Alexandra Burke told to bleach skin after winning The X Factor
22 June 2020, 11:32 | Updated: 22 June 2020, 11:35
X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke details the racism she has encountered in the music industry during a heartbreaking video.
Singer Alexandra Burke, who won the X Factor's with series in 2008, has detailed her experience of racism in the entertainment industry.
Tulisa responds to Misha B's bullying accusations amid X Factor racism claims
In light of the Black Lives Matter movement, many stars have come forward on social media , sharing their experience with racism within their respective industry.
Misha B recently also revealed that she was depicted as the shows "bully" by judge Tulisa – who later responded to her claims.
Alexandra Burke opens up on racism she experienced on X-Factor
During a heartbreaking Instagram TV video, Burke, 31, revealed a list of the industry demands to make her dissociate with her blackness.
Burke's shocking testimony, included that she was asked to bleach her skin, not wear braided hair and tailor her music to a white audience.
The successful singer said that also says she was told to “be quiet” while the press assainated her character while she was on Strictly Come Dancing.
Speaking on Instagram, Burke revealed she encountered her first stand out moment of racism at 16, after her first attempt on the X Factor, when she lost out in the early rounds.
Burke says unnamed person on the show told her: “You haven’t made it through, but give me a call in a couple of months, and I’ll sign you.”
Burke described it as “the break that I’ve been waiting for”. She said she was then told by the same person: “I already have one black artist, I don’t need another.”
Burke continued “It sucked to hear those words, because of your skin colour you now can’t have this opportunity that was promised … that was a big deal for someone who was only 16.”
The 31-year-old star revealed the racism she experience after winning the show.
“I got told when I first won the X Factor, ‘because you’re black you’re going to have to work 10 times harder than a white artist because of the colour of your skin."
"You can’t have braids, you can’t have an afro, you can’t have anything that basically is my identity. You have to have hair that appeals to white people so they understand you better.’”
The "Hallelujah" singer was also told to bleach her skin, which she describes as “absurd … that was something I refused to do”.
Burke claimed one of her previous unnamed record labels told her: “You have to smile more because you come across aggressive,” and “you can’t release this type of music because white people don’t understand that”.
Listen to Burke's full confession above. Let us know your thoughts @CapitalXTRA
