THE YOUNG up and coming singing star Cristian Frew has been through more than most.

Born in Romania to a seriously ill mother, Cristian was sent as a small baby to one of the country’s many overcrowded orphanages.

He was one of the tens of thousands of Romanian orphans who were kept in deplorable conditions – scenes revealed to the world when Romania’s dictator of more than 21 years, Nicolae Ceausescu, and his wife Elena were shot by firing squad propelling the country into a new era.

Following this key moment in Eastern European history Cristian was adopted by the Frew family from Wetherby - Ken, Ann and their daughter Nikki.

However, Cristian did not emerge completely unscathed from his formative years. Through illness as a baby, Cristian’s hearing is affected - although this does not stop him having perfect pitch.

Cristian has always been interested in music and sung in Wetherby’s St James’s church choir and St Aidan’s School choir.

He was also lead singer with the group Panic Frenzy, in which his best friend Michael Tempest played drums.

When he was just 14-years-old Cristian set up CAF, his own mobile disco business.

He said: “Music was my passion. My dad said ‘why don’t you set up your own company?’ - so I did. I did a free gig for someone and it escalated.

“I started introducing karaoke into the business which went down a treat. I sang a few songs myself during the intervals and I got good feedback off people which boosted my confidence. I then started to do a 45 minute cabaret slot.”

However, his growing success was put on hold when tragically his best friend Michael was killed in a car accident along with Wetherby teenagers Oliver Cross and Thomas Dunn in December 2006.

Cristian struggled to cope. “I just couldn’t hack it over here,” he said. “I stopped doing everything for months. I was at the stage where I wasn’t eating, drinking or anything and found it difficult to hold down a job. Neither was I able to stay with Panic Frenzy, when it reformed, without Michael on the drums.

“I needed to get away so I decided to go to Spain to a house owned by my parents in Villamartin, Costa Blanca, with the promise of a job as a DJ in a disco.”

As Cristian found it difficult to sing with the reformed pop group, his parents, who recognised his considerable singing talent, booked a session with a recording studio in Spain called Vegetable Market Studios.

They thought that it would help him to move forward. He spent a week in the recording studio and several long days mixing the final CD.

Cristian said: “ It was the best experience I have ever had in my life. It was amazing, I felt really important. Everyone was there to help me.”

The recording session produced Cristian’s first CD of 13 covers. The CD called 'heart & soul' contains songs including Angels by Robbie Williams, Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol, Burning Love by Elvis and My Way by Frank Sinatra.