As the winner of The X Factor, Burke released her debut single, "Hallelujah", originally a Leonard Cohen song, that became the current European record holder for single sales over a period of 24 hours: selling 105,000 copies in one day; but also, the top-selling song of the year in the UK as well as becoming the 2008 Christmas number one single in the UK. By January 2009, sales of Burke's version of "Hallelujah" had passed one million copies which made her the first British female soloist to sell that amount of copies in the UK.
Her debut album, Overcome, was released in October 2009 and entered the UK Albums Chart at number one. The album's lead single "Bad Boys" was released a week in advance to the album and debuted at number one in the UK: becoming her second consecutive number-one single and first Brit-nominated single. She has sinced followed "Bad Boys" with singles that have consecutively stole top ten places in the UK Singles Chart. To date, Alexandra has achieved 4 Number one singles across the UK and Ireland: "Hallelujah", "Bad Boys", "All Night Long" and "Start Without You".
Burke has been nominated twice for Brit Awards and has achieved four solo number one singles: her most recent single "Start Without You" became her third solo UK number one hit; as well as two number one singles as a featured artist in charity singles "Hero" and "Everybody Hurts". As of December 2010, Burke has sold over 4 million records in the U.K alone with combined sales of her singles and her debut album Overcome.
Burke auditioned for the second series of The X Factor in 2005 (which was eventually won by Shayne Ward). She made it through to the final seven in Louis Walsh's 16β24 category, effectively the top 21 of the competition; however, Walsh did not choose her for his final four as he felt that she was too young for the competition. Burke however did not give up and went on to seek professional singing lessons over the next three years, proving her dedication and commitment to becoming a pop star. Burke's second bid to win The X Factor came in 2009. Falling into the "Girls" category, she was mentored by Girls Aloud's Cheryl Cole who selected her for the finalsβa series of ten weekly live shows in which contestants are progressively eliminated by public vote. On the first live show, Burke performed Whitney Houston's classic "I Wanna Dance with Somebody". For the second live show she covered "I'll Be There" by The Jackson 5. In week three, big band week, Burke performed Christina Aguilera's "Candyman" and received her first standing ovation. For the disco-themed fourth live show, Burke performed Donna Summer's "On the Radio". During Mariah Carey week on 8 November, Burke and the other finalists met Carey for individual masterclasses, with Carey complimenting Burke on her voice. Burke performed "Without You" and received a standing ovation from the judges who all gave her positive comments. Cowell commented that "by any standard, that was just outstanding". Following the show Burke's performance was also praised by Carey who called her rendition of the song "absolutely amazing".
On 13 February 2009 it was reported that Burke signed a Β£3.5 million, five-album US record deal with Epic Records. Burke's first album was originally scheduled for March 2009, however, Simon Cowell confirmed that her album was scheduled for release later in the year to allow Burke to polish her skills and find the right songs for the album, so that it would not be rushed. The album was released on 19 October 2009 in the UK, titled Overcome.
"Elephant", the lead single off Alexandra Burke's second album finds the Londoner singing of a relationship breaking down and not discussing the "elephant standing in the room." Burke performed the song live for the very first time during her set for Asda's Tickled Pink charity concert on January 12, 2012. It will bereleased on March 11, 2012. (Elephant Songfacts).
Alexandra revealed that her next album will get "down and dirty", promising the record that will take risks. "Itβs got to be sexy. So Iβm going to get a lot fiercer and sexier. Weβre just getting down and dirty with the next album. Iβm going to take a lot more risks and itβs going to be insane." She also hinted at any collaborations on the LP, "I canβt say too much because my management will kill me if I let loose. But I have a special duet planned. I have the ideas, the collaborations in my mind - itβs all locked up in my head." The album is confirmed to be "half-way" finished, and revealed that she is planning to go to New York to record some new tracks. Recording is expected to stop from January to March, and then resuming after. Alex confirmed that she has worked with RedOne for a lot of the album, but hopes to work with David Guetta, Bruno Mars, Stargate and Ne-Yo, among others.
