After training at London’s Central School of Speech and Drama, John, at the age of twenty six, became the youngest actor ever to play the role of Jean Valjean in the West End production of Les Miserables. He is one of a handful of actors to have played the role of Valjean both in the West End and on Broadway and is in fact the only British actor to do so. In an online poll, John was voted the “Best Ever Valjean” and “Best Ever Performer in Les Miserables" by fans of the show worldwide.
John returned to play the role of Jean Valjean in a brand new production of Les Miserables for its 25th anniversary tour and was awarded the Manchester Evening News Award for the Best Actor in a Visiting Production for his performance as Jean Valjean. The Manchester Evening News described his performance as “a truly astonishing achievement that must be one of the greatest stage performances of all time.” John was also part of the Valjean quartet featured in the finale of the Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2 Arena, London.
John originally played the role of The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera between 2001 and 2004 in the West End production to great acclaim -The Daily Mail said he was "better than all the actors that preceded him in the role" He returned to the role of The Phantom in the West End in 2011 culminating in a performance as part of the Phantom quartet in a special finale at the Phantom 25th Anniversary Concert at The Royal Albert Hall. He is the West End’s longest running Phantom with nearly 2000 performances in the role. Most recently he appeared in a special finale of the show at the Majestic Theatre, New York to celebrate Phantom's 25th year on Broadway.
After reinterpreting the role of Valjean on the 25th Anniversary tour of Les Miserables in 2010, John was asked to reinterpret the role of The Phantom in the brand new production of The Phantom of the Opera for it's 25th anniversary UK tour in 2012. His performance on the tour earned him a nomination for Best Actor in a Visiting Production from the Manchester Theatre Awards and he is in the unique position of being the only actor to have the opportunity to reinvent Valjean and The Phantom - two of the greatest roles in musical theatre history.
John has performed extensively in theatre all over the country at prestigious venues such as The National Theatre, London and The Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, London and The West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds. He has appeared on television and radio in such shows as Scott and Bailey, In The Flesh, The Bill, The Royal Variety Show, Friday Night Is Music Night, Children In Need, This Morning and The Alan Titchmarsh Show. He has performed as a soloist in concerts around the world from Bangor to Bangkok.
John has released three albums. The independently released ‘Hallelujah’ (2006) and on the Sain label 'John Owen-Jones' (2009) and 'Unmasked' (2011).
Have a read of an interview with John Owen-Jones which was conducted while he was performing as The Phantom of The Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre London in 2011
https://www.londontheatre1.com/index.php/5122/interview-with-john-owen-jones-the-phantom-of-the-opera/
Anthem
John Owen-Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ahhh
Ya ya ah ya
Ah ya ya
What the city is missing 2 boy
Ya ya ya ah ya ah
This the yawdie anthem
Anthem, man dem
Hand dem gyal dem
Caa this the yawdie anthem
Anthem man dem
Suh let me si unno hand dem
Hand dem wooooww
Ypree ypree wagwan wagwan
Upmove link up cho
Everything bless
Ypree ypree wagwan wagwan
Upmove link up cho
Ah suh di ting set
Ypree ypree wagwan wagwan
Upmove link up cho
Everything bless
Ypree ypree wagwan wagwan
Upmove link up cho
Ah suh di ting set
Yo you dun kno seh im from the ghetto dawg
How yuh mean clean an fresh
Everything bless pon mi scheme
Hot gyal wun roll damn how yuh mean
With mi chargie dem suh wi party then
Kassa jones ya i rep the westside
You already i got the 4ho on some next high
What the city is missing 2
I'm feeling like im the best now
Up on all levels so come get a check now
Check down woooww
This the yawdie anthem
Anthem, man dem
Suh let mi si uno hand dem
Hand dem gyal dem
Caa this the yawdie anthem
Anthem man dem
Suh let me si unno hand dem
Hand dem wooooww
Ypree ypree wagwan wagwan
Upmove link up cho
Everything bless
Ypree ypree wagwan wagwan
Upmove link up cho
Ah suh di ting set
Ypree ypree wagwan wagwan
Upmove link up cho
Everything bless
Ypree ypree wagwan wagwan
Upmove link up cho
Ah suh di ting set
Always depon mi fly shit when mi come around
Dem boy dem a hataz dem nuh mek ah sound
Yo yuh dun kno seh we haffi deya road now
Anywhere di money deh mi a guh fah
Getting it on every avenue so we hot now
Pullin' up cno ya we lock the block down
fuck with the boy ya betting on the boy
They in love with the boy
Best believe we gon pop now
This the yawdie anthem
Anthem, man dem
Suh let mi si uno hand dem
Hand dem gyal dem
Caa this the yawdie anthem
Anthem man dem
Suh let me si unno hand dem
Hand dem wooooww
Ypree ypree wagwan wagwan
Upmove link up cho
Everything bless
Ypree ypree wagwan wagwan
Upmove link up cho
Ah suh di ting set
Ypree ypree wagwan wagwan
Upmove link up cho
Everything bless
Ypree ypree wagwan wagwan
Upmove link up cho
Ah suh di ting set
The lyrics to John Owen-Jones's song "Anthem" are a mix of English and Jamaican Patois, which may be difficult for some listeners to understand. The song opens with a series of "ya" and "ah ya" sounds before the lyrics begin. Then the artist introduces the song as "the yawdie anthem," which translates to "the Jamaican anthem." He invites everyone to put their hands up and join in, referring to the "man dem" (men) and "gyal dem" (women) in the crowd. The lyrics focus on enjoying life and having a good time despite coming from the ghetto. The artist talks about being surrounded by beautiful women and hanging out with his friends, with references to Kassa Jones and the Westside. They have limited time to enjoy the finer things in life, so they live for the moment and party hard.
