Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke (born 25 August 1988)[1] is a British singer, songwriter and actress. She won the fifth series of the British television series The X Factor in 2008, and has been signed to Epic Records, RCA Records and Syco Music.
After winning The X Factor, Burke released the winner's single "Hallelujah", which became the European record holder for the most singles sold over a period of 24 hours, selling 105,000 in one day,[2] 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.[3] In 2009, Burke released her debut album, Overcome, which debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and spawned four number-one singles on the UK Singles Chart 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 nominations. The album saw the release of UK top 10 hit, "Broken Heels" and "The Silence".[4] "Elephant" was released as Burke's comeback single in February 2012, and "Let It Go" served as the second single and Burke's second album, Heartbreak on Hold, was released in June 2012.[5][non-primary source needed]
In June 2014, Burke replaced Beverley Knight in the lead role of Rachel Marron in the West End musical The Bodyguard, at the Adelphi Theatre,[6] touring with the production in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019.[7] In 2016, Burke commenced a 12-month residency in Sister Act The Musical, leading the cast as Deloris Van Cartier.[8] In 2017, she took part in the BBC show Strictly Come Dancing. That same year, Burke signed a record deal with Universal Music Group's Decca Records. Her third album, The Truth Is, was released in March 2018.
Life and career
Early life and career beginnings
Alexandra Burke was born in Islington, London on 25 August 1988, daughter of David Burke (born 1954) and British soul singer Melissa Bell (1964-2017).[9]
Burke shares the middle names Cecelia Ewen with her mother and her sister, Sheneice.[10] 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.[11] Burke's parents separated in 1992, while she was still young, but the pair continued to co-parent their children.[11]
2005–2008: The X Factor
Burke auditioned for the second series of The X Factor in 2005 (which was eventually won by Shayne Ward). She made it through to the final seven in Louis Walsh'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's Cheryl 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's classic "I Wanna Dance with Somebody". For the second live show she covered "I'll Be There" by The Jackson 5. In week three, big band week, Burke performed Christina Aguilera'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 masterclasses, 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's "Relight My Fire" (the popularity of which in the UK is mostly a result of Take That's 1993 revival thereof). The quarter-final saw her replace Diana Vickers as the bookies' favourite after performing Britney Spears' "Toxic" and Beyoncé' "Listen", 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 hit "Un-Break My Heart".[citation needed]
Burke was joined in the grand final by Northern Irish teenager Eoghan Quigg and boyband JLS. 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". She then sang "Listen" as a duet with Beyoncé (who later performed her UK number-one single "If I Were a Boy"), 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".[citation needed] After the elimination of Quigg, Burke sang what was to become her debut single, a cover of a 1984 song by Leonard Cohen, Hallelujah, 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.[12] 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 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.[13] The campaign was fuelled by Jeff Buckley fans' dislike of The X Factor's commercialism and the song's arrangement,[14][15] as well as a desire by this contingent to introduce younger music fans to Buckley's version.[16] Burke herself was not enamoured of the choice of song, and dismissed the original by remarking "It just didn't do anything for me".[15] As winner, Burke received a recording contract with record label Syco, which is co-owned by Sony Music 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.[17]
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.[18] Burke's first album was originally scheduled for March 2009, however, Simon Cowell 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.[19] 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 on BBC Radio 1 on 25 August 2009.[20] On 18 October 2009, Bad Boys topped the UK Singles Chart.[21] After visiting Burke in the studio, Beyoncé spoke of possibly recording a duet with her[22] and also asked Burke to join her for the second European leg of her I Am... World Tour.[23] Bad Boys was certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry on 7 January 2010.[citation needed]
On 19 July 2009, Burke confirmed that she had signed a six-figure contract with Italian fashion designers Dolce & Gabbana, 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 on 7 December 2009.[24]
Burke confirmed on 17 November 2009 that "Broken Heels" would be the second commercial and third overall single from Overcome.[25] She also confirmed via her official Twitter page that the video was shot in Los Angeles on 22 and 23 November 2009.[26] On 18 January 2010, Burke began her European Promo Tour in Brussels, Belgium.[27] On 12 March 2010, Burke confirmed on Twitter that "All Night Long" would be her new single, featuring Pitbull. She appeared on Dancing on Ice during the semi-final to perform All Night Long.[28] 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.[29] Burke's next single was a completely new song, "Start Without You", which was released on 5 September 2010.[30] The video for "Start Without You" debuted on 19 August through VEVO on later premiered on The BOX.[31] 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.[32] 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.[33] 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. A new track on the album was said to be a duet with "an amazing group", the group was later announced as Cobra Starship.[34] 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.[35] The official music video for "The Silence" was released on 27 October 2010, via MSN Videos UK.[36] It was confirmed that there would be no further singles from the album after "The Silence".[37]
2010–2012: New record deal and Heartbreak on Hold
It's got to be sexy. So I'm going to get a lot fiercer and sexier. We're just getting down and dirty with the next album. I'm going to take a lot more risks and it's going to be insane." She also hinted at any collaborations on the LP, "I can't say too much because my management will kill me if I let loose. But I have a special duet planned. I have the ideas, the collaborations in my mind – it's all locked up in my head.
