X Factor finalist Saara Aalto speaks about leaving popstar lover for gay superfan and their plans to wed
Speaking to Bizarre the Finnish singer explains how innocent fan mail turned into a whirlwind romance
SHE surprised every-one by going from X Factor wildcard to one of SHARON OSBOURNE’s three finalists.
But behind her massive voice, Finnish star SAARA AALTO has been hiding a secret.
I can reveal she went from being one half of Finland’s most famous power couple to embarking on a lesbian relationship with a superfan.
Saara is now engaged to the girl — who she dumped her long-term boyfriend for — and has even hired her as her manager.
In an exclusive interview, Saara told how she called off her nine-year relationship with Finnish singing superstar TEEMU ROIVAINEN to date fan Meri Sopanen.
She said: “I was in The Voice of Finland in 2012 and my girlfriend — fiancée now — watched the show, liked me a lot and sent me a fan message through Facebook.
She wrote, ‘I have never, ever sent a message like this to anybody, but I just had this intuition that I have to send this to you.’
I was like, ‘That’s so cute’, and thought, ‘What a nice-looking girl.’-
“Then, after a year, she actually came to my concert and we met.
“We started talking and realised we just shared the same view of life and everything.”
Saara and Meri have been together for two years, getting engaged in the summer.
Saara’s mentor Sharon is manager to husband OZZY.
And in a similar move, Saara has recruited Meri to look after her career. She explained: “We are a very good team and I love to work with her.
“If we didn’t work together we’d never see each other.”
So where does that leave Saara’s ex-boyfriend?
Incredibly, the three of them are best friends.
She said: “He just loves my fiancée. We are like one happy family. It is a dream.
“We were together for nine years. He was my producer and band leader — we were together all the time.
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“We started dating when I was 15 and we fell in love and we still love each other.
“But when you grow, you get older and I realised that I would prefer being with a girl. Me and Teemu still love each other like a brother and sister.”
It’s the best X Factor love triangle since SIMON COWELL, LOUIS WALSH and SINITTA.
Arg is bright charmer
THEIR turbulent relationship has always ensured that JAMES “ARG” ARGENT and LYDIA BRIGHT are at the forefront of Towie storylines.
And it appears the former couple are at it again – this time in the bedroom.
Despite telling Arg they were over for good last April, Lydia was charmed into the sack by the wannabe crooner while filming in Marbella last week.
A source said: “Lydia can’t believe she fell for Arg’s charms once again. She puts it down to having a weak moment and deeply regrets leading him on.
“Arg was beaming afterwards, telling close pals it was a sure sign he was back in Lydia’s good books. But that’s not the case.”
The aftermath will almost certainly be played out on the series opener of The Only Way Is Marbs on Sunday on ITVBe.
I’ll be giving it a watch.
Legend returns
THREE years on from his huge ballad All Of Me – which has been sung to death by X Factor contestants – JOHN LEGEND has a new single.
He will debut Love Me Now on Friday, having wed model CHRISSY TEIGEN and become a dad to daughter Luna since his last album. In the new issue of Notion mag, he says: “It takes over your life when you have a child.
“Everyone struggles with being a new parent, trying to figure it out. It’s a humbling process.”
Fingers crossed banging out some more tunes hasn’t been so hard.
Rih-ggae dreads
LIKE the late BOB MARLEY, RIHANNA is Caribbean-born and known for her love of music – and weed.
Now she also has his hairstyle.
Rihanna has paid tribute to the Jamaican reggae icon by getting dreadlocks.
The Bajan was pictured with the new look as she landed in New York, with her giant locks reaching all the way down to her backside.
Referencing one of Marley’s biggest hits, Rihanna uploaded the snap below of her new do to Instagram with the caption: “Buffalo $oldier.”
If she was a real soldier, she’d have to get it all chopped off.
Hitting the the hills of Hollywood
IT isn’t out until tomorrow but McFLY star TOM FLETCHER’s novel The Christmasaurus is already being made into a Hollywood movie.
He hopes the animated musical, directed by MICHAEL GRACEY, will be out in time for Christmas 2018.
Tom has already written the film’s soundtrack and will debut one of the songs at the Royal Variety Performance in December.
Aston la vista, Bear Grylls
ASTON MERRYGOLD got huge flak for quitting BEAR GRYLLS’ star-studded charity edition of The Island just two episodes in.
But visiting Bizarre HQ for a live set on my Facebook page, he had no regrets.
The ex-JLS star said: “I lost a stone in five days and don’t have a stone to lose. If you was there, you would have come with me. I’ve seen comments and, listen, I’ve got quite thick skin, so I’m not really bothered.”
Aston – who sang new single I Ain’t Missing You and a JUSTIN BIEBER and DRAKE mash-up – is not put off reality TV.
Asked by fans to name his dream X Factor panel, he said: “SIMON COWELL, me and maybe ARIANA GRANDE. That would be cool.”
It’ll work if Judges’ Houses isn’t in a rainforest.