Will Simon Cowell strike gold again with the next global boy band sensation? The music mogul, known for creating One Direction, is back at it in Simon Cowell: The Next Act. The Netflix docuseries, streaming now, follows Cowell and his industry peers as they hunt for fresh talent across London, Dublin and Liverpool. After more than a thousand auditions, 16 boys aged 15 to 19 were selected to move on.
The next challenge? Heading to Miami — many of the hopefuls visiting the U.S. for the first time to compete against one another. So, who made it in the band? Keep reading for details on December 10.
Meet December 10
After rigorous rounds of auditions and bootcamp-style training, seven standout performers emerged to form Cowell’s newest boy band, December 10. The members include Nicolas Alves, 16; Cruz Lee-Ojo, 19; Hendrik Christoffersen, 19; John Fadare, 17; Josh Olliver, 17; Danny Bretherton, 16; and Seán Hayden, 19.
Their debut video, a live acoustic cover of NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye,: dropped on YouTube this week. Fans immediately fell in love. “I put off watching the show because what I feared has come true. I’m obsessed. I love a boyband I’m so sorry. Acc im not sorry. They all have my support x,” wrote one viewer. Another added, “I just know they’re going to be BIG.”
One fan shared, “I cried at nearly every Netflix episode watching all of your journeys and can’t wait to see you all go far! Will be a life long fan! Good luck boys!!!”
The Name
The band’s name, December 10, comes from the documentary’s release date. Some fans speculate that the name might be a subtle nod to One Direction (often abbreviated as 1D), similar to December 10’s abbreviation, D10.
Cowell told The Sun that he has full faith in the boys’ potential. “All I know is, is that if people like them as much as I like them – and I really, really do have a bond with these boys – then I will be so happy. And they’re real, they’re not privileged, you know, they have no leg up apart from this. And I was thinking, where would they be without this opportunity? One of them is still working in a fast food restaurant. They’re just lovely, funny boys.”
Despite his excitement, Cowell admitted he feels the pressure. “When you’re putting a band together it’s like mining for diamonds. As much as I love my job on TV, I miss where I started, which is signing artists and working with bands. There is a massive opportunity. I am going to find a new boy band. But there is a huge risk. If this goes wrong it will be ‘Simon Cowell has lost it’. The chances of this working are less than 10%.”