—Alexandra Burke[37]
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 and said she would continue recording two days after the tour ends.[37] She worked with RedOne for a lot of the album, but also reunited with Bruno Mars, StarGate, Rico Love, Autumn Rowe and Ne-Yo, among others.[37] 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".[38] Burke featured on Swizz Beatz new album, Haute Living on the track "Show Off".[39] In June it was reported that Burke had signed a record deal with RCA Records and the album will be jointly handled by the Syco and RCA Records.[40] The album will be released in the United States after she signed a £3 million record deal with Epic Records.[41] 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.[42] 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 flew in to work with her.[43] 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 Gary Barlow, Louis Walsh and Tulisa Contostavlos on the judging panel as an extra judge during the fourth week of the live shows of series 8 when Kelly Rowland had a throat infection.[citation needed] Burke's lead single from the album titled "Elephant", which is produced by Erick Morillo,[44] was released on 11 March 2012. It debuted and peaked at number-three on the UK Singles Chart.[45] The second single from the album, "Let it Go", premièred on Kiss Radio on 13 April 2012.[46][non-primary source needed] She announced in mid-April 2012 that her second studio album's title would be Heartbreak on Hold which was released on 4 June 2012.[5][47] On 18 April 2012, she was confirmed for T4 on the Beach 2012.[48][49] In February 2012, it was reported that Burke had left the Syco label to join RCA Records.[50][51] In June 2012, Burke parted company with her management company.[52]
2012–2014: Renegade, U.S. launch and other projects
In September 2012, it was revealed that Burke would take part in Les Misérables for Children in Need. Burke later announced that she was working on an album for a US release.[53] 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 .[54] Burke said she wanted to go back to her original sound which was featured on her debut album, Overcome.[55] She told fans to expect "R&B bangers" on her third album.[55] Simon Cowell asked Burke to record a version of "Live and Let Die" in order to use throughout the live shows of The X Factor USA, when the judges are announced and walk out.[citation needed] In December 2012, Burke released her first holiday extended play, Christmas Gift, which consisted a cover of "Silent Night" and a new track titled "Christmas Time".[56]
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."[57] On 13 February, she explained that her third album would focus on live instruments and would channel Soul music.[58][59] On the same day, she revealed that she was taking acting classes and had hopes to pursue a career in films, musicals, theater.[59] 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.[60] The concerts sold out in under a week.[61] In May 2013, it was reported that Burke signed a deal with a US management company after impressing former Def Jam president Kevin Liles during a meeting with him in New York.[62] In June 2013, Burke parted ways with her record label, RCA, over "differing views" between herself and the label regarding her third studio album.[63]
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, Patti LaBelle, and Jennifer Holliday.[64] On 30 August, Burke released her second EP, #NewRules. The EP contains 5 tracks, including a cover of Coldplay's "Fix You". 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.[65] She previewed two new songs on her Facebook page on Christmas.[65]
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."[66]
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, taking over the lead role from Beverley Knight.[67] Based on the 1992 movie of the same name and made famous by Whitney Houston, 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.[68] 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.[69] Two years later Alexandra was again invited to audition for the role and was subsequently offered the part.[69]
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.[70] Later in the year Burke was nominated for 'Best West End Debut' at the West End Frame Awards 2014.[71]
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.[72] 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.[72] 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.[73] The production and cast briefly transferred to an international stage in Monaco, 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.[74]
An original cast recording featuring Burke was released in June 2015 to accompany the nationwide tour.[75]
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.[76] On 21 August 2017, Burke was announced as a contestant for the fifteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing.[77] She was partnered with professional dancer Gorka Márquez.[78] and made it to the final, in which she was beaten by Joe McFadden.[79]
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's Decca Records for her third record, The Truth Is, which was released on 16 March 2018. The album's lead single, "Shadow", was released on 23 February 2018.[80][81] 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 since 1986. Burke played Svetlana, in a role made famous by Barbara Dickson in the 1980s. The production ran for five weeks at London's Coliseum Theatre, and saw Burke playing opposite theatre icon Michael Ball. The opening night was on 26 April 2018.[82] In July 2018, it was announced Burke would guest star as Roxie Hart in the London West End production of Chicago 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 opposite Jason Donovan as Pharaoh and Jac Yarrow as Joseph until 5 September 2021.[83]
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). 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.[84]
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.[85]
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.[86]