Genres: Classical
… Read Full Bio ↴Members:Jonathan Antoine, Charlotte Jaconelli
Genres: Classical
Years active: 2012–present
Labels: Syco (2012-present)
Jonathan Antoine (born 13 January 1995) and Charlotte Jaconelli (born 24 August 1995), known collectively as Jonathan and Charlotte, are an English classical music duo from Essex. They finished as runners-up in the sixth series of Britain's Got Talent in 2012, being beaten to the winning post on 12 May by dancing dog act Ashleigh and Pudsey. At the time, they were aged 17 and 16 respectively.
Both were relatively unknown prior to Britain's Got Talent, but were paired together at West Hatch High School, in Chigwell, Essex by the school's singing coach.[2] Their head of music chose "The Prayer", originally performed by Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion, which they sang for their GCSE and also at their teacher's church wedding ceremony. Before shooting to fame on the hit TV show, Charlotte was training full-time in Musical Theatre at the Arts Educational School London, where she is also now continuing her Diploma and A Levels, while Jonathan was training classically at the Royal Academy of Music part-time as a junior.
Their first BGT performance together was in the Series 6 audition held in London, aired 24 March 2012. There they began the contest as "Charlotte and Jonathan" and sang "The Prayer". However Simon Cowell advised Jonathan to "dump" the (supposedly) lesser talented Charlotte, but the pair nevertheless remained together, and the act's name was reversed.[3]
The similarities to the Britain's Got Talent debut and initial judge and audience reaction to Susan Boyle was noted by many:
"It was almost a case of deja vu. An overweight, badly dressed contestant lumbers awkwardly on to the Britain's Got Talent stage, prompting the judges to roll their eyes at the inevitable car-crash of a performance to follow . . . only to be wowed by the powerful, pitch-perfect voice of the unlikely star."[4]
[edit] Semi-final
They participated in the Series 6 Semi-final 2, held 7 May 2012, and appeared onstage in 9th position. The song, performed as a duet, was "Caruso", written by Lucio Dalla.
The judges commented as follows:
Alesha Dixon: “Charlotte there was a lot of pressure on you tonight, and let me tell you, you held your own, you started that song so beautifully. And this is a special friendship, and there is special chemistry between you, and when you sang Jonathan, I felt that in every part of my body.” Amanda Holden continued: “It was just a tour de force. I didn’t see you the first time [at the auditions], I watched the YouTube clip like everyone else. You literally blew me back into my seat. I’ve always appreciated your friendship and I kind of leaned towards what Simon said in the audition, but now you work beautifully together.” Simon Cowell: “There is a lot at stake here and like I said at the first audition Charlotte, I believed you were holding Jonathan back. And you made the decision to stay together, Jonathan, and I have to say that was the best decision you could have made. I understand your chemistry, I understand the support. Charlotte you sang really, really well tonight.” He finished by admitting that: “That was one of my favourite ever Britain’s Got Talent performances.” David Walliams concluded the praise by telling the duo: “Well done for proving Simon wrong, I have no clue what you were singing about, but I wanted to cry! You are such fantastic singers. You could be winners on Saturday night.”
In the Series 6 Final, held 12 May 2012, they appeared 11th, again performing "The Prayer", and received a standing ovation for their performance. Some fans expressed disappointment that the duo did not win first place, but Charlotte responded by saying, "Oh my God, we came second out of 70,000 people, it's incredible, it's been amazing.
2012-present: Together
It was confirmed the day after (13 May 2012), that Simon Cowell was in negotiations to offer the duo a £1 million recording contract with his record label, Syco Music. They said they would be pleased to accept the contract, although also want to do some musical theatre in the future. The pair have now been offered a contract, with their first album [6] expected to be released on 24 September.[7]
Regarding the production of the album, according to The Sun, "The album will feature new songs and covers, including The Prayer, which the duo sang at their first audition and at the Final. They are working with producer Graham Stack who was behind the first three albums of X Factor opera stars G4."[8] Their debut album Together was released on 24 September 2012.
