When Chris Maloney walked across The X-Factor UK stage, the man was shaking so hard he could barely hold his microphone.
In a pre-recorded interview, Chris’s eye bulge with nervousness as he struggles to maintain his composure. “This is the biggest thing I’ve ever done,” the 34-year-old customer service advisor explained. “I didn’t realize how big the crowd was going to be.”
Chris tells the camera it’s taken him five years to build up the courage to apply for the show. Every year, he’d print an application and put it in an envelope. But soon, his nerves would take over and he would rip it up and throw it away.
“I’ve always wanted to sing but people have discouraged me and said, ‘You’re not good enough.'”
“My nan’s the only person who’s believed in my singing.”
After Chris’s grandfather passed away, the young man moved with his grandmother to take care of her. The two have an close bond and she’s accompanied him to the audition. “I am 100% behind him,” she tells the camera.
When Chris faces the judges, he looks like he’s about to cry.
Chris will be singing “The Rose” by Bette Middler, and he tells them the song has sentimental value.
“The song that I’m singing, it was played at my granddad’s funeral, and that meant a lot to me. It was a celebration of his life” he explains.
As the opening notes of the song begin to play, the audience and judges look concerned for the nervous man. If he can barely speak during the intro, how is he going to manage to perform?
The man takes a few deep breaths, and when the lyrics begin, to everyone’s surprise, an enormous voice breaks through.
“Some say love, it is a river…” he croons.
Everyone in the room is compelled and judge Gary Barlow’s head immediately snaps up.
With each repetition of “Some say love”, Chris’s voice grows stronger and stronger. Soon, the crowd begins to roar.
From behind the stage, his grandmother beams with pride, watching him live his dream.
When Chris finishes the final note, everyone stands to their feet— and the nervous man immediately bursts into tears.
“Christopher,” Tulisa asks him. “Where’s you Nan? Bring her out!”
“How the Hell have you kept that voice hidden until now?” Gary exclaimed.
“You stole the show today. Nobody else is going to get that reaction. Nobody else.”
Chris went on to win third place in his season— but many people suspect there was a behind-the-scenes campaign to get him eliminated. Big boss Simon Cowell reportedly didn’t think Chris would be marketable outside of the show.
Interestingly, judge Louis Walsh even told The Guardian they had to find a way to stop him from winning: “The other contestants call him shake and fake. He keeps getting really big votes, though.”
Chris later shared his side of the story with Telly Mix, explaining, “[The show’s] making me out to be a pantomime villain and I’m not. I’m just a genuine normal guy from the backstreets of Liverpool that’s done nothing like The X-Factor in my life.”
Whatever the reason behind his elimination, Chris went on to become a celebrity in his own right. Since the show, he’s released his own album, appeared on Celebrity Big Brother, and is frequently mentioned in British tabloids.
Most recently, he embarked on a 38-date UK tour alongside Kristina Rihanoff, Robin Windsor, Beth Sherburn, and Oksana Platero. You can check it out Chris Maloney Official for information and details.
See his amazing audition below!
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