Aussie 'X Factor' judges wowed by Iraqi war victim

An Iraqi warfare victim has impressed the judges on the first episode of the Australian version of The X Factor.

Emmanuel Kelly, who was rescued and adopted by Children First Foundation boss Moira Kelly along with his brother Ahmed after they both suffered from limb deficiencies as a result of chemical warfare in Iraq, said that it felt like "more than magic" when he sang John Lennon's 'Imagine' in last night's show.

Kelly told the Herald Sun: "Words could not describe what I was feeling on that stage. When I got up and started singing, there was nothing else. Adrenalin just took over. It was just a blur. Singing is what I love doing and singing is the only thing I want to do.

"I know plenty of singers that are 50 times better than I am, it is just they chose not to follow that path. Singing is the path I want to follow and some doors have opened up now and I just want to push even more. I just want to sing and I want to make people happy."

Kelly also said that he does not want any sympathy for his traumatic past, saying: "I have actually been through nothing compared to some of the other kids I have met and mum has brought out.

"I don't want people to look at it and go: 'Wow, that is brave.' I want people to look at me and go, 'Wow, he has got a really good voice' or 'Wow, he is going to go far in life,' not, 'Wow, that is brave for him to do that'."

Kelly's performance received a standing ovation from judges Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Mel B, Guy Sebastian and Ronan Keating, who said: "I don't think I've ever been moved as I was by that performance."

The first episode of The X Factor did well in the ratings last night, becoming the day's number one programme with 1.319 million viewers.

Watch Emmanuel Kelly's X Factor audition below: