Girl of Maltese descent wins Australian Idol

Natalie Gauci, an Australian of Maltese descent, has won the coveted Australian Idol award for young singers.

The 25-year-old carried off the prize in the final night of the competition in the Sydney Opera House on Sunday night in a show watched by millions.

Another singer of Maltese descent, Daniel Mifsud, made it to the top six of the contest.

Ms Gauci had made it to the top 12 in the contest on a wild card but impressed the audience with her performance of Here I Am, defeating bookies' favourite Matt Corby.

"Are you sure? I can't believe it," a stunned Ms Gauci asked as the crowd roared when the winner was announced.

Ms Gauci, who won a Sony recording contract and will go on tour in January, has a Maltese father, Raymond, who hails from Qormi, and an Italian mother, Theresa. She is single and lives in East Burwood, near Melbourne. Her father migrated to Australia in 1966.

An interview with Ms Gauci will appear on timesofmalta.com in the coming days.