A US Air Force airman based at RAF Mildenhall has spoken out about his appearance on The X Factor.
Airman 1st Class Charlie Martinez, a 100th Force Support Squadron force management apprentice, wowed the judges with his first audition on the ITV show.
The 20-year-old from Orlando, Florida, has been in the Air Force for a year and arrived in Mildenhall in January. He decided to get his face “out there” and pursue his love of singing as well as a military career.
Not only did he impress with his rendition of Enrique Iglesias’ Hero in Spanish, but he also caught the judges’ attention when he kept calling Simon Cowell “Sir”.
Before he could try out for the show he had to get clearance from the USAF public affairs unit, and sing for his commander.
He got through several rounds of the show, including a number aired on TV, but despite making it through boot camp he was not taken to the judges’ houses.
Airman Martinez said: “Before I knew it, I was in the top 15 males of the whole competition.
“Everyone falls at some point but you just have to pick yourself back up.”
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