The contents of Together: The Prayer (featuring Only Boys Aloud); Caruso; Vero amore; Ave Maria; Forse (Unintended); Il mondo e nostro (Rule the World); Canto della terra; Ognuno soffre (Everybody Hurts); Chi mai vivrà per sempre? (Who Wants to Live Forever?); La prima volta (The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face)
{On September 25th it was in 5th place on the U.K. Albums chart, after two days on the market.}
Falling Slowly
Jonathan & Charlotte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I want want you
All the more for that
Words fall through me and always fool me
And I can't react
And games that never amount to more than they're meant
Will play themselves out
It's time that you won
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
You've made it now
Falling slowly sing your melody
I'll sing it loud
Falling slowly eyes that know me
and I can't go back
The song "Falling Slowly" by Jonathan & Charlotte is a poignant ballad that speaks to the longing, uncertainty, and hope that often accompany the experience of falling in love. The lyrics are sparse but powerful, offering a glimpse into the raw emotions of the singer as they navigate their feelings for someone they barely know.
The opening lines "I don't know you but I want you, all the more for that" set the tone for the song, capturing the paradoxical nature of attraction that draws us towards someone even when we don't really know them. The singer is struggling to articulate their feelings, as "words fall through me and always fool me", leaving them unable to communicate what is in their heart. They feel powerless to act on their desires and are held back by the fear and uncertainty that come with the territory of falling in love.
The second stanza is perhaps the most moving, as it speaks to the pain and struggle that often accompany the journey towards self-acceptance and personal growth. The lines "you have suffered enough and warred with yourself, it's time that you won" are a powerful reminder that we all carry wounds and scars, but that it is possible to overcome them and move forward. This message of hope and resilience is echoed in the chorus, which encourages the listener to "raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice, you've made it now". Even when everything feels uncertain and fragile, we have the power to choose how we respond and how we move forward.
Overall, "Falling Slowly" is a beautiful and deeply emotive song that speaks directly to the heart. It captures the complexities of falling in love, the pain of self-doubt and inner turmoil, and the beauty of hope and resilience.
Line by Line Meaning
I dont know you
I am not familiar with you
But I want want you
However, I still have a strong desire to know you
All the more for that
And that desire has only increased because of my lack of understanding of you
Words fall through me and always fool me
Despite my desire, I am often deceived by words that don't have any genuine meaning to me
And I can't react
Therefore, I am unable to respond appropriately
And games that never amount to more than they're meant
Many times, the activities we engage in don't necessarily serve a greater purpose than intended
Will play themselves out
Nonetheless, we continue to play these games out regardless of the circumstance
You have suffered enough and warred with yourself
It seems like you've been through a lot and have had to fight your own battles
It's time that you won
It's about time you came out victorious
Take this sinking boat and point it home
Let's take this situation that seems like it's sinking and steer it towards a positive outcome
We've still got time
It's not too late to make a change
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
Speak out positively because you have the power to decide your own fate
You've made it now
You've come this far already
Falling slowly sing your melody
Take your time to sing your song gracefully
I'll sing it loud
And I'll sing along with you, showing support
Falling slowly eyes that know me
Even while taking it slow, you can see how well others understand you
and I can't go back
And there's no reason to go back to the way things were
Contributed by Sophia G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ewaters777
I love the way Jonathan smiles when he sings. It's wonderful and honest.
@robinmead5826
This may well be my favorite song, your rendition is phenomenal. Thank you so much. Never enough words to express what your voices do for my mind and heart. Amazing peace.
@philippang07
I don't think those who ever felt Jonathan's voice was the stronger of the two is valid.
Charlotte's voice quality and singing are exceptional. Thank you both so much. :)
@howlinhoward
Wow. Charlotte just gets better and better, while Jonathan has an astounding instrument to begin with. He hits a note and my jaw drops. As all the contest hoopla fades away, I'm convinced they have long careers ahead of them.
@inglomi8654
Could not have phrased it any better. 👏
@ZeroCoolAntman
these two always take my breath away i would do anything to see them live.
@marciahamilton5260
These two are a total class act. Their friendship shines through and that only makes their music together so much more beautiful. Jonathan and Charlotte will soon find themselves on the world stage and then millions upon millions will be able to enjoy the 'wonderfulness' of these two kids. Love you both and hope to see you in the States one day. Onwards and Upwards you two!
@chuckmi69
i love how charlotte presents herself when she sings a true professional and just beautiful
@hellojustanecho
Stunning version of this song. Jonathan has trimmed down some and is looking very handsome, and Charlotte has become a beautiful woman. They both have great voices and deserve all the success they have accomplished.
@Glubber-1
It's a shame that they are going solo. But, they both have to develop, and you never know? They are so wonderful together! I have both of their albums and listen to them constantly.