You know when it’s been a long day and all you want to do is go home, have a cup of tea or a nice bath, perhaps read your favorite book or watch an interesting tv show? That is exactly how the judges of the popular UK talent show, “The X Factor,” felt after seeing tons of people audition for the competition at the end of August 2015.
As the last contestant comes on and takes his position in front of the judges, Simon Cowell shares a bit of an intimidating conversation with him. He mentions that after a long day of waiting his/her turn, the last contestant’s performance can either go really well or it can go really bad. He kind of makes it a point that there’s no in between. They all laugh it off though, and the singer gets ready to roll.
While the man prepares himself to knock the performance out of the park, little did the judges know, that this very last contestant would grace the stage and move them to tears with a rendition of the song, “Jealous” by Labyrinth.
21-year-old, Josh Daniels waited all day to audition and when it was finally his turn, he explains that he would sing a song dedicated to his late best friend who died tragically two years prior. He admits that the lyrics mean something different to him and that the beautiful song will always remind him of his best buddy. This young man lost his best friend at the age of 18 and he admits that life hasn’t been the same since then. Josh says that they used to do everything together, but now he’s in a better place and happier, and he can’t be with him.
He has a hard time keeping it together while he’s giving his interview and explaining why he chose this song. But, he’s able to deliver like never before.
As he starts to sing, the judges (and the crowd) are left speechless. His voice is soft and tender, and his strong emotions can really be felt. By the end, he is given a well-deserved standing ovation, which he gracefully enjoys with a smile on his face. And the cherry on the cake? Even Simon managed to shed a tear or two at the performance.
The judges persist to give their comments while pausing intermittently in sheer amazement at the performance that they’ve just witnessed. Needless to say, young Josh makes it through to the next round with flying colors!
