As expected, former Destiny's Child member Kelly Rowland and Latin pop
singer Paulina Rubio will be joining Simon Cowell and Demi Lovato on The X
Factor judges' panel next season, Fox confirmed late Monday.
Their hire gives the singing competition show three
female judges for its third season, which premieres this fall. Rowland and Rubio replace L.A. Reid
and Britney Spears,
who both left after X Factor's second season. Reid was an original judge while Spears served just one season.
"It's taken more than a decade but I'm delighted to finally
be on a panel with three girls (I think!)," Cowell said 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."
Despite expectations that Spears' and Lovato's star power would lift ratings for the Fox show in its last season, its second season finale finished down 18% with adults 18-49 from its first season.
As previously announced, Mario Lopez will return as host for X Factor's third season without Khloe Kardashian, who co-hosted season two.
