Life

X Factor's Alexandra takes her soul to The Bodyguard

Jenny Lee chats to Belfast-bound X Factor winner and Bodyguard actress Alexandra Burke about fame, love, health and the influence of Whitney Houston upon her career

Alexandra Burke in the role of Rachel Marron in hit musical The Bodyguard which comes to the Belfast stage this month
Alexandra Burke in the role of Rachel Marron in hit musical The Bodyguard which comes to the Belfast stage this month Alexandra Burke in the role of Rachel Marron in hit musical The Bodyguard which comes to the Belfast stage this month

ALEXANDRA Burke is bringing body and soul to Belfast's Grand Opera House in Whitney Houston's The Bodyguard.

It May only be February, but for 2008 X Factor winner Alexandra Burke, her diary is already full. With leading roles in two of musical theatre's best loved film adaptations, she has just about time to fit in a few weeks to lay down the final tracks on a new studio album.

She will be making two visits to Belfast this year, beginning with a run at Belfast's Grand Opera House this week with The Bodyguard and again in November when she will don a massive curly wig for the role of Deloris Van Cartier in the hit musical Sister Act.

Naturally beautiful and talented, yet extremely humble and grateful for the "journeys" life has given her, Burke admits turning down the role of Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard twice before making her musical theatre debut in June 2014, replacing Beverley Knight at the Adelphi Theatre in London's West End.

"I didn't have the confidence to believe I could perform six shows a week to be honest with you," says 27-year-old Burke.

The three-time Brit nominee rose to fame after winning the fifth series of The X Factor with her debut number one single Hallelujah selling over one million copies in the UK, a first for a British female soloist. Two solo albums followed for the platinum-selling artist, who also supported Beyoncé on her I Am... tour before turning her attention to musical theatre.

The Bodyguard, based on the 1992 movie starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, tells the story of former Secret Service agent, Frank Farmer. Hired to protect musical superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker, each expects to be in charge; what they don’t expect is to fall in love.

The musical features Houston's classics tracks One Moment in Time, I Wanna Dance with Somebody, Saving All My Love, Run to You and, of course, I Will Always Love You. However, Burke's favourite song to perform from the musical is I Have Nothing at the end of act one.

The show includes just six songs from the Bodyguard soundtrack, with the additional musical tracks all coming from Houston's back catalogue. Burke believes the music and personal memories account for the movie and musical's popularity.

"Whitney will always be a legend and her music speaks to so many people and I think this show reminds them of whatever they went through in life when the Bodyguard film came out."

Houston was one of Burke's first inspirations after she was introduced to her music, through the film as a four-year-old by her mother, herself a soul and R&B singer.

"I remember seeing the film and being in awe,” says Burke who was determined to put her own stamp on the songs and role.

"Whitney of course will always be inspirational and no-one can ever replace her, but what I'm doing is my own interpretation of what I think Rachel Marron is in this day and age."

So how does she represent this diva?

"Rachel Marron at the beginning, excuse my French, is an absolute complete bitch. And that's the way I've made her. But actually she is a very vulnerable loving woman who just wants to protect her child and live a life where there are no stalkers.

"Unfortunately at the beginning, she doesn't really understand and just sees this bodyguard being put into her house and invading her personal space. She soon comes to realise that this guy is here to save her. As much as it has it's scary moments it has a fantastic love story.

Audiences can witness the chemistry between Burke and her on-stage bodyguard Frank Farmer, played by Ballynahinch actor Stuart Reid. They will also see Burke in numerous different costumes – from steel hats to glittery dresses.

"It's a demanding role. I've 25 songs I sing and I change my clothes about 20 times – the majority of the time I'm wearing clothes under clothes under clothes."

She also has to strip down to her bra and knickers ahead of the song I'm Every Woman. "At the start I was embarrassed but I'm not afraid to do so anymore," says Burke, who admits to always being a "fitness freak". "I am conscious of watching what I eat and keeping myself fit because diabetes runs in my family," she adds.

Burke, who in the past has admitted that being in the public eye was difficult, has much in common with her Bodyguard character – including the fact she has her own personal bodyguard.

"I did have people turn up where I lived and had to move house, but nothing dangerous; that's when I brought Peter my bodyguard on board. But there's never been anything dangerous. It's the life I've chosen and I'm grateful for it."

Last autumn she took part in Channel 4's Celebrity First Date and although getting on well with her date, 28-year-old model Louis, Burke admits it didn't work out and is "dating somebody else and I'm very happy at at the moment".

With just a week off before starting rehearsals for Sister Act, Burke is squeezing in a few weeks in the recording studio in March and again in December to lay down some tracks on her third album.

"That's the hard sacrifice of doing the musical theatre. But you've got to make sacrifices because life is about the journeys you take. I've had some fantastic opportunities so I can't really complain."

For the meantime, Burke, who had no formal drama training, is relishing the opportunity to act and would love to work in film in the future.

"I'm taking the acting side as serious as I do singing. When I read reviews of the show I look to see do they mention my acting because I'm open to constructive criticism," she says, adding that she would also relish the opportunity in the future to be a mentor on music talent show The Voice.

:: The Bodyguard runs at Belfast's Grand Opera House from February 3 to 13. For tickets visit goh.co.uk. Alexandra Burke is not scheduled to perform at matinee performances.