A Dubai resident who once dreamt of auditioning for American Idol is now one step closer to winning the long-running TV competition.
Nutsa Buzaladze, 25, who is originally from Georgia, has made it to the Top 12 following the latest round of elimination, which aired on Monday in the US.
Nutsa, who is referred to by her first name on the show, had earlier made it to the Top 20 and performed a rendition of the Jennifer Holliday classic And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going.
But the singer was in danger of being eliminated from the show after a live vote by audiences on Monday night. She was eventually saved by the judges, singers Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, whom she charmed during her audition in February.
"We're nuts for Nutsa," Perry and Bryan screamed in unison, making Nutsa the final contestant to be named in the Top 12.
Nutsa, who won the reality show X Factor Georgia in 2015, said earlier that she had been dreaming of auditioning for American Idol since she was young.
"I flew 17 hours from Dubai but it was totally worth it. I cannot believe I'm here," she told the judges during her audition, which aired in February.
But it was not all smooth sailing at first.
Nutsa, who began her performance with a rendition of Lady Marmalade, received a lukewarm reception from the three judges, with Perry saying: "It was turned up too hot."
"There is a voice in there. Don't push it. Just give us natural beauty," the pop star told the aspiring singer.
She then sang the 1977 song The Greatest Love of All, popularised by Whitney Houston in the 1980s, winning applause from all three.
"You nailed it," Richie told her.
"You just need to be you. It just needs to be real and it could really be something," Perry added, before calling for a vote.
All three judges then gave Nutsa their seal of approval, sending her to Hollywood for the next round as Bryan branded her "the JLo from Georgia".
"Imagine dreaming about this moment for all of your life. Still can’t believe this happened," Nutsa said of receiving the "golden ticket" to Hollywood following her audition.
She's since earned more fans along the way with her energetic performances. In subsequent weeks, Nutsa has performed renditions of popular songs including Paris (Ooh La La) by Grace Potter, Proud Mary by Creedence Clearwater Revival and Un-Break My Heart by Toni Braxton.
The Top 12 will next perform on Sunday with two contestants set to be eliminated during the live show the next day.
First aired in 2002, American Idol remains hugely successful with many participants and winners becoming well-known pop stars. Past winners include Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
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