Alexandra Burke has revealed she felt 'sick' at the prospect of performing in front of 12,000 people at the National Lottery's Big Night of Musicals, but drew on her late mother's wisdom to calm her nerves. The 37-year-old former X Factor star is set to appear in the musical extravaganza, hosted by Jason Manford at Manchester's AO arena, celebrating the £1.4 billion invested in arts and culture by the National Lottery.
Burke, who will perform a sneak peek of her upcoming role as Chaka Khan in the new musical I'm Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical, admits she was a 'bag of nerves' before the show. 'I don't think it's normal to feel OK. My mum always said that if you're nervous, it means that you care,' she said, recalling the advice of her mother, the late Melissa Bell, a former member of Soul II Soul.
The singer credits her mother with launching her career after persuading her to audition again for The X Factor at age 19. They auditioned together as a duo called Mother and Daughter, singing Chaka Khan's 'Ain't Nobody'. The judges rejected her mother but accepted Alexandra, who went on to win the show in 2008.
Burke described the role of Chaka Khan as 'special', admitting she initially thought the offer was a joke. Her audition lasted three hours, far exceeding the scheduled 45 minutes. 'I put too much pressure on myself, which boils down to me wanting to do it right,' she said, noting that she didn't train at drama school and entered theatre 'by accident'.
Despite her nerves, Burke said being part of the Big Night of Musicals reminded her why she loves performing. The event, which will air later, includes performances from Wicked, The Lion King, and a world exclusive of Sam Ryder in Jesus Christ Superstar.
