MANILA, Philippines?From YouTube, Madonna Decena, the Filipina singer who wowed audiences and judges alike on the UK reality show ?Britain?s Got Talent,? has crossed over to mainstream media?as her story is now being reported on TV news programs.

The British show similarly made a big fuss over the 33-year-old Filipina singer?s performance, posting two interviews with judge Amanda Holden and Decena herself on its official website.

The show?s homepage dubbed the semi-finalist as ?the star of the show.?

A fan site asked: ?Is Decena the next Paul Potts??

Also an underdog, Potts is the former phone salesman who won last year?s competition with his rendition of ?Nessun Dorma.?

Cowell charmed

In her performance video on YouTube (which has received over 130,00 hits as of Tuesday), a trembling and tearful Decena charmed the entire Manchester Theater?especially when she ran backstage to get a paper hankie from the show?s hosts, Ant and Dec.

Judges Holden and Piers Morgan readily gave Decena the ?Yes? vote, which pushed her on to the next round.

The always caustic third judge Simon Cowell unleashed a reality check (?You?ve picked up some bad habits from singing in clubs and bars.?), but was also generous with praise (?It was unexpected ? I absolutely loved it!?).

In an online interview on the show?s homepage, Decena explained that she had come to Britain over a year ago, to ?save money.?

?I?m a single parent,? she said. She left her daughters, ages 6 and 5, with their grandparents in the Philippines.

On the Web site, she was shown making a phone call to her kids in the Philippines.

?My kids are asking me to come home,? she recounted. ?It?s a tough choice ? it?s a sacrifice I have to make.?

According to a report on the Mirror website, she moved to Manchester on a student visa in 2006 and that now, apart from studying music and production, she works by singing in different clubs.

A fan site reported that she recently performed in a charity gala at The Opera House in Blackpool, together with singer Joe Longthorne and comic Frank Carson. She guested in a concert featuring the Andy Prior Big Band at the Grand Theater, also in Blackpool, on New Year?s Eve.

For her club performances, she earned rave reviews from The Stage: ?Vocal quality is nothing short of extraordinary and the future of this ... Filipino lady seems assured.?

Life-changing

In the online interview, Madonna pointed out that she had joined the competition ?not for fame ... not just to win and fulfill my dreams. I?m here for a higher purpose, to save and provide a better future for my children.?

?Life-changing,? she described the prospect of doing well in the competition. ?It?s a chance for us to be together.?

According to the show?s site, the big winner will receive a ?100,000 check, along with the chance to perform for Prince Charles at the prestigious Royal Variety Show.

(E-mail: bayanisandiego@hotmail.com)