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Alexandra Burke
Contestant Profile
Birth Date 25 August 1988
Age 35
Hometown Islington, London, England
Occupation Singer

2

Category 16-24s
Mentor Louis Walsh
Placement Judges' Houses

5

Category Girls
Mentor Cheryl Cole
Placement Winner (1/12)
Gallery

Alexandra Imelda Ceclia Ewen Burke (born 25 August 1988) is an English R&B/pop singer. She auditioned for Series 5 of The X Factor UK and made it all the way to the final as part of the Girls category mentored by Cheryl Cole.

Due to the eliminations of Laura White and Diana Vickers, Burke was the only act left in her category. She was crowned the winner defeating JLS from the Groups category mentored by Louis Walsh.

She previously auditioned during Series 2 but was eliminated by mentor Louis Walsh during Judges' Houses.

Performances[]

Episode Theme Song Result
Audition Free choice "Saving All My Love for You" Advanced
Bootcamp 1 "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" Advanced
Bootcamp 2 "Hero" Advanced
Judges' houses Free choice "Listen" Advanced
Week 1 UK or US number-one singles "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" Safe
Week 2 Songs by Michael Jackson "I'll Be There" Safe
Week 3 Big band "Candyman" Safe
Week 4 Disco "On the Radio" Safe
Week 5 Songs by Mariah Carey "Without You" Safe
Week 6 British classics "You Are So Beautiful" Safe
Week 7 Songs by Take That "Relight My Fire" Safe
Week 8 Songs by Britney Spears "Toxic" Safe
American classics "Listen"
Week 9: Semi-final Mentor's choice "Don't Stop the Music" Safe
Contestant's choice "Un-Break My Heart"
Week 10: Final Christmas songs "Silent Night" Winner
Celebrity duets "Listen" (with Beyoncé)
Song of the series "You Are So Beautiful"
Winner's single "Hallelujah"

Post-The X Factor[]

Following her win, her winner's single was released and went on to become the Christmas #1, eventually selling over 1.2 million copies, making her the first-ever British female artist to have a million-selling single in the UK. It remained the most-successful winner's single until it was overtaken by James Arthur's winner's single in 2017. Her debut album Overcome also hit the top spot and spawned a further five singles, including two more UK #1 singles "Bad Boys", featuring American rapper Flo Rida, and "Start Without You".

In June 2012, she released her second studio album Heartbreak On Hold, which veered more towards dance-pop and house music. However, it only scraped into the UK Top 20 at #18 and in June 2013 citing dissatisfaction with Syco Music over differing views for her third album she announced her departure.

She decided to move into musical theater and between 2014 and 2017 appeared in the West End productions of The Bodyguard and Sister Act (with Whoopi Goldberg playing the Mother Superior in the latter for a time).

In August 2017 it was announced that she would appear as a contestant on the fifteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing. She was partnered with Gorka Márquez but was announced as one o the runner-ups. Following this she signed a deal with Decca Records to release her third studio album The Truth. Like its predecessor it failed to make an impact on the UK Charts, peaking at #16. An accompanying UK and Ireland tour, her first in seven years, was scrapped and she soon announced her return to musical theater, playing Roxie Hart in Chicago. In January 2018, it was reported that she had parted ways with Decca Records.

Discography[]

Trivia[]

  • She was born on the same day as Series 3 runner-up Ray Quinn.
  • She is the daughter of Melissa Bell, who was one of the lead singers of British band Soul II Soul from 1993 to 1996.
UK Series 5 Finalists
Alexandra BurkeAustin DrageBad LashesDaniel EvansDiana VickersEoghan QuiggGirlbandJLSLaura WhiteRachel HyltonRuth LorenzoScott Bruton
The X Factor UK Winners
Regular Series
Steve BrooksteinShayne WardLeona LewisLeon JacksonAlexandra BurkeJoe McElderryMatt CardleLittle MixJames ArthurSam BaileyBen HaenowLouisa JohnsonMatt TerryRak-SuDalton Harris
Specials
Lucy BenjaminMegan McKennaReal Like You
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