'X Factor': Judges Ayda Field and Louis Tomlinson break down in tears
Judges Ayda Field and Louis Tomlinson burst into tears on tonight’s X Factor during a particularly poignant audition.
25-year-old East Londoner J-Sol dedicated his performance of self-written ‘Bullet in my Heart’ to his late mother Victoria, who passed away in 2015.
“I was looking back at old texts and she was also sending me ‘Go on the X Factor!” J-Sol explained.
so, today is finally the DAY!
& i’ll be lying if i said i wasn’t shook!
i lay myself completely bare & put myself far out of my comfort zone. felt like i’d been thrown in a pool (i can’t swim 🤦🏾♂️)…but, i aspire to inspire & make you all proud. enjoy! 🤗🙏🏾❤️ #XFactor— J-Sol (@JSoLworld) September 22, 2018
“Once I’ve done this, I have nothing left of hers to complete, so it kind of feels final but right – mentally” he added.
As J-Sol sang the heart-wrenching song, both Field and Tomlinson broke down in tears. A visibly choked up Tomlinson left his judging chair to embrace J-Sol at the end of his performance.
The One Direction band member, who lost his own mother Johannah Deakin in 2016 to leukaemia, whispered words of thanks and solidarity to the X Factor hopeful.
“I lost my mum as well, you did an amazing job. Well done, well done!” Tomlinson said as he hugged J-Sol.
A teary J-Sol then received praise across the board from the judges.
“J-Sol. Your voice, your soul, your passion. Incredible!” an also teary Robbie Williams remarked.
Meanwhile, Williams wife and fellow judge Ayda Field said the audition also deeply resonated with her own loss of her father in 2014.
“I lost my father very unexpectedly. I will never forget how the world swallowed me up on that day when I found out,” a crying Field said.
“That’s the power of music that you can write such a beautiful song that’s touched us all on this panel. You’re a legend for what you’ve just done,” Tomlinson added.
Even the typically jaded Simon Cowell was moved by the audition.
“Wow J-Sol. I understand how difficult that would have been to perform that – but you did. It was an amazing audition and you have an amazing voice. This is something we will all remember, I have to kick this off with the first yes,” Cowell said.
Suffice to say, J-Sol received a resounding four yeses.
And it wasn’t just the judges that were moved, as many viewers took to Twitter to share their appreciation of the touching tribute.
#XFactor j-sol was so amazing. I just wanna GIVE him & @Louis_Tomlinson a big massive hug. I know the pain ur going tho. I sadly lost my mum quite a few yrs ago, & MY dad last yr☹😢😢 I hope he does really well. Well done j-sol ur mum will be ever so proud of u 😘
— debzz34 (@debi294) September 22, 2018
I didn’t see all of tonight’s #XFactor but I think it’s safe to say J-Sol was the best
— Danielle Robertson 🌻 (@Danielle92_xo) September 22, 2018
j-sol sang "if i didn't have a tomorrow, i wouldn't care" and i know louis felt the same when he lost his own mom but he kept spreading joy and happiness and kindness to everyone else i wish there was a way to tell you how proud i am of him
— 𝒻 (@serilouiesly) September 22, 2018
In floods of tears watching J-sol's performance 😭 Then cried even more with Louis! What an amazing voice and beautiful song 💕 Losing a parent at a young age is heartbreaking and something you never get over 💔 #XFactor
— Emily Hutchings (@EmilyJaane92) September 22, 2018
that J-sol audition hit every single person that watched x factor tonight but especially every single one who lost a parent so early in their lives ! my heart went out to louis when he said he lost his mum 😪 #XFactor
— aimee (@WheloAimee) September 22, 2018
X Factor continues Sunday at 8pm on ITV.
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