Almost opting for a different song for his audition, Josh Daniel, an X Factor hopeful, may go down in history as the performance that moved Simon Cowell to tears.
Having a Conversation with the Mirror Josh’s friend Kerrianne Covell, who made it to the judges’ houses of the ITV show in 2014, revealed that he was originally planning to sing a different song, but changed his mind and sang Labrinth’s Jealous after seeing it performed for her and friend Liv Quantrill.
Kerrianne remembers that Josh was meant to sing “Kiss Me Quick” by Nathan Sykes.
Liv told us at the dance studio, “I don’t think that’s the song.” Which additional tunes are you suggesting?
“I think jealousy had to do with his fourth choice.” He took care not to come across as too Labrinth-like.
But after seeing a performance when he sang while on his knees, the two were able to persuade him to the contrary.
“There’s no denying it,” I said. If you can touch people’s hearts the way you did when you were just kneeling on the ground, Kerrianne added, then it has to be the one.
A few days prior to his audition, “He called to ask if he could change his song.”
Josh revealed on Sunday night’s show that he wrote the song as a tribute to his buddy Tom Woolley, who died in 2013 at the young age of 18.
During the performance, observers saw Simon, whose mother Julie Brett passed away shortly before the auditions began, become agitated. His golf cart later carried him away, leaving Nick Grimshaw and Cheryl F-V at a loss on what to do.