Hallelujah! Spanish priest sings like an angel
A 28-year-old priest has amazed viewers with his rendition of Robbie Williams classic 'Angels' on the Spanish version of singing competition, The Voice.
Christened the "hipster priest", or "el cura hipster" by Spanish media, Father Damián María showed off his heavenly voice during his audition, when he donned his dog collar and blasted out the Robbie Williams classic Angels.
He passed the blind test - when the judges send a contestant through to the next round based solely on their vocal performance - with flying colours.
A video of his audition posted to YouTube has already been viewed nearly a quarter of a million times since it was uploaded last month, and the Granada native, who now preaches in Madrid, has amassed quite the fan base and no doubt broken a few hearts.
He even has his own fan club named after his catchphrase on the programme, "siente los latidos" or "feel the beat".
Father Damián, who works in the parish of the Perpetuo Socorro in Madrid, is no ordinary Catholic priest, embracing social media with profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
He's not the first cool Catholic in Madrid, the city's San Antón church is one of the hippest in the world thanks to its "pets are welcome" policy and innovative technology.
On Thursday’s programme he took part in a singing battle and beat his fellow contestant Antonio while singing face to face in a boxing ring.
Las fans de @PadreDamianVoz a la puerta de la iglesia jajajajajaja @FansPadreDamian #SienteLosLatidos pic.twitter.com/kTrlhsd7RO
Antonio Puerto CSsR (@AntonioCSsR) April 30, 2015
Fans greeting the hip priest at the gates of his church.
Since his appearance on the programme, interest in the cool cleric has skyrocketed and some interesting facts have surfaced.
Father Damián has volunteered in India and Honduras and would love to return to India one day.
His favourite films are Sister Act and The Lion King and he started singing with his grandmother, who was a flamenco singer.
His favourite singers are Adele, Beyonce and Robbie Williams and one of his life’s ambitions is to sing for Disney.
Father Damián during a jam session in a bell tower. Screen grab: Padre Damián/YouTube
He is the first priest to take part in such a competition in Spain, but The Voice is no stranger to the religious - in May 2014 a nun famously won the Italian version of the singing competition.
Sister Cristina, a 26-year-old Sicilian nun released her debut album in November including an unlikely cover of Madonna’s Like a Virgin.
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Christened the "hipster priest", or "el cura hipster" by Spanish media, Father Damián María showed off his heavenly voice during his audition, when he donned his dog collar and blasted out the Robbie Williams classic Angels.
He passed the blind test - when the judges send a contestant through to the next round based solely on their vocal performance - with flying colours.
A video of his audition posted to YouTube has already been viewed nearly a quarter of a million times since it was uploaded last month, and the Granada native, who now preaches in Madrid, has amassed quite the fan base and no doubt broken a few hearts.
He even has his own fan club named after his catchphrase on the programme, "siente los latidos" or "feel the beat".
Father Damián, who works in the parish of the Perpetuo Socorro in Madrid, is no ordinary Catholic priest, embracing social media with profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
He's not the first cool Catholic in Madrid, the city's San Antón church is one of the hippest in the world thanks to its "pets are welcome" policy and innovative technology.
On Thursday’s programme he took part in a singing battle and beat his fellow contestant Antonio while singing face to face in a boxing ring.
Las fans de @PadreDamianVoz a la puerta de la iglesia jajajajajaja @FansPadreDamian #SienteLosLatidos pic.twitter.com/kTrlhsd7RO
Antonio Puerto CSsR (@AntonioCSsR) April 30, 2015
Fans greeting the hip priest at the gates of his church.
Since his appearance on the programme, interest in the cool cleric has skyrocketed and some interesting facts have surfaced.
Father Damián has volunteered in India and Honduras and would love to return to India one day.
His favourite films are Sister Act and The Lion King and he started singing with his grandmother, who was a flamenco singer.
His favourite singers are Adele, Beyonce and Robbie Williams and one of his life’s ambitions is to sing for Disney.
Father Damián during a jam session in a bell tower. Screen grab: Padre Damián/YouTube
He is the first priest to take part in such a competition in Spain, but The Voice is no stranger to the religious - in May 2014 a nun famously won the Italian version of the singing competition.
Sister Cristina, a 26-year-old Sicilian nun released her debut album in November including an unlikely cover of Madonna’s Like a Virgin.
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