Filipina Bella Santiago dominates X Factor Romania, wins grand prize

FILE: “A positive attitude can really make a dream come true.” (Photo: @bellasantiagorescebelle/Instagram)

Twenty-nine-year-old Bella Santiago, originally from Dasmariñas, Cavite, dominates X Factor Romania and was hailed the grand prize winner of the reality show’s eighth season last Sunday, December 23.

Being among one of the Top 4 finalists, namely Doinita Ionita, Cristian Moldovan, and Iona Bulgaru, Bella stunned the crowd with her mashup performance of Beyonce’s tracks “Love on Top” and “Crazy in Love,” satisfying the judges who initially compared her to the artist during auditions. As the first Filipina to reach even the live shows of the singing competition, Bella couldn’t help but be in tears of joy and on her knees in excitement as she was handed the cash prize of 100,000 euros.

Bella took to Facebook after the final announcement, thanking her fans, saying in Romanian, “Thank you very much for your support and for adopting me,” adding, “After everything that happened last night, I feel more Romanian than I’ve ever been, and that’s because of you, you’re wonderful.”

Bella already made headlines during her audition performance in X Factor Romania, where she gave a taste of Jessie J’s hit “Bang Bang.” One judge (who eventually became her mentor), Romanian singer Delia Matache, responded to the performance, stating, “Bella Santiago has everything. I do not see who can match it! I like her stage presence and looks as if there is no one to take her out of there.

You are a complex artist with a very good energy. I have the feeling that I can win X Factor with you!”

Previously, Bella also joined Romanian competitions like Romania’s Got Talent and Eurovision Romania. She even tried out for Philippine reality show Showtime’s “Tawag ng Tanghalan” segment, where she also sang “Crazy in Love.” Initially, she moved to Malaysia to work as a professional singer before trying the European lifestyle out with her now-husband Nicolas Grig and signing with major Romanian record label, Cat Music.