Julie, Simon Cowell’s mother, passed away in July at the age of 89. The X Factor judge recently reflected on her memory while watching Josh Daniels’ emotional performance of Labrinth’s “Jealous.”

Speaking to Loose Women’s Ruth Langsford and Jane Moore, Simon shared, “It was pretty close to when everything happened, and I think it was the last audition. I wasn’t expecting what happened.”

He added, “And of course, the lyrics of the song made it quite difficult. I thought, ‘This is going to be tough to sit through.’”

Simon continued, “But then you have to remember it’s Josh’s moment, and that helps you push through. But yes, it was definitely emotional.”

When asked about his mother, Simon spoke fondly of her, saying, “She was a huge fan of the show, she absolutely loved it.”

For Simon, the moment was a poignant reminder of his mother’s presence in his life, as well as the deep emotions tied to his family and the music that brings them together.

Watch the video below: