How Simon Cowell took 'AGT' from 'dead in the water' pilot to 21-season success − Exclusive

Joelle Goldstein, USA TODAYMon, June 1, 2026 at 1:01 PM UTC

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Simon Cowell has an ease about him.

It could be because he's preparing to enter his 21st season of "America's Got Talent," the powerhouse hit that he created, executive produces and judges for NBC, which has produced a range of Vegas stars, including Terry Fator, Mat Franco and Piff the Magic Dragon.

It could also be due to his natural knack for finding talent (see: One Direction and Fifth Harmony on "The X Factor" or Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood on "American Idol.") Or maybe it's just simply because he's taping an "AGT" episode from the comfort of his own home in Malibu, welcoming USA TODAY exclusively into his private paradise.

But don't let his calm demeanor fool you. Beneath the surface, Cowell is paddling like hell − making sure that Season 21 of "AGT," which kicks off June 2 (8 p.m. ET/PT) on NBC, is a season like no other.

"I think it depends on who's with you [and] how you feel in that particular year," he tells USA TODAY of finding stars each year. "This year, more than ever, I wanted to see things we'd never seen before, and better.

"We say, 'What are you going to do?' And they go, 'Trust me, you've never seen this before.' And that's always a great way to start," he adds. "Because I can't bear seeing worse versions of what we've already seen. That's, for me, a waste of time."

With the new season on the horizon, Cowell opens up about the lasting success of "AGT," what he regrets about his previous judging styles and how he's had to adjust his show amid the social media age.

This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.

Simon Cowell attends the red carpet for "America's Got Talent" season 18 live show at Hotel Dena on August 29, 2023 in Pasadena, California.

Question: What can you tease about the talent this season?

Simon Cowell: We had a lot of returnees this year, which was really good, because it's always interesting to see people come back and [be] better, having thought it through. It shouldn't be that just because you didn't make it to the end, that's the end.

There is one act in particular, whom I'd [previously] said to, "It's not working, I just don't think you've really thought it through. It's not big enough. You've got Vegas in your head. That's not a Vegas act." And he came back and I genuinely felt it, which was, "Wow. This really could be a big Vegas act."

And then, obviously, the new people we saw. The thing about this show is you don't really have to overthink it, other than, is it something you're going to remember? Are people liking this? Are they going to talk about it the following day? The following week? How many people are going to watch it? The views, I always think about that.

Simon Cowell attends the "America's Got Talent" Season 19 red carpet at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on March 26, 2024 in Pasadena, California.

Has finding a Golden Buzzer-worthy act become easier over the years?

You just have to trust the audience. And keep pushing the people, after they make it through to the live shows, not to repeat what they've done. I'm thinking about that all the time – you could be good, but if you're boring, that's not going to work. You can't be boring. Really think about the fact that you've got this massive opportunity here. Don't screw it up. Well, try not to.

More: The enduring appeal of ‘America’s Got Talent,’ explained

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Does finding original talent become harder in an age of social media, where anyone can go viral?

Funny enough, I was thinking about it this morning. We were really lucky that social media happened during our time. If something does go viral, it seriously helps the show.

When we were trying to sell this format, I remember YouTube was becoming popular, and I was trying to pitch the show as a YouTube show. Not as a traditional talent show [but rather] stuff you've never seen before, and I couldn't get that message across to all the people we were trying to sell it to.

When I say this show was dead in the water, it was dead. All I had was about seven or eight minutes from the pilot, which was OK. But the seven or eight minutes were really, really good. And out of the blue, we got this call from NBC, and they went, "What's the show like?" And we're like, "Potentially good." And they said yeah. Otherwise, we wouldn't be having this conversation today.

You've seen a lot in your 20 seasons on the show. What kinds of acts still move you?

Dog acts. I like it when I can see how much work has gone into the idea and they really thought about it rather than just turning up and giving it a go. [The acts who say,] "We are really, really gonna take this seriously and do something you've never seen before." That's getting harder and harder, obviously, over the years. But we still get those moments.

How has your judging style changed over the years?

To be fair, I think we are definitely seeing better people coming to audition. The acts have gotten better. That's the most important thing and really what the show relies on each year.

When I first started, I was really nervous about just being on camera, full stop. I had no desire to do that in my life. I did it because I was asked to do it. I was really conscious that if the show doesn't work, I've made a really bad mistake.

When I first started, all these singers who were coming on the show, half of them just couldn't sing. So I was thinking, "Well, what am I supposed to say? I'm not going to lie to people." Obviously, you see the clips of yourself, and it's like, "OK, that wasn't great." It was a different time.

Who would be in your Mount Rushmore of "AGT" acts?

I would say The Mayyas [Season 17 winner], Shin Lim [Season 13 winner], Grace VanderWaal [Season 11 winner] and Terry Fator [Season 2 winner]. All for different reasons.

Terry was the first person to get a superstar contract in Vegas. Grace made the show cooler because she is so cool. The Mayyas, I've never seen a dance act like that in my life. That was, honestly, perfection. And Shin, again, you could have two people singing the same song. You could have two magicians do something similar, but if you've got that stage presence, which you could see he had, I was thinking immediately, "Wow, I can see you in Vegas, probably for the next 20 years."

And he has. That's the best thing about this show. I judge its success by going into Vegas and seeing how many people from the shows have ended up there. Because if there is no purpose, then you can't make the show.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Simon Cowell on 'America's Got Talent' Season 21, success − Exclusive

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