During tonight’s episode of The X Factor, Simon Cowell reveals how he speaks to his mum Julie, who passed away three years ago, every day.
Following a heartfelt performance of a song by 25-year-old artist J Sol, written after the death of his mother, Simon confided in the performer, telling him: “I talk to my mum every day, and my dad. You learn that, right?
” very
“” “””Every decision you want to make, you always talk to them. I’m glad you came on the show.”
The head judge, 58, also congratulated J Sol on his brave performance.
Read more: Ayda Field opens about the pain of losing long-lost dad
He added: “I understand how difficult that would have been to perform, but you did. It was an amazing audition, you have an amazing voice. This is something we’re all going to remember.”
Simon’s mum Julie passed away after a long health battle in July 2015.
At the time, Simon who was incredibly close to his mum, was left devastated by her passing, but returned to filming the ITV talent show just days later, as he believed Julie would have wanted him to.
“It would have been, “This is your show, you love the show, go back and do your job”. I think she would have been disappointed if I said, “I’m not going to do it”,” he told The Sunday Express.
“I thought about it long and hard. I have myself two or three days. I know it sounds like a cliche but having such a strong bond with my mum meant I knew exactly what she’d have said.”
Judge Louis Tomlinson, 26, who lost his own mum Johannah Deakin to Leukemia in 2016, was also moved by the tribute song.
Midwife Johannah, who dies aged just 43, had six children, of which Louis was the eldest. His youngest siblings were just two at the time of her death.
Moved to tears, Louis went on stage to hug J Sol, telling him: “I lost my mum as well. You did an amazing job.”
He added: “That’s the power of music that you can write a beautiful song that has touched us all on this panel. You’re a legend for what you’ve just done.”
Ayda Field, 39, was also moved to tears after losing her dad, Haldun Evecan, to a heart attack in 2014.
Don’t miss: Stacey Solomon makes shock X Factor return
She said: “It touched me. I feel I needed to hear that song. I needed to feel some things I wasn’t ready to deal with. i was grateful.”
It sounds as if we need the Kleenex at the ready for tonight’s show!
What has been your favourite X Factor audition so far? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think!