L.A. Reid Wants Rihanna to Judge 'X Factor'
L.A. Reid, renowned music executive, recently announced that he would be leaving the "X Factor" singing competition and thinks that Barbadian pop star Rihanna should serve as his replacement.
Reid recently spoke to Hollywood Life about the 24-year-old chart topping singer sitting at the "X Factor" judging panel in his place.
"I think Rihanna should fill my spot, so that I have a reason to watch," Reid told the publication recently.
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However, fellow "X Factor" judge and show creator Simon Cowell recently told E! News that he was not ready to think about who would take Reid's place just yet.
"It'd be crazy to think about it while the show's [still] on," Cowell told E! before the show's Dec 20 finale. "I'll take a couple weeks off [after Thursday's finale], regroup, and wait for the calls to come in. I prefer that."
Reid, CEO of Epic, a division of Sony Entertainment, helped artists like Rihanna and Justin Bieber rise to popularity. Although he will not appear on the show next season, the singer on Reid's team, Tate Stevens, won the competition.
After helping Stevens win, Reid said he is ready to leave the show on a positive note.
"No [I'm not coming back]. What other way to leave, than to leave a winner, you know?" Reid told Access Hollywood after the show's finale. "You always have to know when to bow out. You bow out while you are on top."
Although Reid has expressed his desire for Rihanna to join the competition, he told Access Hollywood about some qualities that would make his successor a great candidate for the judges' table.
"I hope whoever my successor is really loves music, really loves talent, and really gets into it," Reid said. "And really sort of makes his judgments based on musical emotion, instead of from an intellectual place of trying to find words."
