Alexandra Burke skyrocketed to fame after performing alongside Beyoncé on The X Factor in 2008. The 35-year-old singer recently revealed the details behind the last-minute duet that became a pivotal moment in her career.
Burke, who won the fifth series of the ITV show after her stunning performance with the 42-year-old pop icon, shared in a new interview how she only found out about the duet hours before hitting the stage. “The fact I only found out I was duetting with her less than 24 hours before is a joke – it’s amazing that we even got through it and that she put up with me crying!” she recalled.
Reflecting on the experience, Burke still gets emotional when rewatching their 2008 performance. She described seeing a picture of herself with Beyoncé at The X Factor producer FremantleMedia’s building as an unforgettable moment. “I’ll never forget when I had my first baby and I went into The X Factor producer Fremantle’s building and saw a picture of me with Beyoncé. One day, I’m going to show my baby that photo… that moment was the crème de la crème,” she told Metro.
As a mother of two children, aged two and 10 months, with her footballer fiancé Darren Randolph, 37, Burke is keen to share her journey with her kids. She emphasized the importance of hard work and perseverance, stating, “The X Factor was a wonderful experience. I never thought in a million years I would win. I went for it at 16, got told no, then went back and auditioned at 19. I just want my kids to see if you work hard and believe in what you want to do in life, it’s achievable. I’m a firm believer in that because I’m living proof.”
In the interview, Burke also reflected on the loss of her mother, Melissa Bell, in 2017 during her stint on Strictly Come Dancing. She admitted that her mother’s death made the experience “even harder” due to the show’s popularity. “It was a bittersweet moment because obviously I wanted to do well for my family and for my mum. In week two, I did the Paso Doble and I don’t know what happened, but judge Craig Revel Horwood said, ‘I saw your mum within you,’ and I was like, ‘I know, I turned into a different person.’ But I think I’ve learned to have thicker skin, or I’ve tried to at least,” she shared.
Recently, Burke expressed her excitement about landing a role in Paramount+’s crime drama Curfew. Speaking to New! magazine, she revealed her joy at being chosen for the role. “I’m so beside myself that I got picked for such a moment on camera. I was like, ‘Sorry, me?’ I’m counting my lucky stars and pinching myself. Acting is the one thing that my mum said to me when I was younger to cut out and focus on the singing and now it’s come back around. So, she was right – it always comes back, it’s just taken a long time. I’ve done theatre, obviously but this is a different level when it’s television. It’s a whole different way of working. It’s getting up at five in the morning and finishing at 3am the next day – and still being a mum.”
Burke continues to inspire with her journey from The X Factor to her current successes, proving that dedication and resilience can lead to extraordinary achievements.
