- Title: ISRAEL-X FACTOR: Filipina caregiver wins Israel's X-Factor
- Date: 15th January 2014
- Summary: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (JANUARY 15, 2014) (REUTERS) MEDIA CREWS INTERVIEWING FOSTANES (SOUNDBITE) (English) FILIPINA CAREGIVER AND X FACTOR 2014 WINNER, ROSE FOSTANES, SAYING: "Of course I'm very happy that I won and I get the title of X Factor Israel and I get a lot of compliments, good compliments from all the Israeli people and also I would like to say thank you to all the I
- Embargoed: 30th January 2014 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Israel
- Country: Israel
- Topics: Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA62GV9QGFWVEISLGU52WC4NJPI
- Story Text: A Filipina caregiver in Israel surprises the country by winning one of its most popular TV singing contests.
A Filipina caregiver, once part of a faceless crowd of foreign workers who tend to Israel's infirm and elderly, surprised the country on Tuesday night (January 14) by winning one of its most popular TV singing contests.
Competing in the Israeli X-Factor, Rose Fostanes, 47, swept the judges off their feet with a tear-jerking rendition of Frank Sinatra's "My Way" during the live final.
Her victory came as a surprise in Israel, where about 20,000 Filipinos work mostly as caregivers and cleaners.
In the run-up to the final Fostanes had said she hoped her popularity on the show would shine a spotlight on Israel's low-paid foreign workers, but the surprise itself of winning still hadn't sunk in when she talked to media on Wednesday (January 15) at the Filipino Embassy in Tel Aviv.
"Really I was surprised that I'm on the X Factor and I won the title. Because I didn't expect that I will win," Fostanes said.
"First, because I'm not Israeli and I don't have residence here and I'm only a worker. And I don't believe also that even I'm not a resident and I'm not Israeli, I received from them a lot of love and cares," she added.
For many Israelis, the word "Filipino" has become synonymous with caregiver, and Fostanes' appearance and success on X-Factor could help break the stereotype.
Fostanes said she was delighted at the level of support she had received on the show.
"Of course I'm very happy that I won and I get the title of X Factor Israel and I get a lot of compliments, good compliments from all the Israeli people," she said.
"I would like to say thank you to all the Israeli people that helps me and who believes in me and, of course also to all the Filipino around the world that supports me," she added.
Fostanes, who came to Israel several years ago, has been working for about 20 years across the Middle East, and currently cares for an ailing woman in Tel Aviv.
She has been compared to the Scottish singer Susan Boyle, 52, who shot to fame in 2009 after appearing on the TV show "Britain's Got Talent" and performing a powerful rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" from the musical "Les Miserables".
Boyle's rise from unknown to multi-million-selling recording artist has been made into a musical.
According to Israeli law work visas are given to foreign caregivers on condition they stick to their job so Fostanes is not permitted to be paid for recording an album or performing.
The interior ministry does however have the power to make exceptions to that rule, though no application has so far been made, it said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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