Singing competition reality shows have had no shortage of surprises in the last few years, and the latest one involves a Sicilian nun on Italy’s version of
The Voice.
The Voice begins each season with a series of “blind auditions,” where hopefuls sing their hearts out while four judges have their backs turned. Should a judge be impressed or intrigued with a particular performance, he turns his chair around to invite the singer to his team for the main competitions in the show.
Twenty-five-year-old Sister Cristina Scuccia opted to sing Alicia Keys’ “No One” and managed to incite all four judges to turn their chairs—and each judge was shocked to see what was producing the sounds they heard.
When multiple judges turn their chairs, the vocalist then can choose which team she will join. The judges each campaigned for Sister Cristina, but ultimately she chose Italian rapper J-Ax, fulfilling a promise to herself to choose the first judge to turn his chair.
So why would a Sicilian nun decide to compete on
The Voice?
“I came here because I have a gift and I want to share that gift," she said, according to
Catholic News Agency. "I am here to evangelize."
The surprising performance already has drawn comparisons to the don’t-judge-a-book-by-its-cover performance from Susan Boyle on
Britain’s Got Talent in 2008—an audition that resulted in international stardom for the then-40-something Scottish woman.
Here's Sister Cristina's performance:
