She thrilled us with her sizzling X Factor performances, ultimately finishing as runner-up to Matt Terry.

But on Tuesday Finnish pop princess Saara Aalto proved that second place still comes with its share of prizes, as she signed not one but two record deals.

At a press conference in Helsinki, Saara announced that she had signed with Sony Music UK — the record company that’s also home to Simon Cowell’s record label Syco.

But it doesn’t stop there. The Nordic starlet has also picked up a record deal in her home country with Sony Music Finland.

Speaking to YLE on December 12, Sony Finland’s managing director Wemppa Koivumäki cited Saara’s “global talent” and said that Finland “is too small a country for Saara.”

But he’s offered her a local deal anyway and Saara did not refuse.

It’s a triumphant result for the artist who is probably sick of finishing in second place. Saara was runner-up on The Voice of Finland and twice at the Finnish national selection for Eurovision.

Saara’s X Factor journey was bumpy. She landed in the bottom two sing-off three times, but soon won the hearts of Britain and earned a place in the X Factor grand final.

The series winner, Matt Terry, also has a record deal with Syco, but Saara’s double signing has the British press describing her as being bigger than Matt Terry, who has just the one deal.

Saara’s double signing has now set her up for a career in the UK, and a chance to build on her profile in Finland.

What do you think? Is Saara set for international stardom? Let us know in the comments box below.

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