old way of being discovered – someone simply showing up and sharing new music – just doesn’t happen anymore. Artists now have to proactively seek out opportunities themselves, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.

Even though I enjoy my current TV work, I really miss the early days of discovering and working with musicians,” Simon explains in the trailer. “There’s a huge potential out there, and I’m determined to create the next big boy band.

He admits there’s a lot riding on this. He feels there’s significant risk involved, and a failure could seriously damage his reputation – it would be seen as him losing his touch.

With an estimated net worth of £475 million, Simon has a long history of discovering new performers. He’s been a judge on popular reality shows since 2001, including Pop Idol, American Idol, Britain’s Got Talent, America’s Got Talent, and The X Factor.

For 14 years, The X Factor had a huge impact on British music, launching the careers of major artists like One Direction, Leona Lewis, Little Mix, JLS, and Olly Murs.

With fewer people watching and reports of past contestants being mistreated, ITV said in 2021 that the show wouldn’t be returning for another season.

Simon is aiming to repeat his past successes with artists who have achieved record-breaking sales and sold millions of albums around the globe.

This follows a statement from Simon Cowell’s key songwriter, who believes British audiences still enjoy boybands and is committed to helping Cowell regain dominance of the UK music charts.

Savan Kotecha, 47, is appearing alongside the former X Factor boss on the docuseries.

It’s been noticeable how few British boybands have become popular since One Direction broke up.

K-pop groups from South Korea have been the most popular boybands lately, but Simon Cowell thinks boybands will make a comeback in the UK and attract a new wave of young fans.

Simon is enthusiastic about forming a new boyband, and Savan believes his decision to return to talent shows is driven by a love for the music, not financial gain.

She explained that he isn’t motivated by money or fame, but by his genuine passion for the work. She pointed out that there are simpler ways to earn a living in the entertainment industry, and that success often comes down to luck. Ultimately, she believes he’s driven by his love of pop music, something he’s shared with her in their conversations.

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2025-12-11 05:19