Jacinta’s Secret Health Crisis EXPOSED – What Nearly Stopped Her From Australian Idol Is Heartbreaking
Australian Idol contestant Jacinta Guirguis has become known for commanding the stage with her unique presence, but having the confidence to do so has taken six years of hard work.
“I was diagnosed with a debilitating anxiety disorder six years ago,” Jacinta, 25, tells TV WEEK.
“I never thought I’d be able to do an opportunity like this with a disease like that. I really hope I’m inspiring people who feel a little bit like an outcast to know that you have a place, even when the world tells you that you don’t.”
Being told she didn’t belong is something Jacinta, from the town of Bacchus Marsh in Victoria, had become used to hearing long before Idol and reveals many people told her not to pursue her dream of becoming a musician.
“There have been so many performance opportunities that I’ve applied for where I’ve never gotten past auditions. People just hear my voice and think, ‘That’s too different – we don’t really know where you fit,’” she reveals. “Even Australian Idol was my third time applying.
“It takes a toll when you are told you are not good enough over and over. I spent a lot of time in the shadows or behind other people who were better than me – or considered better than me – over the years.”
Now Jacinta has proudly proved the doubters wrong, making it to the Top 12 of the competition – and doing so with the loving support of her family, including her twin sister, Chantel.
“My twin sister is my best friend,” she gushes. “She’s seen every high and every low. She’s so proud of the journey I’m on and it’s really special to have my family backing me and supporting me when they know this has been a long time coming.”