Pinay caregiver makes it to X Factor Israel’s top 20

MANILA, Philippines - A 46-year-old Filipina caregiver in Tel Aviv is one of the top 20 contenders in the talent show “X Factor Israel.”

In a video uploaded on her Facebook fan page on Nov. 28, Rose Fostañes told the judges that she was very nervous but she and two other contestants nailed the group performance of the Prince classic “Purple Rain.”

She said that after her performance last week, in which she sang Lady Gaga’s “You and I,” her fellow contestants started talking to her. “I have gained confidence and friends in the competition,” Fostañes said.

She said last week that she felt like an “alien” due to communication problems and how some Israelis see Filipinos only as domestic workers.

Fostañes, who hails from Taguig, is the lead vocalist of a band performing at a small bar in Tel Aviv. She said she is competing not only for herself but also because she wants to help her family in the Philippines.

She wowed the audience and judges with her rendition of the Shirley Bassey hit “This is My Life” during her audition.