Simon Cowell is a judge on The X Factor. That's pretty much all you need to know about the Fox singing competition that premiered last night and hopes to out-perfom American Idol.
With this British producer back on TV, we were treated to an event that felt much bigger than any of the early Idol auditions. Aspiring singers belted out their hearts and their souls in front of a packed auditorium right off the bat, as opposed to inside a small room, facing only a few judges.
Simon was his typically snarky self, Paula was just like we remembered her and L.A. Reid proved that he could be both professional and harsh. He and Cowell clashed a few times.
But The X Factor will come down to its contestants. These shows always do. With that in mind, a few stood out, led by 42-year old mother Stacy Francis. Listen to her tale below and then watch her sing "You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman."