Simon Cowell is looking for stars for a new British boy band

Simon Cowell is ready to get back into the boy band game… and is already on the hunt for his next One Direction-esque success story.

Almost 15 years after making magic by bringing together Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson And Zayn Malik as a group for “X Factor”, the record executive is looking for “future megastars” who are willing to put in the effort to achieve international fame.

Simon announced his new project on Tuesday, putting up recruitment billboards across London reading: ‘Simon needs you! Future megastars wanted for new boy band. No time wasted.’

The former “American Idol” judge explained his reasoning for the new endeavor, noting that there hasn’t been an impactful boy band since 1D — and he’s not wrong, FWIW.

He added… “The industry tends to focus on solo artists – so it usually takes someone from the outside to put a group together. There’s nothing like the pleasure of being in a group, the to travel the world and perform in front of thousands.”

SC plans to audition talent this summer, with the first casting call taking place in Newcastle, England on July 4. Other auditions will take place in Liverpool, Dublin and London.

Although Simon did note that there may be some risks involved with the project… as the last non-K-Pop group to really take off was Little Mix, and they went on hiatus in 2022.

One Direction had their own highs and lows, especially Zayn leaving the band in 2015, causing the group to go on hiatus a year later. Nevertheless, the boys enjoyed quite a bit of success after leaving 1D… with each launching their own solo careers.

Still, there’s no denying that Harry emerged as the group’s biggest alum; he has won three Grammys in recent years.

Simon is certainly using Harry’s legacy to his advantage, noting that his new boy band is “a brilliant springboard for a solo career.”