Alexandra Burke interview
- Sep 01, 2010
With the X Factor starting to take over millions of homes again, and a new summer single on the way, it is the perfect time to sit down for an interview with Alexandra Burke. The London singer discusses fame, Beyonce, Hallelujah, sweaty palms, Saturdays rivalry and her scariest moment.
Greg Rose: We're here in London, here's a hometown question. What's the best thing about being from Islington?
Alexandra Burke: The best thing about being from Islington is I went to the best school in Islington, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School for Girls, and it is by far the best school. Also, I know everyone there, well not everyone. Because I grew up in Angel, Tufnell Park and Caledonian Road, I still go there now and everyone is just cool. I like that. I love that nobody treats me any different, that's what I really appreciate. I went to my local shop recently and it was just "hi Alex, how are you?" It's just really cool. Islington is my home for life, even though I don't live there currently.
GR: Where do you live now then?
AB: I'm living in Hertfordshire at the moment, I've moved out a bit more to have a garden because I have a dog. I like to come into London and then go back out and see loads of grass and trees. It's a nice difference. I don't live too far out of London, it's great.
GR: Do you ever get annoyed with people coming up to you all the time?
AB: People do but it is not a bad thing. I think it's amazing, I embrace it. I make time for my fans every time without fail. Yesterday my tour manager was like 'we need to head back to the hotel, let's go'. Because a fan was waiting outside for two hours I Tweeted them and told them where my hotel was, and they came and we took some pictures. I always have time for my fans because they are the ones who make me who I am. Hats off to my fans!
GR: What is the worst part about being famous?
AB: There have only ever been two points when I have thought 'oh my god, this is not cool'. Paps come out my house and I am cool with it. I remember making a cup of tea for them once. But once I had two paps try to run into my home. That was scary more than annoying. That is the only time I have ever had an issue since I won the X Factor. But it is cool, I have no issues really. I hope I haven't jinxed it now!
GR: Did you always want to be famous as well as wanting to be an artist?
AB: I wanted to be successful. A successful artist, a successful young lady. The word 'successful' and the word 'famous' have completely different meanings. I would rather go for success because that is hard work and determination. Fame can last for a minute, it can last for a year or a decade. But as soon as you do one thing wrong when you are just famous, it is over. Success is a different ball game. That's what I crave – success. Things have gone well since I won, and I hope they continue to get better, and hopefully it will with a lot of hard work.
GR: Did the X Factor prepare you well enough for being a pop star?
AB: Absolutely, when you are in the X Factor as a contestant you get a taste of the limelight. You have paps outside the house, are the most talked about people for three months, you are in the papers and magazines every week, on TV every single week. So you get a buzz and get a feel for it. If you learn to embrace it from then, it is a journey where you have to go along with it. It is a rollercoaster, filled with emotions but if you embrace it and have thick skin then you can handle it.
GR: What can you do to become known as Alexandra Burke rather than X Factor winner Alexandra Burke?
AB: Well, there is a winner each year, the show must go on as they say. I never say I don't want to be known as the girl who won X Factor. That's where I've come from, that's my stepping stone, that's where I am born and bred from but I hope that my music speaks for itself and makes me who I am as an individual artist. In time that difference happens and I hope that it has happened. But I am not afraid or scared if it hasn't, because if it wasn't for the X Factor then we wouldn't be here today.
GR: You took a long time between finishing the X Factor and releasing your album. Why was that?
AB: I think it is crucial to make sure when you walk into these shows that you know where you want to be in a year's time, in terms of music, direction, personality, everything. I had that in my brain, I knew musically where I wanted to go, I knew where I wanted to be in five years time. As long as you do what you want to do there isn't really an issue. Labels like it when artists want to be individuals and not follow the trend. I hope that people can see I have been myself and given you guys what I think is great music, which portrays me as an artist and gets my personality across.
GR: The new single 'Start Without You' is more reggae, why did you go in that direction?
AB: Yeah, I wouldn't say it is complete reggae, it is reggae meets pop. My music has always been pop, my voice is always going to be soul. I want every genre of music in a blender, mix it together – the outcome is me. That's what I want and that's what you guys are getting. 'Bad Boys', 'All Night Long' 'Broken Heels' and even 'Hallelujah' – every song is completely different and that's what I like. I want you to hear the song and go 'woooah, that's a bit different for Alex, I kinda like it'. I've never been afraid to experiment. Album number two, I am out of the box. I am stepping away, coming out of my comfort zone even more and taking some risks. I think it is good to take risks.
