Woman Goes Under Knife to Win Simon's 'X-Factor' Love

By PopEater Staff Posted Sep 4th 2009 10:50AM

If you thought people camping out for a day to audition for 'American Idol' was determination, wait until you hear about what one, um, motivated British woman did to get Simon Cowell's 'X-Factor' attention.

Five years ago, Cowell bluntly told the then-18-year-old Katrina Lee that he wished he could take her voice and put it in someone else's body. Lee, now 23, took that to heart, and has done quite a bit to change what's on the outside by undergoing various surgeries (facial, lipo) and hygiene procedures. See What She Looked Like Before After the Jump!

Speaking with Britain's The Sun (via Daily Mail), Lee says in the run-up to this year's 'X-Factor' auditions in Glasgow, she had facial laser surgery, liposuction, dental work, exercised feverishly and even dyed her hair a bright red to stand out.

"What happened to me the last time nearly tipped me over the edge, it was terrible," Lee said of Cowell's comments to her years ago. "I came face-to -face with Simon Cowell and told him that his comments had nearly wrecked my life."

According to Lee, Cowell "seemed really shocked" about telling her years ago that: "I just wish I could put your voice in a nother body." She says Cowell now admits "'That's not a nice thing I said.'"

Lee says now that she's "come back a new person," Cowell told her that she "was a good-looking girl."

"I went through so much after his comments the last time. I was 18 and they really hit me hard. Now I'm delighted. It's been through a lot, including facial surgery. I've gone to every extreme to get to this point," Lee said.

It seems to have worked. Lee belted out Sinead O'Connor's 'Nothing Compares 2 U' at the auditions, and she was quickly sent on to further rounds.

"This year Cheryl Cole said my audition was fantastic and I'm really pleased I've come this far," Lee said.

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=699268&pid=699267&uts=1252070504

http://www.popeater.com/mm_track/popeater/tv/?s_channel=us.tvpop&s_account=aolnews,aolsvc&omni=1&ke=1

http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf

Simon Cowell Snapshots

American Idol judge Simon Cowell arrives at a hotel in Denver, Colo., on Friday, Aug. 7, 2009, for a call back audition of contestants for the American Idol show. (AP Photo/Charles Pulliam)

Simon Cowell Snapshots

American Idol judge Simon Cowell arrives at a hotel in Denver, Colo., on Friday, Aug. 7, 2009, for a call back audition of contestants for the American Idol show. (AP Photo/Charles Pulliam)

©BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM ****NO CANADA RIGHTS*** Simon Cowell is spotted partying at club VIP with a mystery female and is startled when he sees his picture being taken. EXCLUSIVE July 19, 2009 Job: 58516EW Saint-Tropez, France www.bauergriffiffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com

bauergriffinonline.com

Tags: plastic surgery, PlasticSurgery, simon cowell, SimonCowell, x-factor

Comments

(187)

Sunday 06 September

By Mikki

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Simon Cowell is an arrogant pr!ck.

By pj

Vote down Vote up Report this

I think this girl just showed how much she doesn't belong in show business. It is a business and if you can't take that you aren't the right type of person that can be marketed you need to suck it up and find something else to do. I did some modeling when I was in my teens and I understood that I wasn't going to be some famous super model because I'm too short and wasn't willing to starve myself to be a size two (at 5'6 I already weigh 110 pounds. Anything less is crazy).

At the very least if she wanted to take this competition seriously she should have cut back on the make up and looked for a more natural hair color. She was going for a shock factor and not as a marketable product that they were looking for. You wouldn't show up for a job interview as a preschool teacher with 47 face piercings.

By angela

i think it's just sad that someone would do that. she was pretty before, nothing wrong at all. now she just looks fake.

By Wes

She looks hot now.

By Patrick

Simon Cowell is an ass. Who cares what that little creep thinks?

By darren

W/O the before pix , how can you tell?You really missed the boat on this article who ever wrote it.

Monday 07 September

By Emily H

I usually agree with what Simon says, but in this case, I couldn't disagree more. I think she was beautiful the way she was--granted now she looks more like someone you would find in Hollywood-- But I think it's sad that she felt like she HAD to change to get what she wanted. Simon is in the wrong here. I'm sorry.

Saturday 12 September

By Simon who

Simon is UGLY, just from his acerbic comments. I can hardly wait for him to get old and wrinkled.

By Christoph

Average = Average

By DAIL

SIMONS X FACTOR _____HE'S GAY

By Jasmine

People, what this chick is doing is getting attention. Before they show the auditions, they show a clip of the persons life. They will show that she made this drastic change because "Simon Says" This chick wants to get the publics attention so she can win. She wants to show she is so so serious about her so called singing career that she will go to any extreme, including plastic and cosmetic surgery. People are way too stupid. It is just a show. Get a grip. She is not going to win, I can guarantee that. and then what? She will sue the surgeons for not making her win? I can see that alright... LOL>>>

By turk

DEPORT THIS ENGLISH PIG BASTARD BACK TO WHERE HE CAME FROM. WE DON'T WANT AZZHOLES LIKE THIS IN OUR COUNTRY IT'S SCREWED UP ENOUGH WITH ENGLISH LEATHER MORONS. GO HOME YOU HOMO.

By homecareking

When someone tells you your ugly why listen to them. Why go thru all these precedures to look beautifull when in reality it isn't really you in the first place. It's all phoney and unreal. Be happy with yourself and you will go far. What people say on american idol doesn't mean anything. There are a few butt ugly people that are makeing it in the music industry so why try to be somebody your not. Bottom line be yourself!!

By Mable C.

I agree. And to add to this, she was wrong in giving Simon so much power over her and he was wrong for abusing her naive and vulnerable nature.

By mezl

i like her "before" picture better. although a LITTLE plastic surgery would have been all right, i don't think i like her "after" picture that much. they should show a better "before" picture, and an "after" picture without the make-up.. a little plastic surgery is ok, but when you over do it, you look fake. i prefer a more natural look. but i do wish her luck, and my only advice to her is to keep the make-up natural-looking.. and don't darken the eyes so much with the liner. subtle is always better... but good luck to you!!!!!

By Kris

Yeah. As if Simon is the 'end all be all' on who or what is good. He is not that good looking, he is obnoxious, and crude. If he told me what he told her, I'd tell him thanks, coming from him, if he does not like it, I know I am on the right path.

By jasmine

This is for "Simon Who" my darling, Simon is already OLD and Wrinkled, put on some glasses, please, he is no prize bull, he is what I consider "What the cat dragged in"...

Obviously there are some issues here with both parties. If she takes Simons word, so much to heart, than she needs more than a few surgeries. If he thinks she's better looking now than she was then he's, once again, proving that his taste is all in his mouth.

By Ashley Ladd

Yes, I had plastic surgery. But it was because I was born with a cleft lip and palate and all the surgeries were before I was grown, most while I was an infant.

She looked perfectly fine before her surgeries. It's a shame she felt it necessary to change because of a comment, but I know words can hurt.

By Pam

She should have told him where to stick it. He likes women with spunk.

Page 5 of 10