Semaema Cornford enthralled the Australian public on Tuesday night at the popular X Factor Australia show with her powerful rendition of the U2 and Mary J Blige song 'One'.
But it is the story of young woman who was brought up in Rakiraki and Raiwaqa that the Australians have fallen in love with from the moment she first auditioned for the X Factor some weeks back.
The judges of the X Factor, like Irish singer Ronan Keating, also formerly of the Boyzone ,commended Semaema for her bravery while Spice Girls' Mel B says Sema does not realise how special she is. Guy Sebastian was just blown away by her performance.
Semaema Grace Conford Lesianawai is 26 years-old and has a life-threatening kidney disease that could stand in the way between her and a very promising musical career.
After she appeared before the X Factor Australia show on Tuesday night, she gave Sunday Times this interview.
"I was diagnosed with Lupus Nephritis at 13 years of age... When I was 21 years old the doctors didn't have any more medication to stop the Lupus and they sent me home to say goodbye to my family."
Despite chemotherapy, Sema eventually succumbed to renal failure and now lives only by undertaking dialysis every second day, three times a week for five hours each session.
Kidney failure is not the only challenge that Sema has to deal with in her life. She does not know who her biological mother is and knows her by name only because it's on her birth certificate.
She was left at the Ba Hospital as a baby and was fostered with different families until a couple took her out of the hospital.
"I've always known that I was adopted because as a child, a couple took me out of hospital when I was a baby and made me their own but they didn't sign any papers, so I was always owned by the Social Welfare. Their names were Sakiusa Saviri and Fulori Saviri," Sema says.
She later grew up with the Waqawai family at Bryce St in Raiwaqa and was schooled in her early years at Raiwaqa Methodist Primary School until she was adopted at 10 years old by John and Sue Cornford to become to the youngest of their six children.
"My parents are currently in Fiji teaching the bible and who have had many years helping find sponsors for children at St. Christophers Home and Dilkusha Home," Sema says.
When at 13 years of age, she was diagnosed with lupus where she faced a new challenge - the fight for her life.
A staunch Christian though, Sema has been persevering through each day and she defied medical knowledge by moving out of her home three years ago at the age of 23 to join the Hillsong Church where her vocal talents was easily recognised.
At Hillsong, she met one of her childhood idols in Darlene Zcheck, where she confirmed her childhood dreams of becoming a worship singer.
"I found out I enjoyed singing because my Bubu encouraged me to go to church every Sundays and choir practice every week as a child and I enjoyed singing in the Raiwaqa Methodist Children Choir and I used to enjoy travelling to all the competitions," Sema says.
"I didn't know how to read music but when my mum Sue insisted I learn a musical instrument before I was allowed to get singing lessons so I had to suffer six months of guitar lessons so I could get singing lesson but it made me learn how to read music which helped with my singing too," Sema says.
Her taste in music ranges from Aretha Franklin, Michael Buble, Beyonce, John Mayer, Katie Noonan and including some classical too.
That is how she became involved in Xfactor 2012 and for her it was not about getting a call back nor is it about singing in front of famous singers nor is it about singing in front of four thousand people at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.
"I wanted to try out for Xfactor as I thought its better late than never, I was going because I'd never tried out for anything before and I wanted to raise awareness for organ donation.
"As I stood in front of the judges they asked me who I would dedicate the song to and without thinking about the question I said 'my dialysis nurses', because of the work they do every week to keep me alive. I really wanted to raise awareness for people who are waiting for a transplant and to encourage people to talk about organ donation with their families and that you can still dream big and never lose focus of your dreams," Sema says.
She is currently on the transplant list now waiting for a kidney transplant.
"Waiting is like a lotto, you never know until the phone rings that they have found a match for you and I will have to go straight into hospital to receive this new breath of life," Sema says.
Top of her wish list after a transplant is to visit Fiji again and to try and complete her degree in early childhood and getting involved with her community as a member of the Fiji Youth Initiative in Sydney and as the Fashion Show Coordinator for Fijji Day Sydney 2012.
"My family and friends understand to some extent but most of the time i go through my health issues by myself and now with my husband's support. I still dream big of being a singer, as I believe I've received this gift from God for a reason and a purpose in him. Whenever I have the energy I will sing and write songs, there's a lot of songs in me, just ready to be released to help others that don't have a voice," Sema says.