X Factor Contestant’s Tragic Past Leads To A Must-See, Tearful Performance
on Sep 04, 2015
Wow, talk about overcoming the odds. Emmanuel is a true fighter and proof that dreams do come true.
“I’m auditioning for X Factor because my dream is to become a professional singer. And I definitely want to be the best. If I win X Factor, words can’t even describe it. Wow.”
Emmanuel hails from Australia, but he wasn’t always living there. The talented singer was born in a Iraq in the middle of a war zone with his brother. When asked how old he was, he replied with, “Well, I’m not exactly sure.” That’s when the jaws drop, everything grows silent, and the chills begin to creep up your spine.
Emmanuel’s mom found him in an orphanage with no birth certificate. Before that, he and his brother were found in a shoebox at a park by nuns. “It was like looking at an angel when mom walked through the orphanage doors,” Emmanuel says. Wow.
The two brothers were brought to Australia originally for surgery, but their mother ended up falling in love with them. “My hero would have to be my mother,” he says with a bright smile. “She worked very, very hard – extremely hard to change my life hugely.“
Emmanuel’s story will restore anyone’s faith in humanity. Though the story may be bittersweet and tragic, it’s truly uplifting and shows how valuable the human connection and love is.
Leaving the judges speechless, Emmanuel began his performance, choosing to sing John Lennon’s “Imagine“. It’s truly an inspirational pick for someone who was born in the middle of war with the world seemingly against him. “Imagine” is a song that represents a world at peace, consumed with love, and not affected by the animosity that often follows religion and nationalities. It talks about a world where there is no hunger and greed. Imagine.
Emmanuel gives a truly inspiring performance that brings the judges and audience to their feet with a hearty applause. “I don’t think I have ever been moved as much as I was by that performance,” Gary Barlow says. With four yeses, Emmanuel exits the stage with a “cheeky grin” plastered across his face. Well-deserved.
Get the tissues out before you watch this one because you’ll need them.
IMAGINE LYRICS
Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today
Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace, you
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world, you
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will be as one
