Today Simon Cowell announced he will be producing a new show in the search for great talent: DJ X Factor. Following the success of the first season of X Factor, Simon shifts his focus with the help of Will Smith to what he calls “the new breed of rockstars”. Boom or Bust for DJing? Here is our take…
Photo by Lia Holland: Bassnectar at the Gold Coast
I passionately believe that DJs should do more performing in their sets. Audiences want to be a part of a real show and see their musical heros push themselves to the absolute limits. We hope and expect to really see great DJ chops in 3 main areas:
- Musical talent: Pressing play on a song wont be enough. Timing, musicality and the ability to transform tunes we love will be critical to win.
- Great music selection: On national TV it wont be just about picking the most popular tracks, but sharing the perfect song for each moment – and that’s the heart of DJing.
- Diversity reigns supreme. I imagine that they may use an American Idol-style format where DJs are given specific songs each week to work with. In this case, DJs with the ability to get creative with ALL types of music will get the most love from the crowds.
While a DJ TV show is potentially cheesy on the surface, this could be the perfect opportunity to showcase real talent in our field. Personally, I am seriously considering entering to represent all the DJs in this community that care about the craft more than big names or giant crowds. Simon’s right, with dance music blowing up, DJs are the new rock stars. The only problem- we haven’t seen many DJs on the national stage with real rockstar talent. This show may just change that.
Now over to you:
- Who should the judges be?
- What DJs do you really want to see enter this thing?
- What kind of format would really work?
Please respond with one answer per comment and vote on your favorite ideas!
