Alexandra Burke

Proving the old adage "If at first you don't succeed...," soul singer Alexandra Burke emerged victorious as the winner of the fifth season of The X-Factor, three years after being rejected by the same show.

Born in Islington, London, in 1988, the daughter of ex-Soul II Soul vocalist Melissa Bell began singing from an early age.

At 12 years old, she entered the BBC talent show Star for a Night but lost out in the final to a then-unknown Joss Stone.

After leaving school, Burke concentrated on pursuing a career in the music industry, performing at various clubs and touring with Young Voices, a choir that raised money for children with leukemia.

In 2005, she auditioned for the second series of The X-Factor, where she made it to the final seven of her category, only narrowly missing out on a place in mentor Louis Walsh's top three.

In 2008 she entered the series again, but this time impressed new judge Cheryl Cole enough to be chosen for the live shows.

A major contender from the outset, Burke never appeared in the bottom two and, after several shock eliminations, became the red-hot favorite to win the series.

Thanks to a stunning duet with Beyoncé and a soulful rendition of the Leonard Cohen classic "Hallelujah," Burke beat fellow finalists JLS and Eoghan Quigg to become the show's second female winner, with 58 percent of the vote.

"Hallelujah," her debut single, became the Christmas number one single just one week later, selling 576,000 copies in its first seven days and setting a record as the fastest-selling single by a solo female artist.

Overcome, her debut album, was released in the U.K.

the following October.

Its lead single, "Bad Boys," featuring Flo Rida, topped her country's singles chart.

~ Jon O'Brien, All Music Guide

Alexandra Burke has visited Haiti and admits the damage to the earthquake ravaged Caribbean country is of ''Biblical proportions''.

(BANG) -

Alexandra Burke says the damage in Haiti is of "Biblical proportions".

The 'Broken Heels' singer is in the earthquake ravaged country's capital Port Au-Prince where she is helping with relief efforts to assist the survivors of the two huge earthquakes which devastated the country last month.

Alexandra visited a Save The Children camp and met with Kiki Joachin, hailed the 'miracle boy' after he was found alive in rubble after being trapped underground for days. He later found out he had lost three of his six brothers and sisters in the quake.

Alexandra said: "Everything people said is true, the damage here is of Biblical proportions. The desperation of so many people has broken my heart.

"Despite going through hell, Kiki is still here smiling. He's beautiful. I didn't know what to say to these people who lost so much.

"His family lost three other kids in the quake. I was really nervous. I broke down in tears when I read about them."

Kiki's picture is on the cover of the Helping Haiti charity single, a cover of R.E.M's 'Everybody Hurts' - which Alexandra sings on.

She added to The Sun newspaper: "Kiki is the bravest person I've ever met. I'm honoured to meet him and to sing on a record that has his picture on the front."

Speaking from the Save The Children Camp, the star urged everybody to buy a copy of the single to raise money for aid relief.

She said: "So many children homeless, so many lives ruined. It's these kids who bear the brunt. But to see them singing and dancing at this centre makes me so proud.

"You see the poverty and destruction in the papers or on the news, but nothing prepares you for this.

"It's like being punched in the stomach. I just hope millions buy the 'Everybody Hurts' single. This is a whole country on its knees."

Alexandra Burke - who features on Simon Cowell's Helping Haiti charity single 'Everybody Hurts' - is going to Haiti to help relief efforts in the earthquake-stricken Caribbean nation.

(BANG) -

Alexandra Burke is going to Haiti to help with the relief efforts.

The 'Broken Heels' singer is to fly to the Caribbean island to assist aid workers attempting to cope with the aftermath of the two huge earthquakes which hit Haiti in January, killing hundreds of thousands of people.

Alexandra, 21, said: "When I was asked to go and see things for myself, I didn't hesitate.

"If I can raise awareness about how much support is needed then I'm there in a heartbeat."

"I don't think anyone can prepare for what it will be like but I will try to be strong.

"Watching the news was like a disaster film, but this was real."

Alexandra is also one of a number of stars to contribute to Simon Cowell's Helping Haiti charity single, a cover of R.E.M. song 'Everybody Hurts', to raise money for the nation.

The track also features Take That, Susan Boyle, Robbie Williams, James Morrison and Cheryl Cole.

Alexandra is the latest in a line of stars to personally help Haiti.

Actor-and-pilot John Travolta flew in aid supplies in a borrowed plane, while musician John Mayer is donating royalty payments from his song 'The Heart of Life' to the nation. He also donated $500,000 to aid relief.

Other celebrity donors include Jennifer Aniston, who gave $500,000, and couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie who handed over $1 million.

Alexandra Burke is planning to conquer Europe because she sees it as ''just as important'' as the US.

(BANG) -

Alexandra Burke wants to conquer Europe before the US.

The 'Bad Boys' singer revealed that she thinks of Europe as "just as important" as America and wants to be a success on home soil before heading across the Atlantic.

She said: "My US label, Epic, are having big conversations with Syco and working out when I'm going to go over there etc.

"But at the moment we're concentrating on the European campaign because I think that's just as important as America.

"I just found out today that 'Bad Boys' is number ten on Dutch iTunes and number eleven in Norway, so it feels like it's going in the right direction."

Discussing her upcoming European tour, she told Digital Spy: "I'm going to live in a bus for two weeks, man! The tour bus I have has my album cover all over it and apparently it's got two lounges and loads of little bunk beds, so my sister's going to come out for a week and keep me company."

Alexandra, 21, recently revealed that she is close friends with Beyonce.

She said: "We just talk about how everything is going. She asks me what I am up to, and how my career's going. It's just normal, weirdly normal."