(Screenshot via YouTube.)

James Corden gave a heartfelt tribute to George Michael on “The Late Late Show” and explained Michael inspired Corden’s hit “Carpool Karaoke” series.

Corden began by saying how Michael, who died at 53 on Christmas day due to heart failure, personally impacted his life.

“I feel like I’ve loved George Michael as long as I’ve kind of loved music in a way, and I know so many of his fans feel the same,” Corden says. “I can remember so many specific times in my life where I might have felt on my own, and George’s music would feel like you would listen to a song and he would reach his hand out and tell you that you weren’t on your own, and that these feelings were not particular to you. It really hit me.”

Corden went on to explain the birth of “Carpool Karaoke” came from a Comic Relief Red Nose special skit in 2011. In the skit, Corden is driving Michael to the event and they sing along to “I’m Your Man” by Wham. When Corden tried to recreate the skit for “The Late Late Show” he admits getting participants was hard. However, after Mariah Carey saw Michael’s involvement with the original she agreed to be the first.

“If it’s good enough for George, it’s good enough for me,” Corden recalls Carey saying.

Watch below.