X Factor’s Christian Burrows opens up about the heartbreaking death of baby brother that inspired X Factor audition
Judges were left in tears following his original song for the memory of the tot
X FACTOR hopeful Christian Burrows has opened up about the loss of his baby brother and the effect the death had on his family.
The 19-year-old singer/songwriter was sent through to the bootcamp stage of the show on Saturday night after moving the judges to tears with an original song he created in memory of his little brother who died of cot death at just three months old.
But Christian revealed that song Thunder Buddy nearly never saw the light of day after he performed it to his parents who broke down crying.
He told : "After that, I promised myself I would never play it to her again because it upset me so much to see her cry. When I played it to my dad, he broke down as well."
However, when confronted with the dilemma to pick another song on the spot during his X Factor audition after failing to impress with a John Denver cover, Christian said he found himself making an impulse decision to return to the song he was "most proud of" - Thunder Buddy.
The impulse decision paid off and the judges were so moved by his performance that he received four yeses on the spot.
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There wasn’t a dry eye in the room and Simon thanked a tearful Christian for sharing the ballad, and Nicole added: “I was right there all the way, you got me so thank you for that.”
Before the judges gave Christian four yeses, Simon told him: “It was very brave to share that song with us, because it is so personal.
“I don’t know how you did that, but I think it was important that you did do it actually because it told me who you were as an artist and actually as a person and you’ve got a real talent.
“I think you’re great with lyrics and I like you.”
Despite barely remembering the little one, who died when Christian was only two, the hopeful said that it was imagining the relationship the pair would have if he had grown up is what has affected him the most.
He said: "It's not anything specific that I remember, it's what could have been. It makes me so upset and seeing what it does to mum and my dad. When they feel it, I feel it."
Make sure to check out our X Factor page to catch up on anything you might have missed.
Tune in to X Factor back tomorrow at 8pm on ITV1.
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