Heartbreak on Hold
Alexandra Burke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I tried everything to get over you
Tryin' to make it through and nothing ever seems to
Work
Dead in the bed, a thousand tears were she'd
You should get out my head
Nothing takes away the hurt
I can't stay here, can't stay
I'm going out tonight
I'm dancing all alone (heartbreak on hold)
Close my eyes
It's time to let it go (heartbreak on hold)
I'm gonna take it to the dance floor doing it on my own
Tonight, putting my heartbreak on hold (heartbreak on
Hold)
Heartbreak on hold
It's been so long
Since I had some fun
But no I can't run, I hope the music numbs the pain
I need something to take me away
I just need a sweet escape
I can't stay here, can't stay
I'm going out tonight
I'm dancing all alone (heartbreak on hold)
Close my eyes
It's time to let it go (heartbreak on hold)
I'm gonna take it to the dance floor doing it on my own
Tonight, putting my heartbreak on hold (heartbreak onHold)
Heartbreak on hold
How you're moving it
Sets me free
Dance away all of my memories
Not gonna let this pain take over me
Tomorrow's gonna be a new day
I can't stay
I'm going out tonight
I'm dancing all alone (heartbreak on hold)
Close my eyes
It's time to let it go (heartbreak on hold)
I'm gonna take it to the dance floor doing it on my own
Tonight, putting my heartbreak on hold (heartbreak on
Hold)
Heartbreak on hold
Ooh
(Heartbreak on hold)
Close my eyes
(Heartbreak on hold)
I'm gonna take it to the dance floor doing it on my own
Tonight, putting my heartbreak on hold (heartbreak on
Hold)
In this song, Alexandra Burke sings about trying to move on from heartbreak. She has tried everything to get over her ex-lover, but nothing seems to work. She feels stuck in her pain and needs a way to escape. She decides to go out and dance to forget about her troubles. She repeats the phrase "heartbreak on hold" throughout the song, which means she is putting her heartbreak aside for a moment to enjoy the present moment. She lets the music set her free and takes control of her own happiness by dancing alone. She believes that tomorrow is going to be a new day, and that she can't let her pain take over her.
This song is a great anthem for anyone who has gone through heartbreak and needs to let loose and forget about their troubles for a little while. It's a reminder that pain is temporary and that we can take control of our own happiness. The lyrics are powerful and relatable, and the production is upbeat and catchy.
Line by Line Meaning
Heartbreak on hold
The singer is determined not to let heartbreak ruin her life.
I tried everything to get over you
The singer has done everything she can to try and forget her ex.
Tryin' to make it through and nothing ever seems to work
Despite trying, the singer hasn't been able to move on from the breakup.
Dead in the bed, a thousand tears were she'd
The singer has been crying herself to sleep at night.
You should get out my head
The singer wants to stop thinking about her ex.
Nothing takes away the hurt
No matter what she does, the pain of the breakup remains.
I'm going out tonight
The singer is going to go out and have a good time.
I'm dancing all alone (heartbreak on hold)
The singer is dancing by herself, focusing on having fun and forgetting about her heartbreak.
Close my eyes
The singer is shutting out the world and focusing on the music.
It's time to let it go (heartbreak on hold)
The singer is ready to move on from her heartbreak.
I'm gonna take it to the dance floor doing it on my own
The singer is determined to have fun on her own without needing someone else to lift her spirits.
Tonight, putting my heartbreak on hold (heartbreak on Hold)
The singer is pushing aside her heartbreak for the night, focusing on having fun.
It's been so long
It's been a while since the singer has had fun and enjoyed herself.
Since I had some fun
The singer hasn't had a good time in a while.
But no I can't run, I hope the music numbs the pain
The singer can't run away from her problems, so she's hoping the music will help her forget about the pain for a little while.
I need something to take me away
The singer is looking for an escape from the pain she's feeling.
I just need a sweet escape
The singer is looking for a way to escape and feel better.
How you're moving it
The singer is impressed by how someone is dancing.
Sets me free
Watching someone dance is helping the singer forget her worries and feel free.
Dance away all of my memories
The singer is using dancing as a distraction from the memories of her ex.
Not gonna let this pain take over me
The singer is determined not to let her heartbreak control her.
Tomorrow's gonna be a new day
The singer is hopeful that things will be better tomorrow.
Ooh
An expression of the singer's enjoyment of the music and dancing.
Contributed by Hunter H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ELEKTRARE
Thanks to drag race uk I rediscover miss Alexandra Burke , dede is fabulous in this killer lipsync yaaaaaaassss πβ€
@xavriax
Oh no! Lol I'm watching now and paused to look up this song. Now I know Dede bombs Snatch Game! π
@LTWTL841
Me too. Away to download the album π
@HuyNguyα» n-m7h
Me too, this song deserve moreβ€
@chabygirl13
β@@xavriaxDid the exact same thing lol
@xavriax
@@chabygirl13 This is why you shouldn't look things up mid episode lol
@zoozbuh
Drag Race UK lipsync made me fall in love with this song all over again. So underrated
@LuckystarMusic
ALWAYS WISHED this had been a single! would have been a massive hit
@Junayd150
Her label let her down
@MegaKitkat88
I love this one too