Top Music

X-FACTOR 2008 GRAND FINAL WINNER ALEXANDRA

BURKE SINGS ARRESTING SHOW-STOPPER DUET WITH BEYONCÉ

APPA NEWS LONDON 17/12/08 - ITV’s show X-FACTOR grand final last saturday sent audiences rocketing through the roof with a whopping 14 million viewers, the highest audience share recorded in five years - 53%, making it to our TOP MUSIC choice for an arresting performance, in our opinion one of X-FACTOR’s best Grand Final, ever!

A top notch panel of finalists and in the end a well deserved and much acclaimed victory for Alexandra Burke, no doubt courtesy of no less than two show-stopping performances, Hallelujah, an original song from the Canadian singer Leonard Cohen (1984) but in an altogether trully arresting new interpretation; and Listen, a song written for Beyoncé Knowles’ voice and included originally in her double deluxe edition album B’DAY (2006).

Hallelujah is already itself a success in this new single version, breaking the record as the fastest selling download single ever, reaching last Sunday alone a top 105.000 copies, also making the original author Leonard Cohen a little richer - according to the Press - to the tune of £ 1 million in royalties. Alexandra Burke’s version however is… Well… Truly amazing to say the least (see video at the end of the page).

But our TOP MUSIC CHOICE goes to Listen, in an arresting duet between this year’s winner Alexandra Burke and the world famous American artist from Houston, Beyoncé Knowles (Five Grammy Awards, all in 2004):

A risky duet, as Listen is a hard and difficult song, originally written for Beyoncé’s soprano voice, Alexandra Burke’s performance however leaves no margin for doubts, as a formidable top class act.

Hallelujah, in Alexandra Burke’s phenomenal version:

Alexandra Burke’s first appearance will be at the O2 London Arena - Millenium Dome - on New Year’s Eve, performing at Elton John’s New Year’s Eve Concert.