Sir Tom Jones reduces The Voice judges to tears with deeply personal performance
Amelia Jones
Sir Tom Jones left The Voice UK judges and audience in tears with an emotional rendition of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Tower of Song’.
The Welsh music legend chose the track after explaining that it “touches a nerve”.
Originally written and recorded by the Canadian singer-songwriter, the song also appeared on Jones’ 2012 album Spirit in the Room.
He has previously explained that he immediately connected with Cohen’s lyrics, particularly their reflections on ageing, lost friends and a lifetime spent making music. He said the song felt as though it could have been written about him, with its references to grey hair, aching in the places he used to play and the passage of time hitting particularly close to home.
His fellow judges were visibly moved as Jones delivered his rendition, with Black Eyed Peas star will.i.am later struggling to put into words exactly what he had witnessed.
He said: “I’m trying to make sense of my emotions right now… 85 years of every experience you can think of is in this man’s sponge of a soul and he rinsed it our for us and we bathed in it.
He added: “Thank you Sir Tom Jones for these moments. I cherish you Tom, you are like a gift to us all.”
Viewers were also left in disbelief after the rendition. One said: “I’ve been stunned this last 10 years at how amazing his voice still is and how he makes the rest of the panel look insignificant in comparison but this was just special, not only a special voice but he has a way of flooding pure feeling into a song. Just a different level….STILL”
Another added: “This moved me to my core. You can feel every loss, every love, every heartbreak lived in this man’s voice. This is something A.I could NEVER replicate . Soul .”
The emotional performance came as Jones continues his latest stint on The Voice UK, appearing as one of the longest-serving judges.
Jones was one of the original coaches when The Voice UK launched in 2012, alongside will.i.am, Jessie J and Danny O’Donoghue. He remained on the BBC show for its first four series before being replaced by Boy George in 2016. He returned to the red chair in 2017 when the programme moved to ITV and has remained a coach ever since.
The Welsh star eventually made his comeback to the red chair in 2017 and has remained part of the coaching line-up since.
will.i.am, meanwhile, has been a constant presence since the programme’s launch, meaning the pair have shared The Voice stage across more than a decade.
In a clip, Jones asked: “When did we come on this show?”
will.i.am replied: “2012”
Jones added: “We’re gonna stay ’til the end.”
will.i.am joked: “We come with the seats.”
The exchange prompted another tribute from will.i.am, who praised the experience of working alongside Jones and described it as “such a blessing”.
He highlighted the Welsh singer’s extraordinary musical knowledge and the depth of experience he brings to the coaching panel.
He said: “As the world is changing, the one thing that stays constant is Sir Tom Jones.”
Jones responded with his trademark humour, replying: “Well, I’ve just been around longer than everybody else.”
You can watch his rendition on ‘The Tower of Song’ here.
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