A 20-year-old Austria-based Gambian singer has ditched alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana to re-embrace Islam.

"I was wild. But I thank God that I am now able to re-embrace my religion,” Matty Faal told What's On-Gambia.

The young woman, who once attended Charles Memorial Academy in Bundung, arrived in Austria five years ago to join her mum and her Austrian step-dad.

According to her, soon after her arrival she lost her Imaan and was involved in drug-related anti-social behaviour.

"I was partying a lot. I was doing so many crazy things that I should not have done. I was in the hands of the devil and the devil is strong," said Matty.

The 20-year-old revealed she has also quit music to focus on her religion, saying Islam brought her love and happiness that she never found in the streets of Vienna.

Matty is one of the most well-known young Gambians in Austria after appearing on Deutschland sucht den Superstar (DSDS) - a TV program that aims to discover talented singers through a series of nationwide auditions in which viewer voting determines the winner.