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Alexandra Burke On Becoming A Meme Queen And National Treasure

Published 16:23, 19 November 2021 GMT
| Last updated 11:29, 04 April 2023 BST

Featured Image Credit: ITV

Since winning The X Factor back in 2008, Alexandra Burke has become an undisputed icon within British pop culture.

Having achieved the type of longevity other winners can only dream of, her 13-year career spans a West End stint in The Bodyguard, three albums in the UK Top 20 – and that performance with Beyoncé.

Tyla caught up with the singer to talk about her new partnership with the National Lottery, her X-Factor days, and what she actually really about those ‘Elephant In The Room’ memes.

Alexandra won The X-Factor back in 2008 (Credit: ITV)

Despite growing up in a musical family (her mum was in ‘90s R’n’B band Soul 2 Soul), the support of the singer’s community really gave her a leg up in her early career.

“There were a lot of organisations that were run by our local communities which I went to”, she says. “My family didn’t have the money to get me private tutors or things like that, so that’s where I had to go to get that knowledge”.

Alexandra was supported by youth groups growing up. [Credit: National Lottery]

Earlier this month, the star stunned audiences at the Royal Albert Hall with her heart-wrenching rendition of Abide With Me, in honour of Remembrance Sunday.

“For me, I’m all about giving back and I’m in a position where my voice can be heard. I’m able to talk to people and spread good messages across and encourage people to give back to their local communities.”

Alexandra cites The Royal Albert Hall as one of her favourite performance venues. [Credit: Alamy]

We simply couldn’t let Alexandra go without getting her opinions on those iconic ‘Elephant In The Room’ memes, taken from a 2012 interview with former ITV show Daybreak. Thanks to Instagram accounts like @loveofhuns - which has an array of celebrity stans (including the singer herself) – her successful single assumed an entirely new meaning on the internet.

“Yeah, it’s quite funny!” she laughed. “It makes people smile. It’s such a light-hearted page to make people laugh, which is what we’ve all really needed over the last year or so. We all need to have a good laugh, and if an Instagram page can provide that to people, then we’re all winning at life!”