Rose Fostanes, 47, a caregiver in Israel won the title as X Factor Grand Winner last Tuesday (Wednesday in Philippines).
Filipinos once again proved their talent as the new X Factor Israel Grand Winner shakes and dominates her contenders with her powerful voice.
Fostanes rendered her own version of "My Way" by Frank Sinatra and "If I Ain't Got You" by Alicia Keys in the finals which brought her to a surprise victory.
Being a foreigner, the Pinay winner did not expect to have the Israelis votes to win the contest.
"I feel that everybody is looking at me like I was an alien," she said in one of the X Factor episodes.
Fostanes is working as a caregiver for 20 years in Middle East, caring for the sick and old. She has long waited for this chance to be a singer, and when the X Factor opened for audition, she did not have the second thought to join the contest.
This Pinay is working in Tel Aviv and living with seven other Filipinos in an apartment. She used to work at Egypt and Lebanon before she moved to Israel.
Fortanes had been a great contender in the X Factor since the beginning. Touching the hearts of the judges every time she stepped on the stage singing songs from Kelly Clarkson, Queen, Lady Gaga and Christina Aguilera brought her to stardom.
Though feeling alien and different, this Filipina still captured the hearts of the majority of the Israelis together with the Filipinos abroad, who texted and supported her to win the contest.
Fortanes is compared with Scottish singer Susan Boyles, from "Britain's Got Talent" who performed the exceptional rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" from the musical play "Les Miserables".
"Thank you so much for those Israeli who like my voice ... thank you for giving me the chance to be in The X Factor Israel," Fostanes said after she won.
For the Filipinos abroad, Fortanes is a representation of the overseas workers abroad. Through her singing, the life and sacrifices of the each caregiver, domestic helpers and all workers abroad are treasured and given importance.
© 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