GR: Is that scary?
AB: It is very scary and I would be lying if I said it wasn't. But it is a chance I love to take. A second album should not sound like the first. People want to hear you better yourself and hopefully I'll better myself. That is going to take hard work and time.
GR: Following the success of 'Hallelujah', how come you haven’t released another ballad?
AB: I can't confirm what the next single will be, but you guys will hear me sing a ballad very soon. A lot of people on Twitter have said 'we haven't heard you sing a ballad in ages'. But I feel personally that it is about timing. If I released a ballad now I'd get the reverse on Twitter. They'd go: 'It's summer, why are you releasing a slow song? We can't dance to this in the club.' I'm always going with the timing of the year. Now it's summer – give you a reggae pop tune. Next is Autumn – you never know…
GR: What's your favourite music to dance to when you go out?
AB: I'm a girl that likes to club. What do I want to hear? What do my friends want to hear? What do my brothers and sisters want to hear? Nobody is dancing to slow jamz anymore, that's back in the day. Remember when the last half hour in a club would be slow jamz? It's a shame they don't, but nobody does that anymore.
GR: Ah, you'd have been one of the people with someone to dance with, what about all those poor souls standing at the sides?
AB: Haha, I'd probably be the only one on the dancefloor, dancing on my own to a ballad, just imagining someone was there.
GR: Would you do another cover? Are you bored of 'Hallelujah'?
AB: No, oh god no, I love that song. I never get bored of my own songs! I've got a tour to do next year baby! I like to do my own original music of course, but 'Hallelujah' is such a beautiful, amazing song. When I got the opportunity to sing it, I didn't know it, but I embraced it. I grew up listening to Whitney and Mariah, so when Simon (Cowell) played 'Hallelujah' I was absolutely clueless. But once I got the chance to listen to it, I loved it. I would absolutely do a cover again. I actually wanted to cover 'You Are So Beautiful' by Joe Cocker, but it wasn't appropriate for the album because I had sung it on the X Factor already. I also sing 'Listen' by Beyonce when I'm on tour, I love singing that.
GR: Whatever happened to you and Beyonce releasing a duet?
AB: That was always a rumour that was out there, it was never confirmed – not by me! But you never know, it could happen one day. I don't want to be greedy, I had my time with her on the X Factor and that was a moment I will never forget. I had the honour of holding her hand and singing with her on one of her songs, I'll never forget it.
GR: Did you hold on to her hand really, really tightly?
AB: I held her hand very tight, very tight. I'm surprised she could get the notes out! She was like 'girl, why you holding my hand?' It was a lot of fun.
GR: Performing with Beyonce, performing for the Queen, going on the X Factor, what had the biggest fear factor?
AB: The fear? Oh, going back to the X Factor for the second time was the biggest fear. It beats singing with Beyonce. That was more emotional, it was 'I cannot believe I am singing with my idol, what is happening to my life?' kind of feeling. Singing for the Queen, I was like: 'It's the Queen, s**t she's right there in my face!' When I met her I had the sweatiest hands, it was crazy and scary. But the biggest fear was going back to audition for the X Factor. I was never going to go back, my mum forced me. She was like: 'Get out of your pyjamas, get out of bed and go and audition.' I didn't think I was even worthy of going back in front of the judges. Everything about it was scary, and as much as I cried, I got through it and it was ok. So that was the scariest thing in my career, by far.
GR: You mentioned having sweaty palms. You're not allowed to have them any more are you? With your endorsement deal and all…
AB: Hahaha, very funny. People get sweaty palms, naturally. People have to remember that on stage, naturally the energy is going to get to you and things happen to your body. But Sure keeps me dry and it never lets me down. So dare to be ready for anything! Haha.
GR: Is there any chance of a deodorant war between you and The Saturdays?
AB: I believe they do a body spray, not a deodorant – so there, hahaha.
Alexandra Burke will release her new single 'Start Without You' on September 5th, or September 6th if you still buy CDs from Woolworths and the like.
Thanks to Alex's lovely online army at TweamBurke for their questions.
Greg Rose
