Filipino singer Matty Juniosa places 4th in ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ final

June 1 ------ Filipino singer Matty Juniosa finished fourth in the grand final of the 19th season of the television talent competition "Britain's Got Talent," capping off a breakout run that earned him two Golden Buzzers and international attention.

Juniosa, an alumnus of "Idol Philippines," performed a rendition of Sinéad O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U" during the live final on Saturday, May 30, before more than 1 million viewers cast their votes. The competition was won by Hawkstone Farmers Choir, followed by drone art collective Celestial in second place, and dance duo Anastasiia and Salsa in third.

Juniosa placed fourth among the 10 finalists, British media reported. The remaining finalists, in order, were Rafferty Coope, Sonny Green, Ted Hill, Sadeck Berrabah and LMA, Fabian Fox and Liwei Yang. The winner received £250,000 and a spot in this year's Royal Variety Performance.

Juniosa emerged as one of the season's standout contestants after receiving a Golden Buzzer from judge Simon Cowell during his audition with a performance of Prince's "Purple Rain." The Golden Buzzer sent him directly to the semifinals. He later earned a second Golden Buzzer from judge Amanda Holden during the live semifinals after performing Aerosmith's "Dream On," securing his place in the final.

Following that performance, judge Alesha Dixon praised Juniosa's vocals, describing him as "effortlessly sensational" and calling his rendition a "masterclass performance." Originally from Mandaluyong City, Juniosa first gained national attention as a contestant on the inaugural season of "Idol Philippines" in 2019. He later became a member of the vocal trio iDolls before moving to Scotland in 2022 to study musical theater at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Now based in Glasgow, Juniosa balances work as a part-time waiter with a growing career in theater and music. He has appeared in productions including "Kinky Boots," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," "Oscar at the Crown" and "Ne Zha." He was recently cast as Annas in “Jesus Christ Superstar” in the West End. "Britain's Got Talent," hosted by Ant and Dec, featured judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and KSI for its 19th season

Source: news.abs-cbn.com