By Shirley Farmer 
He is only 16 years old, but he is already showing signs of being a true force of nature. Francesca Santos, better known as Ica, proved to be a stage animal in “The Voice Portugal” for the band RTP1. Interpreting the theme of “feeling good”, the young woman from Braga managed the four chairs of her mentors, Antonio Zamboho, Urea, Diogo Besara and Marisa Les, who “fought” to have her in their teams, luck smiles, in the end, the Alentejo singer.
The rider remains high, and was skeptical about what happened last Sunday. “Going to ‘The Voice’ has always been a dream, but I don’t think I have the skills to compete. My family and friends encouraged me a lot. I can say they are mainly responsible for having the courage to get here,” he revealed to ‘TV Guia.’ Francesca Santos’ lack of confidence is the result of a painful past that she still remembers. “I was bullied, which is something I don’t even like to remember… I didn’t have many friends in school. I was very extroverted and they thought I was weird. I really made fun of it.” For the same magazine, she confirmed that she was never physically assaulted, but the words hurt her: “They left me psychological marks, which persist today. I want to encourage all people who have been through things like this to not give up on their dreams. I’m proof that it’s worth it!”
Read the full exclusive interview with Francesca Santos on ‘TV Guia’ this week.