Rose Fostanes Releases Debut Single

Photo: PR/Nir Slekman

Rose Fostanes, winner of the first season of ‘ X-Factor Israel’ released her first single this week. The 47-year-old lesbian Filipino overseas worker, who has been in Israel for the past six years working as caregiver to an ailing woman in her fifties, drew the world’s attention with her unique Cinderella story, and after winning the Israeli competition she was invited for dozens of performances around the world, signed by the biggest record company in the Philippines and even already received a star on the Filipino “Walk of Fame.”

Shortly after her world tour Rose came back to Israel she began to work on her debut album with famous Israeli musician Ofer Meiri. “Walk Away” is the first single from of the album.

Fostanes started as an underdog in ‘X-Factor Israel’, mentored by Israeli Eurovision diva Shiri Maimon, but after a standing ovation she received from all four judges on the show for her version of Lady Gaga’s “You and I,” she became one of the favorites to win.

In a later stage of the competition Rose came out as a lesbian in an interview with “Israel Today.” In the interview she told her story of struggling for money, until eventually she had to move to Israel to work as a nurse. Since then she maintains a transatlantic relationship with her partner Mel, a manager in a music store.

Despite the distance, Rose said, they both still dream of a life together. “We have the same dreams, we share property and a bank account,” she said in the interview. “She is my soulmate.”

At the finale of ‘ X-Factor’, the producers of the show surprised Rose by flying Mel all the way from the Philippines, and reunited the couple on TV.

Listen to Rose Fostanes new single here: