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Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke (born 25 August 1988) is a
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
singer, songwriter and actress. She won the fifth series of the British television series ''
The X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
'' in 2008, and has been signed to Epic Records,
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
and
Syco Music Syco Music is a defunct division of Syco Entertainment founded by British entrepreneur and record executive Simon Cowell. Originally founded as S Records, the label launched while Cowell was still employed by BMG, the label oversaw music relea ...
. After winning ''The X Factor'', Burke released the winner's single "
Hallelujah ''Hallelujah'' ( ; he, ''haləlū-Yāh'', meaning "praise Yah") is an interjection used as an expression of gratitude to God. The term is used 24 times in the Hebrew Bible (in the book of Psalms), twice in deuterocanonical books, and four tim ...
", which became the European record holder for the most singles sold over a period of 24 hours, selling 105,000 in one day, and became the top-selling single of 2008 in the UK and the UK's Christmas 2008 number one. By January 2009, the single had sold over one million copies in the UK alone, a first for a British female soloist. In 2009, Burke released her debut album, '' Overcome'', which debuted at number one on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
and spawned four number-one singles on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
and the Irish Singles Chart—"Hallelujah", " Bad Boys", " All Night Long" and " Start Without You"—and the album became one of the most successful albums of that year in the UK. The singles released from the album earned her three
BRIT Award The BRIT Awards (often simply called the BRITs) are the British Phonographic Industry's annual popular music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain", or "Britannia" (in the early days the awards were sponsored ...
nominations. The album saw the release of UK top 10 hit, "
Broken Heels "Broken Heels" is a song performed by British singer Alexandra Burke, released as the second single from her 2009 debut album, '' Overcome''. It was written by the Moroccan-Swedish producer RedOne, Bilal Hajji, Savan Kotecha and produced by Re ...
" and " The Silence". "
Elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae ...
" was released as Burke's comeback single in February 2012, and "
Let It Go "Let It Go" is a song from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney's 2013 computer-animated feature film ''Frozen (2013 film), Frozen'', whose music and lyrics were composed by husband-and-wife songwriting team Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert L ...
" served as the second single and Burke's second album, ''
Heartbreak on Hold ''Heartbreak on Hold'' is the second studio album by British recording artist Alexandra Burke. It was released digitally on 1 June 2012 through Syco and RCA Records, and a physical version was issued three days later. The album marks her final ...
'', was released in June 2012. In June 2014, Burke replaced
Beverley Knight Beverley Knight (born Beverley Anne Smith, 22 March 1973) is an English recording artist and musical theatre actress. She released her first album, '' The B-Funk'', in 1995. Heavily influenced by American soul music icons such as Sam Cooke an ...
in the lead role of Rachel Marron in the West End musical '' The Bodyguard'', at the
Adelphi Theatre The Adelphi Theatre is a West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster, central London. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiv ...
, touring with the production in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019. In 2016, Burke commenced a 12-month residency in ''Sister Act The Musical'', leading the cast as Deloris Van Cartier. In 2017, she took part in the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
show '' Strictly Come Dancing.'' That same year, Burke signed a record deal with
Universal Music Group Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
's Decca Records. Her third album, ''
The Truth Is The Truth Is... may refer to: * ''The Truth Is...'' (Failsafe album), 2008 * ''The Truth Is...'' (Theory of a Deadman album), 2011 * ''The Truth Is'' (Alexandra Burke album), 2018 * ''The Truth Is'' (TV program), an Australian current affairs t ...
'', was released in March 2018.


Life and career


Early life and career beginnings

Alexandra Burke was born in Islington,
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
on 25 August 1988, daughter of David Burke (born 1954) and
British soul British soul, Brit soul, or (in a US context) the British soul invasion, is soul music performed by British artists. Soul has been a major influence on British popular music since the 1960s, and American soul was extremely popular among some yo ...
singer Melissa Bell (1964-2017). Burke shares the
middle names In various cultures, a middle name is a portion of a personal name that is written between the person's first given name and their surname. A middle name is often abbreviated and is then called middle initial or just initial. A person may ...
Cecelia Ewen with her mother and her sister, Sheneice. Burke said that she had to grow up very fast, at a very young age as her mother was always touring with her band and that she had to look after her young brother, which included taking him to and picking him up from school. Burke's parents separated in 1992, while she was still young, but the pair continued to co-parent their children.


2005–2008: ''The X Factor''

Burke auditioned for the second series of ''The X Factor'' in 2005 (which was eventually won by
Shayne Ward Shayne Thomas Ward (born 16 October 1984) is an English actor and singer. He rose to fame as the winner of the second series of ''The X Factor''. His debut single, "That's My Goal", was released in the United Kingdom on 21 December 2005 an ...
). She made it through to the final seven in
Louis Walsh Michael Louis Vincent Walsh (born 5 August 1952) is an Irish music manager and television personality. He has managed Johnny Logan, Boyzone, Jedward and Westlife, four of Ireland's most successful pop acts in the 1990s and 2000s. He later be ...
's 16–24 category, effectively the top 21 of the competition, but Walsh did not choose her for his final four as he felt that she was too young. Yet Burke did not give up and went on to seek professional singing lessons over the following three years. Burke's second bid to win ''The X Factor'' came in 2008. Falling into the "Girls" category, she was mentored by
Girls Aloud Girls Aloud were an pop girl group that was created through the ITV talent show '' Popstars: The Rivals'' in 2002. The group comprised singers Cheryl, Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. The group achieved a str ...
's
Cheryl Cheryl is a female given name common in English speaking countries. There are several prevailing theories about its etymology. The most common is that it has Italo-Celtic roots and is an Anglicised version of either the French name Cherie (from ...
who selected her for the finals—a series of ten weekly live shows in which contestants are progressively eliminated by public vote. On the first live show, Burke performed
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed " The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston i ...
's classic "
I Wanna Dance with Somebody "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" is a song recorded by American singer Whitney Houston for her second studio album, ''Whitney (album), Whitney'' (1987). It was released as the lead single from the album on May 2, 1987, by Arista Reco ...
". For the second live show she covered " I'll Be There" by
The Jackson 5 The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most o ...
. In week three,
big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...
week, Burke performed
Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...
's " Candyman" and received her first standing ovation. For the disco-themed fourth live show, Burke performed Donna Summer's " On the Radio". During Mariah Carey week on 8 November, Burke and the other finalists met Carey for individual
masterclass Yanka Industries, Inc., doing business as MasterClass, is an American online education subscription platform on which students can access tutorials and lectures pre-recorded by experts in various fields. The concept for MasterClass was conceiv ...
es, with Carey complimenting Burke on her voice. Burke performed " Without You" and received a standing ovation from the judges, who all gave her positive feedback. In weeks 6 and 7, Burke received positive comments from the judging panel for her performances of "You are so Beautiful" and
Dan Hartman Daniel Earl Hartman (December 8, 1950 – March 22, 1994) was an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. Among songs he wrote and recorded were " Free Ride" as a member of the Edgar Winter Group, and the solo hits ...
's "
Relight My Fire "Relight My Fire" is a popular disco song written and released by American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer Dan Hartman as the title track from his 1979 album of the same name. It was also performed by Costa Anadiotis' band Ca ...
" (the popularity of which in the UK is mostly a result of
Take That Take That are an English pop group formed in Manchester in 1990. The group currently consists of Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen. The original line-up also featured Jason Orange and Robbie Williams. Barlow is the group's lead singer ...
's 1993 revival thereof). The quarter-final saw her replace
Diana Vickers Diana Vickers (born 30 July 1991) is an English singer, songwriter, actress and fashion designer, who initially came to public attention as a semi-finalist on ''The X Factor'' in 2008. Vickers signed a record deal with RCA Records and, after to ...
as the bookies' favourite after performing Britney Spears' "
Toxic Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subs ...
" and Beyoncé' "
Listen Listen may refer to: * The action of listening * Central auditory system listening is how the brain processes what you hear * Listening behaviour types in human communication Computing * LISTEN, a TCP connection state on the server side indi ...
", for which she received another standing ovation. In the semi-final, Burke performed Rihanna's hit song " Don't Stop the Music" and
Toni Braxton Toni Michele Braxton (born October 7, 1967) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. She has sold over 70 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling female artists in history. Braxton has won ...
hit "
Un-Break My Heart "Un-Break My Heart" is a song by American singer Toni Braxton for her second studio album, '' Secrets'' (1996). The song was written by Diane Warren and produced by David Foster. It was released as the second single from the album on October 7, 1 ...
". Burke was joined in the grand final by
Northern Irish Northern Irish people is a demonym for all people born in Northern Ireland or people who are entitled to reside in Northern Ireland without any restriction on their period of residence. Most Northern Irish people either identify as Northern ...
teenager
Eoghan Quigg Eoghan Karl Christopher Quigg (; born 12 July 1992) is a footballer and pop singer from Dungiven, Northern Ireland, who finished third in the fifth series of the British television music talent contest ''The X Factor'' in 2008. As a result o ...
and boyband
JLS JLS (an initialism of Jack the Lad Swing) are an English boyband, which consists of members Aston Merrygold, Oritsé Williams, Marvin Humes, and JB Gill, originally formed by Williams. They initially signed to Tracklacers production company ...
. The three finalists were required to sing three songs – a Christmas song, a duet with an established music artist, and the song from their favourite performance of the series. Her Christmas song was an adaptation of "
Silent Night "Silent Night" (german: "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht", links=no, italic=no) is a popular Christmas carol, composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr in the small town of Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria. It was declared an ...
". She then sang "Listen" as a duet with Beyoncé (who later performed her UK number-one single "
If I Were a Boy "If I Were a Boy" is a song written by BC Jean and Toby Gad and originally performed by Jean in 2008. The song gained international attention the same year in a version by the American singer Beyoncé, from her third studio album '' I Am... Sa ...
"), and after performing with the American singer she proclaimed: "I have achieved a dream". Her final song before the first-round voting result was "You Are So Beautiful". After the elimination of Quigg, Burke sang what was to become her debut single, a cover of a 1984 song by
Leonard Cohen Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, depression, sexuality, loss, death, and romantic relationships. He was inducted in ...
, ''
Hallelujah ''Hallelujah'' ( ; he, ''haləlū-Yāh'', meaning "praise Yah") is an interjection used as an expression of gratitude to God. The term is used 24 times in the Hebrew Bible (in the book of Psalms), twice in deuterocanonical books, and four tim ...
'', for the first time. Finally, with over eight million votes cast in total, Burke was revealed as the winner with 58% of the final vote. She performed the single again alongside the other X Factor contestants, and at parts she was too moved to sing. The single went on to become the
Christmas number one In the United Kingdom, Christmas number ones are singles that top the UK Singles Chart in the week in which Christmas Day falls. The singles have often been novelty songs, charity songs or songs with a Christmas theme. Historically, the volume ...
of 2008, holding the top spot for three weeks and selling one million copies. At this time there was also a campaign to take Jeff Buckley's cover of ''Hallelujah'' to the top of the Christmas chart to deny Burke the top spot. The campaign was fuelled by Jeff Buckley fans' dislike of ''The X Factor''s commercialism and the song's arrangement,Hallelujah hits number one and two slots in Christmas charts
''The Times'', 22 December 2008 as well as a desire by this contingent to introduce younger music fans to Buckley's version. Burke herself was not enamoured of the choice of song, and dismissed the original by remarking "It just didn't do anything for me". As winner, Burke received a recording contract with record label
Syco Syco Entertainment is a British media entertainment company, headquartered in London, founded and owned by British entrepreneur and record executive Simon Cowell. The company focuses on TV production. The company was formed in 2005 through So ...
, which is co-owned by
Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...
. The contract had a stated value of £1 million, of which £150,000 was a cash advance and the remainder allocated to recording and marketing costs.


2009–2010: ''Overcome'', international breakthrough and All Night Long tour

On 13 February 2009 it was reported that Burke signed a £3.5 million, five-album US record deal with Epic Records. Burke's first album was originally scheduled for March 2009, however,
Simon Cowell Simon Phillip Cowell (; born 7 October 1959) is an English television personality, entrepreneur and record executive. He is the creator of '' The X Factor'' and ''Got Talent'' franchises which have been sold around the world. He has judged on ...
confirmed that her album was scheduled for release later in the year to allow Burke to polish her skills and find the right songs for the album, so that it would not be rushed. The album was released on 19 October 2009 in the UK, titled '' Overcome''. Burke's first commercial single from her debut album is titled " Bad Boys", which features Flo Rida. The single premiered in the UK on
The Chris Moyles Show ''The Chris Moyles Show'' is the title given to two differing versions of a radio programme hosted by Chris Moyles, originally broadcast as Radio 1 Breakfast from 5 January 2004 to 14 September 2012 before transferring three years later on 21 ...
on
BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
on 25 August 2009. On 18 October 2009, ''Bad Boys'' topped the UK Singles Chart. After visiting Burke in the studio, Beyoncé spoke of possibly recording a duet with her and also asked Burke to join her for the second European leg of her '' I Am... Tour''. ''Bad Boys'' was certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry on 7 January 2010. On 19 July 2009, Burke confirmed that she had signed a six-figure contract with Italian fashion designers
Dolce & Gabbana Dolce & Gabbana (), also known by initials D&G, is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1985 in Legnano by Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. The house specializes in ready-to-wear, handbags, accessories, and cosmet ...
, to become the face of a new fashion line. She would also model their clothes and accessories in her music videos. Burke performed on the
Royal Variety Show The ''Royal Variety Performance'' is a televised variety show held annually in the United Kingdom to raise money for the Royal Variety Charity (of which King Charles III is life-patron). It is attended by senior members of the British royal f ...
on 7 December 2009. Burke confirmed on 17 November 2009 that "
Broken Heels "Broken Heels" is a song performed by British singer Alexandra Burke, released as the second single from her 2009 debut album, '' Overcome''. It was written by the Moroccan-Swedish producer RedOne, Bilal Hajji, Savan Kotecha and produced by Re ...
" would be the second commercial and third overall single from ''Overcome''. She also confirmed via her official Twitter page that the video was shot in Los Angeles on 22 and 23 November 2009. On 18 January 2010, Burke began her European Promo Tour in
Brussels Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
, Belgium. On 12 March 2010, Burke confirmed on Twitter that " All Night Long" would be her new single, featuring
Pitbull Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...
. She appeared on '' Dancing on Ice'' during the semi-final to perform ''All Night Long''. On 29 April 2010, Burke entered FHM's poll for the world's top 100 sexiest women 2010 at number 75. This was her first appearance on the poll since she rose to fame in 2008. Burke's next single was a completely new song, " Start Without You", which was released on 5 September 2010. The video for "Start Without You" debuted on 19 August through VEVO on later premiered on The BOX. The song was performed at T4 on the Beach on 4 July 2010, and later released internationally. Additionally, Burke was announced as the first ever brand ambassador for Sure Women, starring in a television advertisement for the company. Burke achieved her fifth consecutive top ten hit, and her third number one single, when "Start Without You" stormed to the top of the charts, beating Katy Perry to the top spot. The re-packaged edition of ''Overcome'' is to be released of 29 November 2010. ''Music Week'' reports that the deluxe makeover includes three brand new tracks; "Perfect", "Before the Rain" and "What Happens on the Dancefloor" featuring Cobra Starship; as well as three number one and two Top 10 singles (including "Start Without You"). A DVD accompanying the release features seven videos, including an exclusive promo for the track "The Silence". The magazine also confirmed that Burke would promote the record with a performance on ''
The X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
''. A new track on the album was said to be a duet with "an amazing group", the group was later announced as Cobra Starship. On 25 October, Burke announced via her Twitter that a new version of " The Silence" will be the album's fifth commercial single being released in early December. The official music video for "The Silence" was released on 27 October 2010, via MSN Videos UK. It was confirmed that there would be no further singles from the album after "The Silence".Alexandra Burke – Music Interview
Digital Spy (8 December 2010). Retrieved 29 September 2011.


2010–2012: New record deal and ''Heartbreak on Hold''

Burke stated that her next album would get "down, raunchy and dirty", promising the record would take risks. Burke took a break from recording so that she could embark on her first headline concert tour, the
All Night Long Tour The All Night Long Tour is the debut concert tour by British pop/ R&B singer Alexandra Burke. It is Burke's first concert tour which is to promote her debut studio album '' Overcome''. The tour is set to kick off in Wales on 14 January 2011 an ...
and said she would continue recording two days after the tour ends. She worked with RedOne for a lot of the album, but also reunited with
Bruno Mars Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his stage performances, retro showmanship, and for performing in a wide range of musical ...
, StarGate,
Rico Love Richard Preston Butler Jr. (born December 3, 1982), better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American record producer, songwriter, singer, and rapper. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, but split his childhood between Milwaukee, Wiscon ...
,
Autumn Rowe Autumn Rowe (born May 25, 1981), is an American singer-songwriter, TV personality, DJ and activist from South Bronx, New York, United States. In 2010, she helped write the song "Happiness" by Alexis Jordan, with producers Stargate and Deadmau5, w ...
and
Ne-Yo Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, and record producer. He gained fame for his songwriting abilities when he penned Mario's 2004 hit " Let Me Love You ...
, among others. Burke stated that she had recorded a duet, with an "amazing" artist. She said that she was working in the studio with songwriter Autumn Rowe, and that their duet had just "happened". Burke featured on
Swizz Beatz Kasseem Daoud Dean (born September 13, 1978), known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, rapper, disc jockey (DJ) and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, Dean embarked on his musical career as a DJ. At the ag ...
new album, ''
Haute Living ''Haute Living'' is a luxury lifestyle magazine founded in 2004. It is based in Miami, Florida, and as of 2015 is chaired by Robert Farmer. The executive publishers of the magazine are Kamal Hotchandani, CEO, and Seth Semilof, COO. The magazine ...
'' on the track "Show Off".5 Reasons You Should Be Excited for Swizz Beatz’ ‘Haute Living’ Album
Rap-Up.com (26 April 2011). Retrieved 29 September 2011. In June it was reported that Burke had signed a record deal with
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
and the album will be jointly handled by the
Syco Syco Entertainment is a British media entertainment company, headquartered in London, founded and owned by British entrepreneur and record executive Simon Cowell. The company focuses on TV production. The company was formed in 2005 through So ...
and RCA Records. The album will be released in the United States after she signed a £3 million record deal with Epic Records. It was thought that Burke's album would be released just under RCA; however, she said that the album would be jointly handled by RCA and SyCo. Burke said that she went to "writing camp" while she was in Los Angeles. She said that it is when many songwriters and
music producers A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure. Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...
flew in to work with her. She also said that she wrote two or three songs a day for a couple of weeks. Since April 2011, Burke has supported T4's ''Battlefront'' show, helping young campaigners Hope and Abby raise awareness about the organ donor register for their ''Sign Up, Speak Up, Save Lives'' project. In October 2011, Burke joined
Louis Walsh Michael Louis Vincent Walsh (born 5 August 1952) is an Irish music manager and television personality. He has managed Johnny Logan, Boyzone, Jedward and Westlife, four of Ireland's most successful pop acts in the 1990s and 2000s. He later be ...
,
Gary Barlow Gary Barlow (born 20 January 1971) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He is the lead singer of the British pop group Take That. Barlow is one of the United Kingdom's most successful songwriters, havi ...
and
Tulisa Contostavlos Tula Paulinea Contostavlos (Greek: Τούλα Παυλίνα 'Τουλίσα' Κοντόσταυλου; born 13 July 1988) professionally known as Tulisa, is an English singer, songwriter, television personality, and actress. As a part of the ...
on the judging panel as a guest judge during the fourth week of the live shows of
series 8 Series may refer to: People with the name * Caroline Series (born 1951), English mathematician, daughter of George Series * George Series (1920–1995), English physicist Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Series, the ordered sets used i ...
when
Kelly Rowland Kelendria Trene Rowland (born February 11, 1981) is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. During the gr ...
had a throat infection. Burke's lead single from the album titled "
Elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae ...
", which is produced by
Erick Morillo Erick Morillo (March 26, 1971 – September 1, 2020) was a Colombian-American disc jockey, music producer, and record label owner. Having produced under a number of pseudonyms, including Ministers de la Funk, The Dronez, RAW, Smooth Touch, RBM, D ...
, was released on 11 March 2012. It debuted and peaked at number-three on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. The second single from the album, "
Let it Go "Let It Go" is a song from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney's 2013 computer-animated feature film ''Frozen (2013 film), Frozen'', whose music and lyrics were composed by husband-and-wife songwriting team Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert L ...
", premièred on Kiss Radio on 13 April 2012. She announced in mid-April 2012 that her second studio album's title would be ''
Heartbreak on Hold ''Heartbreak on Hold'' is the second studio album by British recording artist Alexandra Burke. It was released digitally on 1 June 2012 through Syco and RCA Records, and a physical version was issued three days later. The album marks her final ...
'' which was released on 4 June 2012. On 18 April 2012, she was confirmed for T4 on the Beach 2012. In February 2012, it was reported that Burke had left the
Syco Syco Entertainment is a British media entertainment company, headquartered in London, founded and owned by British entrepreneur and record executive Simon Cowell. The company focuses on TV production. The company was formed in 2005 through So ...
label to join
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
. In June 2012, Burke parted company with her management company.


2012–2014: ''Renegade'', U.S. launch and other projects

In September 2012, it was revealed that Burke would take part in ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
'' for Children in Need. Burke later announced that she was working on an album for a US release. Again in October 2012, Burke revealed that she was working on a follow-up album to ''Heartbreak on Hold'', which would be released in 2013. On 3 November, she performed "All The Lights" at MAMA Awards with Zico, leader of the k-pop group Block B, as part of a special stage from H-Artistry in Malaysia . Burke said she wanted to go back to her original sound which was featured on her debut album, '' Overcome''. She told fans to expect "R&B bangers" on her third album.
Simon Cowell Simon Phillip Cowell (; born 7 October 1959) is an English television personality, entrepreneur and record executive. He is the creator of '' The X Factor'' and ''Got Talent'' franchises which have been sold around the world. He has judged on ...
asked Burke to record a version of " Live and Let Die" in order to use throughout the live shows of ''
The X Factor USA ''The X Factor'' is an American reality television music competition show created by Simon Cowell and produced by FremantleMedia North America and SYCOtv, a partnership between Cowell and Sony Music Entertainment, which aired on Fox. Based on t ...
'', when the judges are announced and walk out. In December 2012, Burke released her first holiday
extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.
, ''Christmas Gift'', which consisted a cover of "
Silent Night "Silent Night" (german: "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht", links=no, italic=no) is a popular Christmas carol, composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr in the small town of Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria. It was declared an ...
" and a new track titled "Christmas Time". On 10 February 2013, it was revealed that Burke was recording two new songs a night for her third album and aimed to have around 60 in total to choose from. She also revealed that she was recording the album in the United States and at her home studio; "I've actually built a studio in my house, downstairs, I'm literally in it every day, recording, I'm flying to the states a lot, I've been in Los Angeles and New York a lot, and if the producers can't fly to me, I fly to them." On 13 February, she explained that her third album would focus on live instruments and would channel Soul music. On the same day, she revealed that she was taking acting classes and had hopes to pursue a career in films, musicals, theater. On 25 March 2013, it was announced that Burke would perform a concert version of '' Lady Sings the Blues'' at the Royal Albert Hall between 4 and 8 June in the venue's Elgar Room but the shows were postponed. The concerts sold out in under a week. In May 2013, it was reported that Burke signed a deal with a US management company after impressing former Def Jam president
Kevin Liles Kevin Liles (born February 27, 1968) is an American record executive and co-founder and CEO of 300 Entertainment. In 2020, Kevin was recognized by Billboard Magazine as R&B/Hip-Hop Executive of the Year for both his efforts in activism and the c ...
during a meeting with him in New York. In June 2013, Burke parted ways with her record label,
RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...
, over "differing views" between herself and the label regarding her third studio album. Burke made her U.S. performance debut at Apollo Theater on 10 June 2013 as part of the line-up for The Apollo Theater Legends Hall of Fame 2013, honouring the induction of Chaka Khan. Burke shared the stage with other artists including
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the " Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and " Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Award ...
, Patti LaBelle, and
Jennifer Holliday Jennifer Yvette Holliday (born October 19, 1960) is an American actress and singer. She started her career on Broadway in musicals such as '' Dreamgirls'' (1981–83), '' Your Arms Too Short to Box with God'' (1980–1981) and later became a ...
. On 30 August, Burke released her second EP, ''#NewRules''. The EP contains 5 tracks, including a cover of
Coldplay Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University Col ...
's "
Fix You "Fix You" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was written by all four members of the band for their third studio album, '' X&Y'' (2005). It was released on 5 September 2005 as the second single from ''X&Y'' and reached number 4 on the ...
". On 20 November, Burke revealed that the lead single from her upcoming third record had been decided and a video was to be shot in the coming weeks. She previewed two new songs on her Facebook page on Christmas. On 5 January 2015, Burke announced that she would be releasing an EP in March called ''Renegade''. She said: "This EP is extremely close to my heart. It marks what is set to be a new chapter for me both personally and artistically. I have worked extremely hard on this, there has been laughter, tears and sweat. Renegade touches upon themes and experiences that I have never spoken out about before. Since the last album, a lot has changed in my life, but most importantly I have changed. I'm in a great place, healthier and stronger than ever. I feel as an artist its important for one's music to grow with them. I'm now twenty-six and having taken time out of the musical ring, I now have the gloves firmly back on."


2014–2017: Musical theatre and ''Strictly Come Dancing''

Burke made her West End debut on 2 June 2014 as a leading cast member in the £5 million production of ''The Bodyguard'' at London's
Adelphi Theatre The Adelphi Theatre is a West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster, central London. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiv ...
, taking over the lead role from
Beverley Knight Beverley Knight (born Beverley Anne Smith, 22 March 1973) is an English recording artist and musical theatre actress. She released her first album, '' The B-Funk'', in 1995. Heavily influenced by American soul music icons such as Sam Cooke an ...
. Based on the 1992 movie of the same name and made famous by
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed " The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston i ...
, Burke played Rachel Marron – a superstar receiving threats from a lovestruck obsessed fan, who falls in love with the new bodyguard hired to protect her. Burke was approached to play the role two years prior to her 2014 debut, but due to scheduling commitments was forced to turn down the opportunity. Two years later Alexandra was again invited to audition for the role and was subsequently offered the part. Burke played the role for a relatively short period until the production closed at the Adelphi Theatre on 29 August 2014. Although The Bodyguard was one of London's most successful and popular shows at the time, it was forced to close as it had reached the end of its contract with the theatre, which had already booked a new production to take residency. Later in the year Burke was nominated for 'Best West End Debut' at the West End Frame Awards 2014. In early 2014, prior to Burke joining the West End cast, it was announced the production would tour the UK and Ireland from February 2015, with the cast yet to be confirmed. Shortly after the production closed it was announced, in October 2014, that Burke would reprise her role as Rachel Marron in the nationwide tour, kicking off her year-and-a-half residency in the show on 12 February 2015 at the Southampton Mayflower Theatre. Burke was a contracted cast member of ''The Bodyguard'' until the end of June 2016, with her final UK performance in the production taking place at the Congress Theatre in Eastbourne. The production and cast briefly transferred to an international stage in
Monaco Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Lig ...
, playing four nights at the Grimaldi Forum, with Burke's final ever ''Bodyguard'' performance after two years leading the production taking place on 26 June. An original cast recording featuring Burke was released in June 2015 to accompany the nationwide tour. It was announced on 8 January 2016 that Burke would be taking over the lead role of Deloris Van Cartier in an all-new UK touring production of ''Sister Act The Musical''. Directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood. Burke commenced a year long residency in the show, making her debut on 30 July 2016 at the Curve Theatre Leicester. Alexandra's final performance in the critically acclaimed production took place on 27 August 2017 at Wintergardens, Blackpool. On 21 August 2017, Burke was announced as a contestant for the fifteenth series of '' Strictly Come Dancing''. She was partnered with professional dancer
Gorka Márquez Gorka Márquez (; born 4 September 1990) is a Spanish professional dancer, best known for appearing on the British dance show ''Strictly Come Dancing''. Early life Márquez began dancing at the age of 12, and in 2010 he represented Spain at the ...
. and made it to the final, in which she was beaten by Joe McFadden.


2018–present: ''The Truth Is'', return to musical theatre and pantomime debut

On 22 December 2017, it was announced that Burke had signed with
Universal Music Group Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
's Decca Records for her third record, ''
The Truth Is The Truth Is... may refer to: * ''The Truth Is...'' (Failsafe album), 2008 * ''The Truth Is...'' (Theory of a Deadman album), 2011 * ''The Truth Is'' (Alexandra Burke album), 2018 * ''The Truth Is'' (TV program), an Australian current affairs t ...
'', which was released on 16 March 2018. The album's lead single, "Shadow", was released on 23 February 2018. Burke then announced her first full UK and Ireland tour in seven years; encompassing 13 venues, would commence in Southend on 1 September 2018, but this was cancelled in June. In February 2018, it was formally announced that Burke would be returning to musical theatre, starring in the first West End revival production of ''
Chess Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to dist ...
'' since 1986. Burke played Svetlana, in a role made famous by
Barbara Dickson Barbara Ruth Dickson (born 27 September 1947) is a Scottish singer and actress whose hits include 'I Know Him So Well', 'Answer Me' and ' January February'. Dickson has placed fifteen albums on the UK Albums Chart from 1977 to date, and had a ...
in the 1980s. The production ran for five weeks at London's
Coliseum Theatre The London Coliseum (also known as the Coliseum Theatre) is a theatre in St Martin's Lane, Westminster, built as one of London's largest and most luxurious "family" variety theatres. Opened on 24 December 1904 as the London Coliseum Theatre ...
, and saw Burke playing opposite theatre icon
Michael Ball Michael Ashley Ball (born 27 June 1962) is an English singer, presenter and actor. He made his West End debut in 1985 playing Marius Pontmercy in the original London production of ''Les Misérables'', and went on to star in 1987 as Raoul in ...
. The opening night was on 26 April 2018. In July 2018, it was announced Burke would guest star as Roxie Hart in the London West End production of ''
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
'' for an eight-week run. In 2019, Burke reprised her role as Rachel Marron in a worldwide touring production of ''The Bodyguard'' which finished in late 2019. From 12 July 2021, Burke will play the Narrator in the West End revival of '' Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'' at the
London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in the famous area of Soho. The theatre holds 2,286 seats. Of the roster of stars who have played there, many have televised performances. Between 1955 a ...
opposite Jason Donovan as Pharaoh and Jac Yarrow as Joseph until 5 September 2021. It was announced Burke was due to star as Julianne Potter in ''My Best Friend's Wedding The Musical'' based on the 1997 film beginning September 2021 on a UK and Ireland tour (originally September 2020 but postponed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
). It was announced this was cancelled due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2021, it was announced that Burke will star in a movie with her character inspired from Tina Turner. In October 2021, Burke shared a snippet of new music on social media, with the words "new music?" along with a pair of suspicious emojis. In February 2022, Burke revealed she was pregnant with her first child. In late-April 2022, it was revealed Burke would be playing the role of Mrs Blunderbore in the latest London Palladium pantomime, ''Jack and the Beanstalk'', from 10 December 2022 to 15 January 2023.


