Jonathan and Charlotte
| Company type | Vocal duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Albums: Together (2012), Perhaps Love (2013) |
Jonathan Antoine (born 13 January 1995) and Charlotte Jaconelli (born 24 August 1995), collectively known as Jonathan and Charlotte, formed an English classical crossover vocal duo hailing from Essex. They gained prominence as the runners-up on the sixth season of Britain's Got Talent in 2012, finishing second to the dancing canine act Ashleigh and Pudsey. At that time, Jonathan was 17 and Charlotte 16. Although they did not claim the top prize, they secured a lucrative £1 million recording contract with Simon Cowell's Syco label. Their discography includes two albums: Together (2012) and Perhaps Love (2013). The partnership ended in February 2014 when both artists chose to embark on solo endeavors.
Origins and early development
Prior to their appearance on Britain's Got Talent, neither artist was widely known. Their pairing was orchestrated by Jenny Ewington, the vocal coach at West Hatch High School in Chigwell, Essex.[1] Ginette Tomlinson, the school's head of music, selected "The Prayer"—originally performed by Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion—as their piece for both their GCSE examination and a performance at their teacher’s church wedding.[1] Before gaining public attention, Charlotte was enrolled full-time in Musical Theatre at the Arts Educational Schools, London, while Jonathan pursued classical music studies part-time as a junior at the Royal Academy of Music.
Audition
Their initial audition for Britain's Got Talent took place during Series 6 in London, broadcast on 24 March 2012. Initially billed as "Charlotte and Jonathan," they performed "The Prayer." Although judges praised their rendition highly, Simon Cowell controversially suggested that Jonathan should consider ending the partnership, expressing concern that Charlotte might limit his potential. The duo chose to remain together and reversed their billing to "Jonathan and Charlotte."
Their debut performance drew parallels to Susan Boyle's success, with Cowell remarking that Jonathan’s vocal quality rivaled that of Luciano Pavarotti, describing it as one of the finest operatic voices he had heard in years.
Semi-final
On 7 May 2012, during the semi-final round, they delivered a duet rendition of "Caruso" by Lucio Dalla.
Judges commended their vocal harmony and stage rapport:
- Alesha Dixon praised Charlotte’s strong opening and highlighted the unique connection between them.
- Amanda Holden described their performance as a "tour de force," noting significant improvement since their audition.
- Simon Cowell acknowledged his initial doubts about Charlotte’s influence on Jonathan but recognized their enhanced synergy, naming it among his preferred acts.
- David Walliams applauded them for disproving Cowell’s earlier skepticism and noted the emotional depth they conveyed despite language barriers.
Final
During the final on 12 May 2012, they reprised "The Prayer," receiving a standing ovation from the audience. While many supporters were disappointed by their second-place finish, Charlotte expressed pride in securing runner-up status out of approximately 70,000 contestants.
2012: Release of Together
On 13 May 2012, Simon Cowell initiated discussions to offer Jonathan and Charlotte a £1 million recording deal with his label, Syco. The duo indicated openness to signing while continuing to explore musical theatre careers. Subsequently, they were presented with a contract to launch their debut album around the Christmas season.
Their first album, Together, was released in the UK on 24 September 2012 and later made available in the United States on 30 October 2012.
ITV documentary: Jonathan and Charlotte
On 2 November 2012 at 9pm, ITV broadcast a documentary that detailed their ascent to stardom alongside updates on their evolving careers. The program included conversations with individuals close to the duo.
Their musical development was furthered through tours in Italy and France, where they received guidance from Leone Magiera, known for coaching Luciano Pavarotti. They also visited La Scala and participated in a masterclass led by tenor Rolando Villazon in Paris. During this period, they met again with Simon Cowell, who expressed regret over his earlier suggestion that they should separate. Katherine Jenkins offered them professional guidance, and at the Classic Brit Awards, host Myleene Klass recognized their chart achievements.
2013: Perhaps Love
Released on 14 October 2013, their sophomore album presented a collection of covers blending classical and contemporary styles. Jaconelli highlighted the inclusion of contemporary pieces such as Florence and the Machine’s "You Got The Love" and "Falling Slowly" from the musical Once. The album also showcased individual solo performances.
Split
In February 2014, the pair went their separate ways after both secured solo recording contracts with Sony Classical. Charlotte's solo debut, Solitaire, was launched in July 2014, followed by Jonathan’s album Tenore in October of the same year. They expressed gratitude to their fans for their continued support throughout their journey—from West Hatch High School beginnings to selling over 250,000 albums—and conveyed enthusiasm for their individual artistic futures.
Albums
| Title | Album details | Highest chart rankings | Certifications | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | IRE | SCO | US Classical |
US Heatseekers | |||
| Together |
|
5 | 32 | 7 | 7 | 5 |
|
| Perhaps Love |
|
5 | — | 8 | 9 | — |
|