Alexandra Burke Has Superstar Factor - page 2

10 October 2009

0Comments | Comment on this Article

I love it and the reaction has been amazing. I'm hoping to get to number one, we all hope in this business - but I really don't know.

Q: Is this song a reflection of the sound you want to have?

A: Definitely. It reflects the way I am, I am quite a beastly person I like a drink and I love going out and being young. It's what every girl is afraid to say, that we all are attracted to bad boys whether we want to admit it or not, and you've got to kiss a few frogs before you meet your prince, and that's what we all do.

Q: How did you get Flo Rida on the record?

A: Well, I was in my hotel room in Los Angeles a month or two ago and my manager asked me to make a list of people who I'd like on the track. And I said, to give it the pop edge, Flo Rida would be amazing. So my agent said he'd check if he was in the country. And it so happened that he landed in Los Angeles that day. So my A+R was like if it's going to happen, then it's got to happen tonight.

So he was there at like three in the morning. And it was amazing how it came about and I met him in the studio. I was very scared to meet him, but he is like a big teddy bear, and of course he was a bad boy, but you know I like bad boys, so...

Q: Did it take much convincing to get him on the record?

A: No, apparently not much at all - he really liked the song and he wrote what he needed to write and got on with it. I loved 'Bad Boys' with me on my own, but he took it to another level completely.

Q: Would you consider working with any UK urban acts?

A: Definitely. I'm open to loads of collaborations. Obviously I don't get to pick, but I can talk about who I want to collaborate with and if management think it's a good direction and if there's the right tune, then yeah.

Q: You mentioned Dizzee Rascal...

A: Why not, I'd give that a shot. Dizzee is really cool.

Q: Your album is set for release on the same day as Cheryl's album?

A: It's not been confirmed yet, but if it is, God. It is what it is, Robbie Williams is releasing soon, Rihanna, everyone's coming out at the same time. A lot of these artists have been around for ages, then I come along from a show and I've not been around for very long and even to be mentioned in the same sentence as these people.

Q: How do you find being famous, has it hit you?

A: I don't feel any different. I am who I am and I have remained who I am - I like being a cheeky little girl! It's amazing because I am living a dream, and its great but It's strange, in a sense, that I can get to do what I love to do everyday, but the people who I surround myself with are cool and I make sure I really try to be myself every day do what I need to do and work really hard.

Q: Do you still keep in contact with Cheryl?

A: Yes, I am still in contact with her and she is still very much my mentor and she's helped along the way with this album, giving her advice and constructive criticism, and she's been there and I'm very grateful for her input.

Q: How has she influenced you?

A: Well she's always told me to remain myself. And always told me to stay true to the game, and she's told me not to read anything about myself, to keep myself truly. And that's what I've been doing.

Q: Do you get much input from Simon and the Syco label?

A: Definitely. I'm always on the phone to Simon. I speak to him a lot so if I don't think something's right, I will speak my opinion. But always take the advice from those who know best. But I'm very open to anything and they understand that.

And they respect that, which is what is really amazing and special about this project because Simon doesn't just decide things then think I'm going to just go with it, he puts it through to me and lets me have my opinion and keeps in touch. I mean, when 'Bad Boys' came in it was his favourite song for months, from May, and it wasn't my favourite song, so we had to come to an agreement, and when I heard the mix I was like 'OK, you're a smart man, I get it'.

Q. So you stand up to Simon then?

A: I definitely stand up to him. He's always told me from the beginning that if I don't like something to say; and he likes a person with balls. He likes someone to speak up. Because he is Simon Cowell I think most people are daunted and like to try and sugar-coat s**t, but not me, I'm not going to do it. I take into account that he knows what he's doing, but I'm always up for a bit of an argument because that shows who I am to him.

I have my opinions and he has his, but with my management and label we all have the same goal, so we're always on the same page, which is great.

When I first won the show they asked me where I wanted to go musically. And I said kind of Motown-ish. Then I said to my management let me go away for a week; I went to Mauritius and said, 'Nobody talk to me, let me just listen to music and study and find out where I want to go'.

After that I came back and realised I wanted to do pop. I want to be out there, I want my personality out there. And they thought that was the best way.

Q: What were you listening to?

A: All of the old school music, lots of pop, rock, anything I could get my hands on. I was on Youtube all the time and I was randomly listening to stuff I'd never listen to normally, like AC/DC and Bon Jovi, Kings of Leon, Tinchy Stryder, Chipmunk, grime, R'n'B, hip-hop, everything, and learning about stuff, and researching artists. Doing what artists should be doing on a daily basis.

Q: Do you like the new format of 'The X Factor'?

A: I haven't been able to watch much of The X Factor, I think it's got balls, but I'm, very happy that it's not my year that they've gone for the live auditions, because I think it's scary, but anyone who can go through that I take my hat off to.

Q: Would you like to go back on 'The X Factor' as a mentor to the acts?

A: Most definitely, somebody get me back on that stage!

Q: What do you think of JLS's success since the show?

A: I absolutely love it. I cried at the end of their video for 'Beat Again' when I saw it. I'm so proud of them and what everyone has got and gone onto from the show. It's very special and the fact we're all friends is even more amazing.

By Andy Tillett

0Comments | Be the first to comment!