Artistry


Music and voice

Burke's music is contemporary R&B, and also features Soul music, soul and Pop music, pop in certain songs. Burke's vocal range has been compared to those of
Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...
, Lady Gaga,
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed " The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston i ...
and Beyoncé. Since winning ''The X Factor'', signing a record deal with
Syco Music Syco Music is a defunct division of Syco Entertainment founded by British entrepreneur and record executive Simon Cowell. Originally founded as S Records, the label launched while Cowell was still employed by BMG, the label oversaw music relea ...
and recording her debut album '' Overcome'', Burke has been heavily involved in creating the music she records and releases. She said about being involved with the album's music: "I said to my manager I want my music to be fun, to be uplifting and to be bold. I want it to reflect my personality. I want it to be in your face, I want it to be a beast. I want it to be energetic and fun. When I record the ballads I want to cry. And if I go through a roller coaster recording this album then I want the listener to go through a roller coaster when they hear it." During her first studio album, the genre ranged from heavy R&B songs to dance-pop tracks, after she collaborated with dance production team RedOne, as well as working with Stargate (production team), Stargate and
Ne-Yo Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, and record producer. He gained fame for his songwriting abilities when he penned Mario's 2004 hit " Let Me Love You ...
. Burke labelled her first album as "very Americanised". " The Silence", Burke's sixth single from ''Overcome'' was an emotional R&B Ballad (music), ballad inspired by her aunt's relationship with her boyfriend. She said: "My auntie was going through that situation and she came over to Los Angeles to spend some time with me and get away from her fella, etc. And she was telling me about her situation and [...] why does he let the silence do the talking? Why doesn't he let you know how he feels? And then this song came about". Burke said that her voice will give the tracks soul, but the music is pop and R&B. Although Burke did not have any writing credits on her first album, during the production of her second studio album, ''
Heartbreak on Hold ''Heartbreak on Hold'' is the second studio album by British recording artist Alexandra Burke. It was released digitally on 1 June 2012 through Syco and RCA Records, and a physical version was issued three days later. The album marks her final ...
'' she went to writing camp with many Americans. Burke has received co-writing credits on a number of songs on her second album. She said that she was going to get "down and dirty", "sexier", and a lot "fiercer". Burke also announced she wanted to take more risks on the second LP and that she was going to go "insane" on ''Heartbreak on Hold''. On her second album, Burke's album features 2000s in electropop music, electropop, R&B and electro house. She was the executive producer on her second album and said that "what [she says, goes]" but that she still takes advice from her management.


Influences

Burke's known influences in music include Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin,
Kelly Rowland Kelendria Trene Rowland (born February 11, 1981) is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. During the gr ...
, and
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed " The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston i ...
. Burke has also listed Alicia Keys, John Legend and
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the " Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and " Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Award ...
as an inspiration in music. Burke performed with Beyoncé during the final of The X Factor (UK series 5), series 5 of ''
The X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
''. Burke introduced Beyoncé by saying: Beyoncé later described Burke as a "superstar" and a "beautiful young lady" with a "beautiful voice", as well as saying that was proud to have sung with Burke. Burke later said that performing with Beyoncé made her "dreams come true". Beyoncé later announced her tour, ''I Am... World Tour'' and said that she hoped to see Burke again. Beyoncé later invited Burke to perform on her tour in May 2009, which Burke did.
Simon Cowell Simon Phillip Cowell (; born 7 October 1959) is an English television personality, entrepreneur and record executive. He is the creator of '' The X Factor'' and ''Got Talent'' franchises which have been sold around the world. He has judged on ...
called the duet "one of the most memorable moments in the history of ''The X Factor''. Burke later said her ''
All Night Long Tour The All Night Long Tour is the debut concert tour by British pop/ R&B singer Alexandra Burke. It is Burke's first concert tour which is to promote her debut studio album '' Overcome''. The tour is set to kick off in Wales on 14 January 2011 an ...
'' was influenced and inspired by Beyoncé and Michael Jackson. After Beyoncé visited Burke in the studio, she spoke of possibly recording a duet with her. In February 2011, Burke said that she took inspiration and influence from Robin S., Donna Summer and her mother's band, Soul II Soul on her second LP.
Swizz Beatz Kasseem Daoud Dean (born September 13, 1978), known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, rapper, disc jockey (DJ) and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, Dean embarked on his musical career as a DJ. At the ag ...
is a known fan of Burke's music. He invited Burke to perform on the track Show Off for his second studio album, ''
Haute Living ''Haute Living'' is a luxury lifestyle magazine founded in 2004. It is based in Miami, Florida, and as of 2015 is chaired by Robert Farmer. The executive publishers of the magazine are Kamal Hotchandani, CEO, and Seth Semilof, COO. The magazine ...
''.


Other ventures


Fashion lines

In 2010, it was reported that Burke and JLS who came second to Burke during ''The X Factor'' were in talks to release a clothing line together. JLS and Burke said that they have wanted to release a clothing line since before they were famous. The pair have been using ideas and inspiration which they have collected together over the years. It was later reported that the company would be called ''2KX'' and the company would sell a range of men and women's clothing which could be worn casually during the day or for a dressed up night out. With the clothing range being sold exclusively at USC (shop), branches of USC around the United Kingdom and Ireland. ''2KX'' was released in Spring 2011 during a heat wave in the United Kingdom which raised sales of the company. In order to promote the company, both artists began wearing the clothing at gigs performances, music videos as well as Facebook page opening for the company, an official website launch and YouTube adds. JLS wore the clothes in their music video for "Love You More (JLS song), Love You More". Burke later signed a modelling contract with IMG Models. Burke and JLS took part in a photoshoot wearing the clothing to promote the range. In one of the images the group poses in underwear. Another image shows them in clothing ranges which would be included in the Spring Collection. The company will accommodate for men and women, with JLS designing for the men and Burke designing for the women. The company will reflect their personal styles and their love for fashion. It was reported that the Underwear Collection would launch in March 2011, and their Clothing Collection would be released the following month. The underwear which went on sale in March 2011, price ranged between Pound sterling, £15 – £19 Burke said that they wanted the clothes to retail at a "reasonable price" that people would be able to afford. Burke was praised for her dresses and for bringing her own style to the fashion line. Burke and JLS decided to release a t-shirt from the company almost five months before the company was due to launch, in order to raise money for The Capital FM Network, Capital FM's ''Help a Capital Child'' charity campaign. The aim was to raise £10,000 for charity by 1 January 2011. The t-shirts were priced at £15 with £1.50 from each sold T-shirt going to the charity. The company did reach their funding target. The company name, ''2KX'', refers to "2010", the year in which Burke and JLS founded the company and launched the label officially. 2K is the abbreviation for the year "2000" and "X" is the Roman numerals, Roman numeral for 10. The company is based London.


