TikTok Idol

The Future. Simon Fuller, the creator of American Idol, is launching a group called The Future X (does that name remind anyone of a really awesome newsletter?). The band is made up of seven TikTokers that Fuller scouted. As talent continues to flock to the social platform, TikTok could very well be the next evolution of the casting call.

15-second audition

TikTok is becoming the new American Idol.

• • The Future X is made up of singers and dancers Angie Green, Luke Brown, Maci Wood, Jayna Hughes, Sasha Marie, Tray Taylor, and Drew Venegas.
  • The TikTokers auditioned in the fall of 2021 under the hashtag #NextInMusic, where Simon Fuller discovered them and brought them together as a group.
  • The Future X are now living together in Malibu and recording new music for their first live performances in March 2022.

Besides creating American Idol, Simon Fuller was also the executive producer of So You Think You Could Dance and managed acts like the Spice Girls, Carrie Underwood, and Kelly Clarkson.
Tok talent
Talent competition shows like American Idol, The Voice, and America’s Got Talent have drawn massive audiences, but viewership is on the decline. Fewer and fewer “winners” of these shows are becoming culturally relevant.

Meanwhile, new platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Spotify are catapulting young stars into the spotlight. With an industry expert like Simon Fuller recognizing that potential, TikTok seems well on its way to becoming the newest stage for talent discovery.