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About Alexandra BurkeBurke is one of six siblings and was born in
Islington, where she
grew up. She completed
school and left after
her GCSEs to pursue her
interest in singing and
music.
Although Burke had had
no professional vocal
training until The X
Factor, her passion for
singing was evident at
the early age of five.
The X Factor was not
Burke’s first
competition, having
entered another TV
talent show Star For A
Night, when she was just
12!
In 2005 Burke had
auditioned for the
second series of The X
Factor, which was won by
Shayne Ward that year.
At that time she was
only 16. Louis Walsh did
not select her in his
final four as he ‘felt
she was too young for
the competition’.
In the 2008 series,
which she finally won,
Burke rose to fame
steadily over the weeks
of the series.
Alexandra’s debut single
as an independent
artist, Hallelujah, was
first sung on the show
in the grand final
episode. The final three
acts during this series
were Irish teenage
singer Eoghan Quigg, boy
band JLS, who also rose
to fame following the X
Factor, and finally,
winner Alexandra Burke.
It was revealed that
Burke had won the show
with 58% of the final
vote, with over eight
million votes in total.
The single Hallelujah
went on to break the
European records,
becoming the first
single to sell over
105,000 digital
downloads in only one
day! The song sold over
576,000 copies just in
the first week of
release and became the
Christmas number one in
the UK, and the biggest
selling single of the
year.
Overcome, Burke’s debut
album, released in
October 2009 to mainly
positive reviews. The
first official single
form the album, Bad
Boys, was released in
early October 2009,
preceding the album, and
premiered on the Chris
Moyle’s Show in August.
It was a number one
single in the UK as well
as Ireland. The song
features well known
rapper Flo Rida.
Burke has recently
signed a six figure
contract with the
Italian hi fashion label
Dolce & Gabbana and is
slated to endorse a new
fashion line by the
brand. Their products
will also be featured in
her upcoming music
videos.
She was nominated for
the Best UK Newcomer
category for the 2009
MOBO Awards. Burke has
been perceived by most
critics as a promising
new artist with many
more good things to come
yet, and her commercial
success speaks an oh so
similar story!
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