Alexandra Burke

The Guardian

Alexandra Burke was born and raised on a council estate in Islington. She lives in Islington with her mother, sister, and two brothers. She started singing at the age of five and started live performances with her mum, Melissa Bell, at age nine. After winning The X-Factor in 2008, she became a best-selling artist, making strides in the music industry.

Burke has donated large sums to charities, as well as touring with Young Voices to raise money for children with leukemia. She is an ambassador for WellChild, a charity which helps seriously ill children and their families across the UK, and donated around £22,000 to Chain of Hope to fund life-saving surgery for 10 children in Jamaica in 2014.

Burke’s relationship with Islington was at times difficult. After buying her first house in Hertfordshire, she said that she felt safer in the suburbs. However, she is still connected to the borough, most recently joining other Islington community leaders in a video encouraging people to get vaccinated against the Coronavirus.