Out with the old and in with the new! Six months after Britney Spears and L.A. Reid quit The X Factor, FOX has officially hired two new mentors for the show's third season: Kelly Rowland and Paulina Rubio. The international superstars join returning judges Simon Cowell and Demi Lovato.
"It's taken more than a decade, but I'm delighted to finally be on a panel with three girls (I think!)," Cowell tells Us Weekly in a statement. "Paulina and Kelly both have great taste and massive experience in the music industry and together with Demi, this is going to be a fun panel. It just feels like the time to do something different."
Says Rubio, 41, "I love The X Factor I can't wait to find the next big music star here in America. I'm so thrilled to be part of the show as a judge. Simon, be careful what you wish for! Let's see if you are ready to handle me. Empieza la fiesta, amigo!" The Mexican singing sensation — who released her first English-language album, Border Girl, in 2002 — previously appeared as a judge on Telemundo's La Voz Kids, the first Spanish-language version of The Voice.
Rowland, 32, has plenty of experience as well, as she was a judge on the eighth season of the U.K.'s X Factor. "I am very excited to be reuniting with Simon Cowell and The X Factor family," the Destiny's Child singer says. "It feels great to be able to take this journey here at home in the states!"
In addition to Spears and Reid, previous X Factor judges include Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger. Since its premiere in September 2011, The X Factor has named two winners: Melanie Amaro and Tate Stevens.
