Ryan Hili, a 26-year-old secondary school teacher from Żurrieq has won the third edition of X-Factor Malta, walking away with €50,000 in prize money.
He won the most votes from 38,000 members of the public, who weighed in on the outcome of the competition.
A stunned and delighted Hili looked on in disbelief as he was named the winner on Saturday night, as judge and mentor Howard Keith Debono embraced him while the audience erupted into applause.
“I sincerely cannot believe it, I’m really grateful,” he said.
He thanked the public as well as friends and family for their support as well as Debono and the other contestants for supporting him throughout the competition.
Previous winners include Michaela Pace and Destiny Chukunyere.
“Ryan showed us that the impossible is possible even when things are stacked against you in life,” Debono said.
“You are a shining example of determination and I believe you have a bright future ahead of you.”
Ahead of the final on Saturday, Hili told Times of Malta a little bit about the challenges he faced in his journey to becoming a performer.
Born without a left hand, Hili struggled to master basic tasks and missed certain activities, like riding a bike or playing an instrument.
However, after receiving a bionic arm in 2015, Hili found that it opened him up to new opportunities.
“I always dreamed of being on stage but when my father passed away in 2018 I told myself: ‘we only live once and if I am not going to do this now, I will regret it forever,” he said on Saturday.
“I promised myself that I was going to do my best and do things which I have always been scared to do.”
He added that the prize money would help him to produce more original music and fulfil his dream of writing a number one hit.
Members of the public also felt that Hili’s win was well-deserved, with social media filling up with well-wishers and offers of congratulations for him.
“I truly believe that Ryan Hili is a really talented individual who is totally new within the music industry, which is what this show is all about in my opinion,” said singer and former Eurovision contestant Klinsmann Coleiro.
“He didn’t have any extra push or publicity from the local media because he was locally already known or because he had ample experience in performing at events prior to X Factor Malta.”
“This guy came out of nowhere and showed us each and every week that he is the real deal, and kept on improving every week. Well done and a well-deserved winner!”