Simon Cowell, 'X Factor' judges coming to Nassau Coliseum in June
Simon Cowell and the entire "X Factor" judging panel -- Demi Lovato and newly minted judges Kelly Rowland and Paulina Rubio -- will set up camp at Nassau Coliseum from June 19 to 21 looking for contestants for the Fox talent show's upcoming third season.
The judges will audition the contestants who received "golden tickets" from producers at the open call that drew more than 16,000 aspiring singers to Nassau Coliseum in April. Singers in this round, along with the audiences that attend the auditions, could appear on the show this fall.
The auditions will be open to the public, though ticket information hasn't been finalized yet.
In the past two seasons, Cowell has taken into account the reaction the singers get from the crowds when the judges decide who moves on to the boot camp round of the competition.
However, given all the changes the show is undergoing, it's hard to guess what will happen this year.
"It just feels like the time to do something different," Cowell said in a statement.
Tate Stevens, the reigning "X Factor" champ, said that it was the standing ovation he received during the audition round that made him think that he had a chance at winning the competition, even though he was spending more time spreading asphalt at his job with his town's streets department than singing.
"Just be yourself," Stevens said before the release of his debut single "Power of a Love Song" earlier this year. "You never know what will happen."