Getty Simon Cowell at a premiere event for 'AGT.'
Singer Rebecca Ferguson has criticized Simon Cowell for failing to publicly support victims of abuse in the music industry. During his time as an ”American Idol” judge, Cowell built a reputation as a stern voice among the judge’s panel. He is often cited for speaking his mind and being tough on the contestants. According to Ferguson, that tough treatment goes well beyond what viewers see on TV.
In an interview with Variety, Ferguson recalled when she was finally able to reflect on her treatment in the music industry. “I would say that I was most certainly a victim of abuse,” she says. To her, the time spent during the COVID-19 lockdowns gave her time to sit down and analyze her experiences.
For Ferguson, her eyes were opened to the harsh treatment that she and countless others have endured. “It was a bit normalized. It almost felt like this is part of the package, which is so toxic not just for me, but for many women working in the creative industry,” she said.
Even with her unsavory experiences in the music industry, Ferguson doesn’t wish to condemn anyone. She just expresses disappointment in those involved in the abuse. “I don’t have a deep hatred towards [Simon Cowell] in any way,” Ferguson explains. “[But] it would have taken him nothing to say, ‘I confirm what Rebecca’s saying and I’m deeply sorry that that ended up being her lived experience.’”
Simon Cowell Criticized For Private Apology
Ferguson was just 24 years old when she first made waves as the runner-up on “X Factor” in 2010. Although she failed to win the competition, Ferguson signed with Cowell’s Syco Entertainment shortly after. In 2012, her debut album “Heaven” peaked at 23 on the Billboard 200. She would then go on to release three more albums over the next four years.
Despite the prolific music production, Ferguson says that much of her early career was out of her control. Although she had become wildly successful, it was the people behind the scenes who were the ones pulling all of the strings. “It really makes me sad that I had to endure that,” she says.
After a few years, Ferguson says that she had an opportunity to meet with Cowell in 2019. It was at that meeting when she reveals that the longtime music executive offered her his sympathy. “I did have an apology from Simon,” Ferguson told Mirror. “He invited me to his home in Holland Park and said he was sorry for the way I had been treated, and he wished he had stepped in sooner to ensure I was looked after.”
While explaining to Cowell the abuse that she had been put through, he finally acknowledged her experiences. “He paused me and said, ‘Rebecca I can see you’re actually shaking. Your breathing’s changed. You’re shaking recollecting it,’” she says. “And he said, ‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry and I wish I had stepped in to help you.’”
Although she valued his words at the time, they eventually rang hollow to her. “For a moment, I accepted his apology. He shook my hand and said, ‘We will sort it out.’” she says. “I think it was his way of trying to calm the storm. But no one apologized to me publicly. They left a question mark hanging over my head, which I think is wrong.”
Singer Claims Music Industry’s ‘Structure Is Manipulation’
Ferguson is not the only one who has voiced their concerns over the treatment of artists in the music industry. In 2022, former “X Factor” contestant Katie Waissel sued Cowell’s production company, Syco Entertainment, accusing it of breaching their duty of care during her time on the show.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, Waissel clarified her intentions. “I am pursuing a civil case of personal injury under negligence, which pertains to duty of care. I was [contractually] given £1 in exchange for appearing on the live shows section of the program,” Waissel says.
One of the biggest issues that Waissel has with Cowell and other music executives is the power dynamic. “That structure is manipulation and coercion at its finest,” says Waissel. “Company A, who is in a position of power, seeks person B, who is vulnerable. Company A says this is the biggest opportunity of your life and without it, you would be nothing. That is the absolute pinnacle of where it’s all gone wrong.”