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.
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- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
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Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
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Transmission: 7-speed auto
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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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Group A
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Tuesday
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Premier League
Manchester United 2 (Martial 30', Lingard 69')
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Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
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If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
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Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
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Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
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PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
