The X Factor 2018: contestant Maria Laroco has already competed on The Voice Kids

17 year-old Maria Laroco flew all the way from the Philippines to wow the X Factor judges on Saturday night, performing Prince's Purple Rain to a standing ovation from the audience.

The singer told Simon Cowell that it was her 'dream' to be "an international superstar – I want to be big!" before launching into a rousing rendition of the Prince classic.

A sneak peak of her performance promised big things for the singer, with the crowd leaping to her feet and Robbie Williams shaking his head in disbelief.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xr4PQhMZCw

Laroco's ambitions have history. Her major claim to fame in her native land is being a contestant in the Philippines' version of The Voice Kids in 2014, where she performed as a 13 year-old under the name Giedie Laroco (her full name is Maria Giedie Ocang Laroco).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKW5dYrH3LI

She impressed the show with her version of Jennifer Rush's The Power of Love (below), but was eventually eliminated in a sing-off battle in the eleventh episode of the series.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfxnHhnJXbo&lc=z12qzb4zetvne3g4304cffjrhkmdcr3oeuc0k.1436174089030559

Beyond The Voice Kids, Laroco was featured on the YouTube channel of an independent record label in the Philippines called Universal Records, performing a cover of Disney classic Beauty and the Beast...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Av03yrmKlA

... and Hindi Ko Kaya, the theme song for a 2015 South Korean drama called All About My Mum.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyfFUkmF9DQ

All of which suggests that Laroco could be a formidable force in the competition – after all, at only 17 years-old, she has experience.

X Factor airs Saturdays and Sundays on ITV