Usher Says Reality TV Talent Searches Are a Lie

Following a recent performance on 'American Idol,' Usher has ironically revealed that he believes televised talent shows of its kind are hindering the music business. In a recent interview, the R&B star noted reality television has launched the careers of a lot of talented musicians who catapulted into fame, but says some have been cast aside due to their lack of knowledge of the music business.

"The true art form of music is being lost, because it seems so easy that everyone can do it, and that it can happen overnight," he told the British publication The Guardian. "Television is a lie. It can't happen overnight. The artist who thinks that it can just comes and goes. The reason why great singers cannot exist in this time is maybe because they're not properly managed, and maybe they don't understand the full gamut of what being an entertainer is."

After acting as a mentor on 'American Idol' and having his own career jump-started after being discovered from a talent show, Usher's comments may raise a few eyebrows. But he's not just blaming shows like 'American Idol,' he also places blame on the record companies.

"We're dealing with an industry that is slowly but surely dying, every day," he continued. "Then there's the record companies that are mass-producing these versions of these people; version of this broken art. While it works, because it sells records, it damages the business."