She captivated the hearts of the British public with her hauntingly beautiful voice, smashed sales records within 24 hours of releasing her first single and has been nominated for her first Brit award. She is the current European record holder for the fastest single over a period of twenty-four hours and has the best selling hit by a female artist in UK history.
No other artist in history can claim to have achieved such undisputable success in such a short space of time, but this is Alexandra Burke – Winner of X Factor 2008. The girl who never gives up and who lives for her dream to sing. The girl who was turned away from X Factor in 2005 and came back fighting in 2008 – to win in an undisputed blaze of glory.
Despite being born into a musical family, Alexandra, had never been professionally trained before entering the X Factor but she certainly had the gift of natural talent and experience having grown up in a musical household with her mother Melissa Burke being from the 80’s band, Soul 11 Soul. She started singing around the house when she was 5 years old and by the age of 9, Alex had her first singing experience on stage and from that moment knew music would be her life.
Alexandra first hit our screens in 2005 when she auditioned for the X-Factor and was one stage away from the Live shows when Louis Walsh decided to send her home fearing she was too young. Most would have taken the rejection badly and given up, Alexandra didn't. She used the experience as a tool. She continued to craft her vocal talent and write her own music, sing at small gigs raising money for the charity Children with Leukemia.
When Alexandra returned to the X Factor for the second time, she gripped the nation with a mature soulful voice and passion for singing. Her triumphant comeback touched the audience and judges and she shot straight through to the show’s live finals. Week by week she grew and amazed the crowds with sensational performances and powerful voice. The show’s finale wowed audiences and viewing figures peaked at 15 million when Alexandra performed a stunning duet with superstar Beyonce, an historic TV moment. Alexandra Burke was that night crowned winner of the biggest reality TV final in history and started on her way to massive global stardom.
Since her debut single "Hallelujah", became the biggest hit of 2008 and the 20-year-old, London born Alexandra has seen her single achieve unparalleled success on the European stage and she is well on her way to becoming a music phenomenon and international artist. The Christmas number one spot was destined for Alexandra's enriching, powerful version of Hallelujah and it continued to hold the coveted position for 3 weeks and sold over a million copies.
The last two months have been a whirlwind of excitement for the singer. Not only has she sung in front of British Royalty at The Sun's Millie Awards, she has also alongside Elton John at his New Year's Eve Concert at the O2 Arena in London and received astounding praise from legends such as Beyonce and Maria Carey.
2009 promises to be an exhilarating year for the X-Factor winner. She has been nominated for Best British Single in the 2009 Brit Awards. She will be embarking on the Live X-Factor tour in February and working with internationally renound writers and producers in preparation for launching her debut album in November 2009.
Her awe inspiring talent and all encompassing passion for music and the creative process is what sets Alexandra apart from her peers. Her enthusiasm and genuine love for music coupled with a young fresh approach continues to wow her fans. She has come a long way in a very short period of time. No one could have ever predicted the scale of her success. She is set to firmly establish herself as a modern international pop icon.
View my: Photos | Videos
Online Now!