Will Simon Cowell ever lose his golden touch? The American Idol, America’s Got Talent and The X Factor guru has been minting new pop stars for 30-plus years, demonstrating an uncanny ability to spot trends and anticipate what music listeners will want to hear. Without Cowell, music superstars from Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood to Il Divo, One Direction and Fifth Harmony might still be unknowns. Cowell’s latest find is the boy band PrettyMuch, whose members were working to launch individual solo careers when Cowell brought them together as a group in 2016.
Since then, the group has become an online sensation via YouTube videos and social media, scoring hits including “Would You Mind,” “Summer on You” (written by pop star Ed Sheeran) and “Phases.” In honor of the boy bands of the past, the video for “Would You Mind” pays homage to artists like the Backstreet Boys and ’N Sync, even if the members of PrettyMuch weren’t even born when those original videos were first released. With two EPs and more than a dozen singles released so far, PrettyMuch is on its way to joining Cowell’s other major discoveries in superstardom, guided by one of the music business’ most reliable tastemakers.
The Pearl at Palms, 7 p.m. Aug. 11, starting at $34 plus tax and fee. 702.944.3200
