According to the Post and Courier (a newspaper in Charleston, S.C.), a little more than 6,000 people attended "The X Factor" U.S. Season 3 open-call auditions on March 19, 2013, at the North Charleston Coliseum in Charleston. It was the first time that "X Factor" auditions were held in Charleston. The Post and Courier reports that most of the people who auditioned were underage teenage girls accompanied by their mothers.
There could be any number of reasons for the high turnout of teenage girls at "X Factor" auditions in Charleston, but one plausible reason is the teen-idol popularity of One Direction, the boy band that has become the biggest act to emerge from "The X Factor." (One Direction came in third place on "The X Factor" U.K. in 2010 and has since had No. 1 hits and sold-out tours in several countries.) Most of One Direction's fans are teenage girls who might see "The X Factor" as a way of getting close to One Direction, since One Direction does guest performances on "The X Factor."
And in 2012, "The X Factor" U.S. changed its marketing strategy to appeal more to teenage girls. The strategy was a failure, since ratings for "The X Factor" U.S. decreased 25 percent in 2012, compared to what the show got in its first season in 2011. According to the Nielsen Company, the show's rating in 2011 averaged 12 million U.S. viewers per episode. In 2012, the ratings dropped to an average of 8 million U.S. viewers per episode.
As previously reported, an estimated 10,000 people attended The X Factor" U.S. open-call auditions in Los Angeles on March 6, 2013, but it was a big decrease in numbers from the estimated 18,000 people who attended The X Factor" U.S. open-call auditions in Los Angeles in 2011.
"The X Factor" U.S. is a talent contest for solo vocalists, duos and singing groups. The grand prize includes $5 million and a record deal with Sony Music. Contestants must be at least 12 years old, not currently signed to a recording contract, legal U.S. residents, and legally able to work in the U.S. (As of 2012, "X Factor" contestants are allowed to have representation, such as managers and agents.) A legal photo ID must be presented at the audition. Any contestant under 18 years old must be accompanied by his/her parent or legal guardian.
"The X Factor" judges do not attend open-call auditions. Instead, "X Factor" producers are at open-call auditions to select the contestants who will go on to audition in front of the judges. Auditions in front of the judges begin in May (dates and locations to be announced) and are expected to take place in the same cities where the open-call auditions took place. The show's entire judging panel should be announced by May.
As of now, Simon Cowell is the only judge guaranteed to return to "The X Factor" U.S. in 2013. The replacements for Britney Spears and L.A. Reid haven't been announced yet. And it also hasn't been announced yet if Demi Lovato will continue to be a judge on the show in 2013, but Lovato and Cowell have said in recent interviews that they want Lovato to remain an "X Factor" judge.
Fox televises each new season of "The X Factor" U.S. from September to December. The show's live episodes begin in late October or early November.
As previously reported, the open-call auditions will be held in five U.S. cities in 2013. Contestants must obtain wristbands from the venue prior to auditions.
Here are the announced details of the open-call auditions:
March 6, 2013: Los Angeles — Galen Center (Registration: March 4-5, 2013)
March 19, 2013: Charleston, S.C. — North Charleston Coliseum (Registration: March 17-18, 2013)
April 14, 2013: New Orleans — Lakefront Arena (Registration: April 12-13, 2013)
April 25, 2013: Uniondale, N.Y. — Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum (Registration: April 23-24, 2013)
May 14, 2013: Denver — Denver Coliseum (Registration: May 12-13, 2013)
People can also audition by uploading an a cappella video online.
More information and registration forms can be found at the official "X Factor" U.S. website.
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