Rob Farnham may have stolen the show at his father John Farnham’s tribute concert, but there was one noticeable person missing.
Local favourites Jessica Mauboy and Jimmy Barnes to international mega stars including Celine Dion and Chris Martin lent their voices on Sunday night at a sold-out show at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena raising funds for Head and Neck Cancer Australia.
But the You’re The Voice hitmaker’s nephew Jess Kelly, who rose to prominence on this year’s season of The Voice, did not take to the stage and there may be more going on behind the scenes of the Farnham family than we realised.
“Jess’s absence certainly raised a few eyebrows,” our insider source spills.
“Given everything that had happened with his viral performance, there was a feeling that he would be a natural choice for the tribute. He’s John’s nephew, he has The Voice and suddenly the whole country was talking about him. To then not see him involved was certainly noticeable.
“From the outside, it seemed like an obvious opportunity. Jess had just had this extraordinary moment in the spotlight and his connection to John made the story even bigger. So, when he wasn’t part of the tribute, people naturally started asking questions. Whether it was simply the way the line-up was put together or something more personal, that’s what people are wondering.
“There’s also been some chatter around the family’s social media. Neither of John’s sons appears to follow Jess, and while you can’t read too much into an Instagram follow, people have obviously noticed it. When you put that together with Jess not being part of the tribute, it’s enough to make you wonder if there’s a little bit of distance there that we don’t know about.
“No one is suggesting there’s some huge family blow-up, but the timing is interesting. Jess suddenly finds himself in the spotlight because of his connection to John, then comes this huge tribute and he’s not involved.”
Speaking exclusively to New Idea in August, Jess said the best advice his famous uncle ever gave him was to stay true to himself, put in the hard work, and never lose the joy of singing.
“He obviously knows this industry inside and out, but more than anything, and has always reminded me to keep my feet firmly on the ground,” he said.
“Being compared to my uncle in any way is the highest compliment I could ever receive; his voice and legacy are unmatched.”
In 2022, John, now 77, underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumour in his mouth. Though he was given the all clear the following year, his heath has worsened and he was unable to attend his own tribute concert.
In a statement shared on behalf of the Farnham family ahead of Sunday’s show, it was revealed that John was “deeply moved” by the efforts that went towards the show but would be unable to attend.
“He now requires continuous oxygen support and uses a wheelchair for mobility. It has also become necessary for John to receive 24-hour nursing care at home, ensuring trained support is always available when he needs it,” the statement read.
“If things were different, John would have loved nothing more than to attend the concert. He would undoubtedly have been a little overwhelmed by all the fuss, but he would also have wanted to thank everyone involved in person.”
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