Simon Cowell Makes Little Girl Cry
At least he didn't call her a bush baby.
The ever snarky Simon Cowell is back in the headlines, this time for supposedly dashing the dreams of a six-year-old contestant on Britain's Got Talent.
Gap-toothed wunderkind Connie Talbot wowed audiences with her performance of "Somewhere over the Rainbow" on the British reality competition, leading Cowell to announce that he saw a record contract in her future.
"This girl is special," Cowell said on the show.
"I have never felt such a powerful silence in my life as when Connie sang. It was pure magic."
Cowell indicated that he was interested in signing the youngster to his Syco Music imprint on Sony BMG, even predicting that she would outsell Joss Stone within a year.
However, the label ultimately decided Connie was too young to pursue stardom and pulled out of the deal, much to her parents' disappointment.
"Despite what we were initially told, Simon and his management team have changed their minds," Connie's dad, Gavin Talbot, told reporters.
"We were worried about telling Connie the bad news. She had her heart set on working with Simon. The look on her face was a sheer disappointment. Obviously, she was upset."
Sony BMG defended its decision, claiming it acted with Connie's best interests in mind.
"There was some deliberation over the possibility of recording with Connie," the label said in a statement. "However, the decision not to proceed was made with the best intentions for Connie, taking into consideration her age and that it would not be right to do so at this time."
Which is not to say that Connie shouldn't hold out hope for a recording contract in the future.
Cowell said he remained a fan of the kiddie crooner and hadn't ruled out working with her down the line. "When the time is right, I will be delighted to see if we can make it work," he told London's Daily Mail.
According to Connie's mom, the first grader bears Cowell no ill will.
"Connie has bounced back, and she still wants to sing, so we're hopeful of other offers," Sharon Talbot said. "She still loves Simon Cowell to bits, and we've been told we're welcome to visit Sony BMG anytime."
The family said they have received other offers and remain optimistic that Connie will land a contract.
The pint-size star lost out on Britain's Got Talent to classical crossover artist Paul Potts, who went on to release a number one album on Cowell's imprint.
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