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Alexandra Burke has opened up about how she dealt with the intense pressure she faced after winning The X Factor back in 2008 and being catapulted to fame
Alexandra Burke credits her mum for being the driving force behind her success after bagging the Christmas Number One in 2008.
The songstress catapulted to fame after winning The X Factor in the same year, having been mentored by Cheryl Tweedy. Throughout her time on the ITV competition, Alexandra became a firm favourite amongst fans. She fronted the lead vocals for the charity single for the show, a cover of Mariah Carey’s Hero, alongside the likes of JLS.
However, things changed for the 36-year-old singer when she duetted with her idol, Beyoncé during the live final. Despite Burke’s nerves, Beyoncé, known for hits such as Partition and Crazy In Love offered the contestant some advice. Burke previously revealed that the Grammy Award-winning mega star told her she wouldn’t be performing with a loser, spurring Alexandra on to succed.
With her debut single, Hallelujah, Alexandra topped the Christmas charts and instantly cemented herself as one of the hottest names in music. This was followed by singles such as Bad Boys, as well as a £3.5million record deal with Epic Records in the United States. But how did she navigate such instant successa and fame? Alexandra spoke exclusively to the Mirror and revealed her late mother, the late R&B singer, Melissa Bell who was the driving force behind her. “The truth is, I’m very lucky. I had my mum. I had that woman in my ear guiding me the whole way through X Factor, telling me what’s going to happen, ‘We’ve got to get thick skin, this is going to happen.’ Everything she said was going to happen, happened.
“I’d prepared mentally. Not everyone has Melissa Bell on their side to be able to help them. So I was very lucky to have a mum already in the business that knew certain things and to prepare myself mentally. I won the show, and the next thing you know, my career just was like, ‘Whoa’.”
Alexandra found herself performing across the globe and travelling to destinations she could have only dreamed of. But while she had “so much going on”, there are no particular moments which stand out wishing she could change what she said, or things she had done. “I really enjoyed my 20s,” she gushed. She went on to add: “I really enjoyed what X Factor gave me from winning, I enjoyed the universe game, I’ve had such a lovely career and there’s so much more I want for my career.”
Since finding fame, Alexandra has topped the charts, appeared on the likes of Strictly Come Dancing, returned to X Factor as a guest judge, stepping in for Kelly Rowland and has performed on the West End. So how could there still be more Alexandra wants to conquer?
“It’s been 16 years but I still want to keep going, so much more to achieve and it’s important to remember as artists, actresses or whatever we are, the little person inside of you that was screaming for that moment in life to have a career, don’t forget that passion, I still have that passion.” She added: “The moment I don’t have that passion is the day that I’ll retire,” she says, while I tell her that the day better now come.
But with programmes like The Voice and Britain’s Got Talent still in demand and with her experience as both a contestant and judge on The X Factor, is this something she would consider for a full time role? “It’s lovely to be able to help others,” she says with a huge smile on her face. “I think it’s super important for people in my position to give back to others and that’s why I do the foundation to help guide others.” Alexandra grew up in the music industry, often following her mother around. “What I’ve achieved at such a young age, it’s all about helping the next generation,” she exclaimed while flashing her smile.
Following the death of her mother, Alexandra launched the Melissa Bell Foundation, allowing children from under privileged backgrounds to attend the prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School through a scholarship each summer. “Not many people know about my mum’s foundation, but I do that, I try my best to raise money for it,” she said. This is a cause close to Alexandra’s heart as she continues to help individuals with passion and talent make the most from life.
Despite her groundbreaking success, Alexandra’s life almost had a completely different path. Prior to her successful audition for The X Factor aged 19, she had auditioned three years prior and didn’t make it to the live shows. “That’s quite unheard of to achieve that in such a time when the show was so big,” she commented, adding that she often had to “pinch” herself.
In true Alexandra style, she continues to push boundaries and admits that she still strives to achieve more – despite her six Top Ten hits. In a reflective mood, she explained: “I’ve achieved great things in my career, my life, but I kind of then just let it go and I go, ‘Okay, what am I going to do next?’ I don’t sit there and dwell on it. It’s not who I am.”
However, Alexandra admits she finds it “overwhelming” when fans tell her she’s their inspiration. “I don’t see myself as that, I just see myself as the girl from Islington that loves to sing, dance and act. I would do anything to keep going in that creative space. I just feel really lucky and privileged and if I’m inspiring people, that’s amazing too,” she shyly said. While Alexandra acknowledges her success, she tells me she is “lucky” to be a voice for other people and vows to “use that voice for good.”
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