With only one week left until their primetime debt, the stars of the U.S. version of “The X Factor” stepped out for a red carpet premiere event in Hollywood, California on Wednesday night (September 12).

Show judges Simon Cowell, Nicole Scherzinger, Paula Abdul and L.A. Reid joined alongside host Steve Jones as the fivesome greeted fans and media members at ArcLight Cinemas Cinerama Dome.

Recently explaining the difference between “X Factor” and other reality talent shows, Cowell said, “The contestants are all ages—from 12 to 80—and have fascinating backstories. One woman in her mid-40s had gotten out of a horribly abusive marriage. When she sang, she was amazing. We saw the 5,000 people in the audience all get on their feet. That’s more powerful than a 17-year-old who comes in and says, ‘I want to be a star.’ It’s like with Susan Boyle, where I got it completely wrong. I’d written her off before she started singing and got a sharp wake-up call in front of millions.”

The former “American Idol” star also dished on why he wanted to sit at the judges table with Paula again, saying, “I do really like people who disagree with me. Probably my best friends in the world are the people I argue with the most, because they don’t always say what you want to hear. From the minute I met Paula, I was fascinated by her. She’s a complex person, but—this is going to sounds very American—she’s got a great heart.”