“Interestingly, when they left, I had a bad feeling that maybe we shouldn’t have lost them and this is when the idea came about that we should see if they could work as a group. We invited these five guys back. They were the only five we cared about. The minute they stood there for the first time together – it was a weird feeling. They just looked like a group at that point. I had a good feeling, but when they came to my house in Spain and performed, after about a millionth of a second. I tried to keep a straight face for a bit of drama for the show. I remember sitting next to this girl who I was working with. The second they left we jumped out of my chair and said, “These guys are incredible!” They just had it. They had this confidence. They were fun. They worked out the arrangements themselves. They were like a gang of friends, and kind of fearless as well.”

- Simon Cowell

(Source: bbradford)