The chorus is repeated several times, encouraging unity and blessings for everyone. The lyrics use a lot of slang words and code-switching, blending Jamaican Patois with English. The song is meant to be an anthem for Jamaicans and Jamaican culture, celebrating the unique aspects of their lifestyle, music, and language.
Line by Line Meaning
Ya
Expression of excitement and enthusiasm
Ahhh
Expression of intense pleasure or satisfaction
Ya ya ah ya
Repetition of the excited and enthusiastic expression
Ah ya ya
Repetition of the expression of intense pleasure or satisfaction
What the city is missing 2 boy
Acknowledging the absence of something important in the city, and implying that they are here to fill that void
This the yawdie anthem
Declaring that this song represents the feelings and culture of the Jamaican people
Anthem, man dem
Reinforcing that this song is a rallying cry and representation for the people
Suh let mi si uno hand dem
Inviting the audience to raise their hands, thereby showing their support and engagement with the song
Hand dem gyal dem
Specifically addressing the women and encouraging them to participate
Caa this the yawdie anthem
Emphasizing that this song encapsulates the essence of the Jamaican identity
Suh let me si unno hand dem
Once again, inviting the audience to raise their hands and show their support
Hand dem wooooww
Expression of excitement and enthusiasm
Ypree ypree wagwan wagwan
Typical Jamaican expression of greeting and enthusiasm
Upmove link up cho
Encouraging the audience to move and come together in unity
Everything bless
Acknowledging the good fortune and blessings in their lives
Ah suh di ting set
Declaring that everything is in order and under control
Yo you dun kno seh im from the ghetto dawg
Reminding the audience of the artist's humble origins and connection to the struggles of the Jamaican people
How yuh mean clean an fresh
Positively affirming the artist's style and appearance
Everything bless pon mi scheme
Acknowledging that the artist is enjoying good fortune and blessings in their career and life
Hot gyal wun roll damn how yuh mean
Referencing attractive women and expressing excitement at the prospect of spending time with them
With mi chargie dem suh wi party then
Referencing the artist's friends and implying that they will have a good time partying together
Kassa jones ya i rep the westside
Identifying the artist and their allegiance to a particular region of Jamaica
You already i got the 4ho on some next high
Implying that the artist is on a higher level than their past self, and that they are bringing others along with them
I'm feeling like im the best now
Expressing confidence and pride in the artist's abilities and accomplishments
Up on all levels so come get a check now
Positively affirming the artist's success and inviting others to come join them and enjoy the same benefits
Check down woooww
Expression of excitement and enthusiasm
Always depon mi fly shit when mi come around
Implying that the artist always presents themselves well and is well-respected
Dem boy dem a hataz dem nuh mek ah sound
Acknowledging that there are those who dislike the artist, but that they are not speaking out directly
Yo yuh dun kno seh we haffi deya road now
Asserting that the artist and their crew are on a successful path now
Anywhere di money deh mi a guh fah
Implying that the artist will go wherever the money is for their benefit
Getting it on every avenue so we hot now
Expressing eagerness to continue pursuing success in various ways
Pullin' up cno ya we lock the block down
Demonstrating the artist's dominance and control over their surroundings
fuck with the boy ya betting on the boy
Encouraging others to trust in the artist's abilities
They in love with the boy
Reiterating that the artist is popular and respected among their peers
Best believe we gon pop now
Expressing confidence that the artist and their crew are on the cusp of major success
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Jerome Clarke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
EditorOfSL
I know this song was written about Russia but when JOJ sings it I can’t help thinking he’s actually singing about Wales.
Mayim1982
any version I heard makes me think about context for the particular singer...
pjb2773
I have always thought the same.
Jymster46
Beautiful, Heather! He has such a great voice and this is such a great song. Thank you for posting it! Take care, my friend :))
Jim
TheSorrowfulFlower
+Jymster46 I think it's beautiful, too, Jim! I love his voice, I could listen to him sing for hours. I'd love to see him perform live, but I doubt he'll be touring in central MN! Thanks so much for watching and commenting! Have a great rest of your week, my friend :))
Kieran Sutcliffe
Incredible! What a voice! That too A last note beautiful! 🎭😊🎤❤️
Nick Flynn
Simply wonderful.
michael galt
John’s voice is like a marshmallow falling on a pillow... that soothing.
The Raven Queen
Irish here. My Mum made me listen to this with my 14yr old son. All three of us sobbed like babies. I'm a life long Michael Ball simp but this transcends anything I've ever heard.