Reality television

Burke first appeared on reality television in 2001, when she took part in the second series of ''Star for a Night (British TV series), Star for a Night''. She became the runner-up of the series, behind Joss Stone. She went on to audition for the The X Factor (UK series 2), second series of ''
The X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
'' in 2005, where she made it to judges houses before her mentor
Louis Walsh Michael Louis Vincent Walsh (born 5 August 1952) is an Irish music manager and television personality. He has managed Johnny Logan, Boyzone, Jedward and Westlife, four of Ireland's most successful pop acts in the 1990s and 2000s. He later be ...
decided she was too young to continue in the competition. She returned to ''The X Factor'' for its The X Factor (UK series 5), fifth series in 2008, where she went on to win the competition with 58% of the public vote. In 2010, she was a guest judge on the So You Think You Can Dance (UK TV series), British version of ''So You Think You Can Dance'', during the auditions and choreography camp stages. She also appeared as a guest judge during the fourth week of the The X Factor (UK series 8), eighth series of ''The X Factor''. Burke was one of the last ever celebrity contestants to appear on ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (UK game show), Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'' before the show ended in February 2014. She is also a Manchester United fan, having appeared on MUTV (Manchester United F.C.), MUTV. In August 2017, Burke was announced as a contestant on the fifteenth series of '' Strictly Come Dancing''. She was partnered with professional dancer
Gorka Márquez Gorka Márquez (; born 4 September 1990) is a Spanish professional dancer, best known for appearing on the British dance show ''Strictly Come Dancing''. Early life Márquez began dancing at the age of 12, and in 2010 he represented Spain at the ...
. On 16 December, Burke and Márquez reached the finals of the competition, and finished in joint second place.


Philanthropy

From a young age Burke has supported a number of charities around the United Kingdom. Before Burke auditioned for ''The X Factor'' and attained a successful music career, she went on tour with Young Voices. Burke performed in large venues such as the Royal Albert Hall before she became famous. Burke went on tour with her mother's band, Soul II Soul where Burke sang to raise money for charity. Burke's mother, Melissa Bell, said that herself and Burke only do professional gigs together for charity. In 2008, while Burke was a contestant on ''The X Factor'' she and her fellow ''List of The X Factor finalists (UK series 5), series five contestants'' released a cover of Mariah Carey's "Hero (Mariah Carey song and The X Factor Finalist 2008), Hero" for the Help for Heroes and The Royal British Legion charities. The release was backed by, and originally suggested by, ''The Sun (United Kingdom), The Sun'' newspaper. On 30 October 2008 it was announced that British Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling would waive all tax on copies sold on the single. He said:
Simon Cowell Simon Phillip Cowell (; born 7 October 1959) is an English television personality, entrepreneur and record executive. He is the creator of '' The X Factor'' and ''Got Talent'' franchises which have been sold around the world. He has judged on ...
ordered the song to have a big promotional push to get it to the top of the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, and the contestants performed the song live on ''The X Factor'' and again with Carey herself. On 2 November 2008 it debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart, staying there for three consecutive weeks and becoming the fastest selling single of 2008. The song sold 100,000 copies in the first day of its release and 313,244 copies by the end of the week. It sold over 770,000 copies and raised over one million pounds for Help For Heroes foundation. Many shops had to order additional copies of the single due to high demand." It was listed as the Best selling singles in UK, second biggest single of 2008 and the nineteenth best selling single of the decade. The single sold 1.2 million copies within the UK getting certificated double platinum. Following the 2010 Haiti earthquake, many celebrities, including Burke, wanted to help the suffering people of the country. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown asked
Simon Cowell Simon Phillip Cowell (; born 7 October 1959) is an English television personality, entrepreneur and record executive. He is the creator of '' The X Factor'' and ''Got Talent'' franchises which have been sold around the world. He has judged on ...
to arrange a charity record, charity single as a way of raising money for the earthquake relief effort. It was confirmed that Cowell had asked Burke to sing on the charity single due to her vocal abilities and fanbase. It was revealed that the song would be a cover of R.E.M's "Everybody Hurts (Helping Haiti song), Everybody Hurts", which Cowell choose the song himself as he thought the song's title was most relevant. Brown agreed to waive Value added tax, VAT on the single and R.E.M. agreed to waive all royalties. The celebrities would form a Super-group (music), Super group and release the song under the name of "Helping Haiti". Proceeds from the single were split between ''The Sun (United Kingdom), The Sun'' Helping Haiti fund and the Disasters Emergency Committee. The single was released both physically and digitally on 7 February 2010, with the physical release being brought forward by one day due to demand. The single became the fastest-selling charity record of the 21st century in Britain, 205,000 copies in its first two days in the United Kingdom, and 453,000 in its first week. Burke spoke about the charity single saying: "I hope the single raises lots of money. It's great that we can come together and do this. It's a very special song." Soon after the single was released, Burke announced that she would, in fact, travel to Haiti so she can physically help the Haitian people. Burke visited and helped in the week beginning 8 February 2010, and posted two video blogs about her visit on YouTube. She later returned six months later to check the progress of the country after being a huge part in the ''Save the Children'' charity campaign. Burke was confirmed to join various female celebrities to join the Peru Inca Trail Hike for Breast Cancer Care, along with Fearne Cotton, Denise Van Outen, and Holly Willoughby. In January 2011, Burke helped to launch Save the Children UK's No Child Born To Die campaign. The campaign aims to reduce child mortality over the next five years. In October 2012, Burke performed at actor Samuel L. Jackson's launch of the charity Shooting Stars in London. Later that same month, Burke performed for the Great Ormond Street Hospital's Friendship Ball which was held in England. Also in the same month, Burke performed for "Breast Cancer Care" and was announced as the charities most recent celebrity supporter. Burke took part in the 2013 campaign for the charity with a new photoshoot in October 2013. In November 2012, Burke performed at the Royal Concert for Remembrance Day with Russell Watson. In February 2013, Burke appeared on ''From The Heart'' on ITV. The television show was created to promote organ donation. Burke performed live with Jools Holland. Also in October 2013, Burke took part in a campaign for PETA in order to tackle the fur trade. She posed naked for the campaign with the slogan "I'd rather go naked than wear fur".


