Simon Cowell regrets not owning One Direction’s name, will create new boy band

Simon Cowell has expressed hesitation about a potential One Direction reunion, revealing his regret over not taking "ownership" of the boy band’s name. In a candid interview with The Diary of a CEO, Cowell reflected on this missed opportunity, stating, “One thing I regret is that I should have kept the name. I should have owned the name. I could have made an animation or whatever, but when you give an artist the name, it’s not yours.” This lack of ownership means that Cowell cannot pursue any projects related to One Direction without the permission of the band members.

Cowell played a pivotal role in forming One Direction, who signed with his record label after finishing third on the seventh series of the British televised singing competition “The X Factor” in 2010. However, the band members—Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, and Louis Tomlinson—own the rights to the group's name. This ownership restricts Cowell from initiating any project, including a reunion tour, without their collective agreement. Cowell hinted that if he had owned the rights, organizing a reunion tour would be simpler. “If one of the band members, for whatever reason, says they don’t want to tour, it can stop the others from touring. So, if it was me who owned the name, it wouldn’t be a problem,” he explained.

Despite his regret, Cowell is moving forward with new projects. He recently announced auditions for a new boy band, set to begin in July. He asserted that “there hasn’t been a good boy band since One Direction,” emphasizing his commitment to discovering the next big act. “The only way I know to put a band together is if somebody has to audition them. And so, we just thought, ‘If I don’t do it this year, I’m going to really regret it, so let’s just do it,’” Cowell remarked, showing his undiminished passion for shaping the future of the music industry.

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