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Italian student tipped to win British X-Factor

Josephine McKenna
Josephine McKenna - [email protected]
Italian student tipped to win British X-Factor
Andrea Faustini, a student from Rome, is tipped to win the British X-Factor. Screengrab: Aribaftv/YouTube

Andrea Faustini may be hot favorite to win this year’s X Factor in the UK but the 20-year-old student from Rome is still a virtual unknown in Italy.

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Faustini wowed the judges of the popular reality show after flying in from Rome for his first audition, for which he sang the Jackson 5's "Who's Loving You'.

When asked by the show's creator, Simon Cowell, why he's taking part in the UK show when Italy has its own version, he replied: "I love English X-Factor". 

He then sang his way into the live shows after impressing presenter Mel B, a singer with the British band the Spice Girls, in the earlier round known as the Judges' Houses stage.

Watch the audition here:

If Faustini wins the latest series of the show he will be the biggest singing success Italy has seen since Sister Cristina stormed Italy’s version of The Voice earlier this year.

“I just want to sing my heart out, show everyone who I really am, and give everything I have," Faustini said when he survived some stiff competition from his rivals.

"I think this is the greatest chance I've ever had in my life. I still can’t believe it right now.”

Faustini, who has a passion for pugs, has already announced what he will do if he takes the show’s top honor.

I would buy a car, maybe. I'm not very good at driving so just a small one, to start with.”

In one of his most impressive performances the young Italian delivered his version of Jennifer Hudson's ‘And I Am Telling You’ to Mel B her special guest and fellow Spice Girl Emma Bunton.

Faustini is 7-2 to win this year's X Factor crown according to bookmakers William Hill, ahead of second favourite Jay James.

He has wowed audiences across the UK and reduced many viewers to tears. The other finalists so far are Paul Akister, Jake Quickenden, sisters Blonde Electric, Only the Young and the unnamed boyband.

Meanwhile Sister Cristina, the 26-year-old nun from Sicily whose TV performances went viral attracting 50 million viewings on YouTube, is about to release her first album entitled ‘Lungo la Riva’ ( Along the River) in November.

It will include her triumphant rendition of ‘No-One’, the Alicia Keys hit, that made her a household name when she performed it dressed in her black habit and black laceup shoes.

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