Endorsements

Burke first signed a merchandise contract when she agreed to become the face of company,
Dolce & Gabbana Dolce & Gabbana (), also known by initials D&G, is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1985 in Legnano by Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. The house specializes in ready-to-wear, handbags, accessories, and cosmet ...
in the United Kingdom and Ireland. After the end of
Girls Aloud Girls Aloud were an pop girl group that was created through the ITV talent show '' Popstars: The Rivals'' in 2002. The group comprised singers Cheryl, Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. The group achieved a str ...
's contract as ambassadors for Nintendo DS, it was announced that Burke would become the new ambassador for the company; she was replaced by JLS when her contract finished. Then again, Burke recorded a television advertisement which featured Burke's music, " Bad Boys", " All Night Long", and " Start Without You", on this advert, it showed Burke performing in front of an audience and then finishing the performance and using deodorant, '' Sure Women'' in order to promote the product. Burke was also the first ever ambassador for the product. In March 2012, Burke launched her own lipgloss range, "Lip Boom", in partnership with MUA Cosmetics. In 2013, Burke was revealed as the face of Mune Energy Drinks to coincide with the release of her EP. In September 2013, Burke was revealed as the face of Funkin Cocktails. In October 2013, Alexandra Burke recorded a cover of Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" for The Happy Egg Company in the United Kingdom. In April 2016, Burke was announced as the ambassador for Slimfast. This endorsement was ongoing in 2019.


Personal life

In 2015, at the age of 27, Alexandra Burke appeared on ''Channel 4's Celebrity First Dates''; her date was a professional model named Louis. On camera they both agreed to a second date but as the credits rolled the viewers were informed Burke had met someone else. In January 2018 she became engaged to stage manager Josh Ginnelly, Joshua Ginnelly. In July 2019, three weeks after separating from her fiancé, Burke was photographed with new boyfriend Rotherham United F.C., Rotherham United Defender (association football), defender Angus MacDonald (footballer), Angus Macdonald during their date at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. By August 2019, Macdonald had been diagnosed with bowel cancer, an illness he later recovered from. The couple announced their separation on 21 October 2020. In June 2020, Burke spoke about the racism she had encountered in the music industry. She said that industry figures had previously asked her to bleach her skin, not have braided hair and tailor her music to a white audience. Burke is in a relationship with footballer Darren Randolph. On 14 February 2022, Burke announced that they were expecting a baby, who was born in June 2022, appearing on itv's Loose Women, on 10 October she personally confirmed the June birth.


Stage


Discography

* '' Overcome'' (2009) * ''
Heartbreak on Hold ''Heartbreak on Hold'' is the second studio album by British recording artist Alexandra Burke. It was released digitally on 1 June 2012 through Syco and RCA Records, and a physical version was issued three days later. The album marks her final ...
'' (2012) * ''
The Truth Is The Truth Is... may refer to: * ''The Truth Is...'' (Failsafe album), 2008 * ''The Truth Is...'' (Theory of a Deadman album), 2011 * ''The Truth Is'' (Alexandra Burke album), 2018 * ''The Truth Is'' (TV program), an Australian current affairs t ...
'' (2018)


Filmography


Television


Tours

* The X Factor (UK), ''The X Factor'' Live Tour (2009) *
All Night Long Tour The All Night Long Tour is the debut concert tour by British pop/ R&B singer Alexandra Burke. It is Burke's first concert tour which is to promote her debut studio album '' Overcome''. The tour is set to kick off in Wales on 14 January 2011 an ...
(2011) * Lady Sings the Blues (2013) * Alexandra Burke at Jazz Café (2015) * The Truth Is Tour (2018)


Awards and nominations

, - , rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;", 2009 , "Hallelujah" , , BRIT Award for Best British Single , , - , Alexandra Burke , MOBO Awards, MOBO Award for Best UK Newcomer , , - , rowspan=14 style="text-align:center;", 2010 , "Bad Boys" , BRIT Awards, BRIT Award for Best British Single , , - , Alexandra Burke , Glamour (magazine), Glamour Women of the Year Awards for Best Newcomer , , - , ''Overcome'' , Urban Music Awards, Urban Music Award for Best Album 2010 , , - , rowspan=2, "All Night Long" , Urban Music Awards, Urban Music Award for Best Collaboration (with
Pitbull Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...
) , , - , Urban Music Awards, Urban Music Award for Best Music Video , , - , Alexandra Burke , BT Digital Music Awards for Best Female Artist , , - , rowspan=3, "Bad Boys" , BT Digital Music Awards for Best Song , , - , BT Digital Music Awards for Best Video , , - , The 2010 Popjustice £20 Music Prize , , - , rowspan=5, Alexandra Burke , MOBO Awards, MOBO Award for Best UK Act , , - , Cosmopolitan (magazine), Cosmopolitan for Ultimate UK Music Star , , - , MTV Europe Music Award for Best Push Act , , - , XS AWARDS for Best British Star , , - , WSC Gala Awards 2010 for Best Female Artist , , - , style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2, 2011 , "All Night Long" , BRIT Awards, BRIT Award for Best British Single , , - , Alexandra Burke , Glamour (magazine), Glamour Women of the Year Awards for Best UK Musician/Solo ArtistGlamour Women of the Year Awards 2011
. Glamourmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 29 September 2011. , , - , style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2, 2014 , Alexandra Burke , West End Frame Awards 2014 for Best West End Debut , , -


References


External links

*
Alexandra Burke Industry Live Music
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burke, Alexandra 1988 births Living people 21st-century Black British women singers English dance musicians English people of Jamaican descent British contemporary R&B singers Singers from London People from Islington (district) The X Factor winners The X Factor (British TV series) winners English voice actresses English women pop singers English soul singers