The singing nun Cristina Scuccia has been a celebrity in Italy since winning a talent show - now she has left her order. "It was a change in myself," said the 34-year-old on the talk show "Verissima" on the private television channel Canale 5. She now lives in Spain and works there as a waitress, the Sicilian said in the program broadcast on Saturday.

Instead of wearing a dark veil, she sat across from moderator Silvia Toffanin with a nose piercing and a pink pants suit. Scuccia became famous in 2014 by winning "The Voice of Italy" and was then on stage with world stars like Ricky Martin or Kylie Minogue.

Taking off the veil after 15 years of religious life was difficult, said the former Ursuline nun. With her success on the 2014 talent show, she felt a "huge responsibility" and fear of disappointing her supporters. Another setback came with the corona pandemic, which prevented her from traveling and caused her father to become seriously ill. According to her own statement, she sought help from a psychologist and asked for a break in the order.

At the time, at the age of 19, Scuccia initially had no interest in the monastery because, as she said, she did not want to have anything to do with priests and sisters. But when she thought about it further, she realized that she "had nothing to do anyway" and that there was an opportunity to sing and learn new things.

And what about love now that she is no longer a nun? Moderator Toffanin wanted to know that. "I believe in love, but that's not my priority right now," Scuccia said.