Pop princesses join ‘X Factor’

BRITNEY Spears and former Disney Channel star Demi Lovato officially joined the US version of The X Factor this week, leading creator Simon Cowell to pledge the second season would “seriously kick butt”.

Spears, 30, the biggest pop phenomenon of the 2000s, and Lovato, 19, will fill the judge’s slots left open by Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger, who were both fired after a disappointing first season this year. — Reuters