ITV’s The X Factor contestants Jamaal Shurland and Shereen Cutkelvin have announced their engagement, eight years after first meeting on the show’s fourteenth series in 2017.

Jamaal, a member of the R&B group Rak-Su, proposed to Shereen – who took part in the ITV singing competition with her siblings in the family trio The Cutkelvins – during a surprise proposal in her hometown in Scotland.

The happy couple took to social media to announce the exciting news with their fans. The couple wrapped up in warm jackets as Shereen, 28, showed off her engagement ring in an Instagram snap. Shereen was glowing as she went makeup-free for the occasion, which she later revealed was a complete surprise, while Rak-Su star Jamaal, 32, smiled while standing next to his fiancée.

One image sees Shereen looking emotional while a happy Jamaal grinned alongside her in the post. While a later snap shows Shereen sporting a red American football jersey and matching red earrings along with black eyeliner and mascara while showing her left hand to the camera to show off her sparkling engagement ring.

X Factor contestants Jamaal Shurland and Shereen Cutkelvin have announced their engagement ( 
Image:
shereencutty/Instagram)

As she shared a series of photos, expressing her excitement about the proposal, Shereen captioned the post: “It all happened in my childhood town, weather was freezing (hence the red noses) with an amazing view of the moon, it was completely unexpected (hence the no manicure lol).”

She also shared the post on her Instagram story and confessed: “Cried happy tears for hours”, before she gushed: “Look at us adulting” and tagged her new fiancé. Fans and fellow musicians flooded the comments with congratulations. One user wrote: “Awwww you guys!! Congratulations to you both, gorgeous news! Sending big hugs all the way.”

Whilst another eagerly added: “Omgggg congratulations!!! Xxx.” A third penned: “Oh my godddddd congratulations, so happy for you both.” And a fourth wrote: “Congratulations to a beautiful couple.” Since sharing their engagement online yesterday, Jamaal and Shereen haven’t shared any wedding plans yet.

The pair met on X Factor eight years ago ( 
Image:
shereencutty/Instagram)
Rak-Su, comprising Jamaal Shurland, Ashley Fongho, Mustafa Rahimtulla, and Myles Stephenson, hailed from Watford, England. The group gained prominence on The X Factor in 2017, impressing both judges and audiences with their original songs. Their unique blend of R&B and hip-hop led them to become the first male group to win the competition. Following their victory, Rak-Su released several singles and continued to perform across the UK.

The Cutkelvins, a music trio from Lanark, Scotland, included siblings Shereen, Kyle, and Jay Cutkelvin. Before joining the group, Shereen was part of the girl band Neon Jungle, which had a hit song, Braveheart, reaching number four on the UK Singles Chart. On The X Factor, The Cutkelvins mixed modern music with their Scottish influences. With Simon Cowell as their mentor, they made it to the semi-finals and finished in fifth place.

Jamaal is part of singing group Rak-Su ( 
Image:
PA)During their time on The X Factor, Jamaal and Shereen’s paths crossed, leading to a close friendship that eventually blossomed into a romantic relationship. Over the years, the couple maintained a low-profile relationship, occasionally sharing glimpses of their life together on social media.

The couple continue to make music, with Shereen sharing her Spotify link in her Instagram bio, showcasing her work over the years. They’ve also posted videos on social media where they cover popular songs and duet together, winning over fans. In one video, they performed Meghan Trainor’s Like I’m Gonna Lose You, leaving fans in awe of their chemistry and musical talent.