Brenda Edwards is a black English singer and actress who became famous after making it to the final stages of The X Factor.

Biography

Early life

Brenda Edwards was born in Luton, Bedfordshire and has one older brother called Rodney. On 22 December 1974, Brenda’s parents were tragically killed in a car accident, meaning that both Brenda and Rodney were raised by their grandmother, aunts and uncles. Brenda’s grandmother was a member of the local Pentecostal church and Brenda began attending from the age of 8. It was here that Brenda was to first realise her love of music by singing in the Sunday school junior choir. In later years Brenda went on to became the choir mistress and also sang for the Pentecostal collective Church Of God In Christ (C.O.G.I.C) mass choir.

From the age of 18 Brenda started to spread her wings, freely singing at local night clubs and private parties whenever she could get the chance, hoping that she would be spotted! For years Brenda attended many different auditions for groups and soloists and sent out demos and her music C.V. to music contacts and agencies in search of a break. The break proved elusive and Brenda would fulfil her passion for singing by performing unpaid at parties, weddings, funerals and Bar Mitzvahs for friends and family. In order to make ends meet and support her two children, Jamal and Tanisha, Brenda would work full-time in an Accounts office. Her accounts career lasted 17 years, culminating in her role as Accounts Payable Manager at Sit-up Ltd the first interactive auction channel on Sky, NTL and Telewest.

Brenda met her husband, Patrick in 1995 and after a whirlwind romance they were married in Barbados in August 1996. It was whilst on a romantic getaway to Belfast in May 2005 that they spotted an evening television advert for X Factor auditions coming up in the very hotel they were staying. Despite Brenda being totally unprepared - "I had no proper make-up and absolutely nothing to wear!" she protests, Patrick persuaded her to join the queue for auditions the following morning. The judges liked Brenda's personality and voice and it proved to be the start of an incredible X Factor journey that would introduce us all to her great undiscovered talent.

'The X Factor'

Brenda was in the '25 and over' category alongside Andy Abraham, Chico Slimani and Maria Lawson - mentored by Sharon Osbourne. The first live show saw her singing the Dusty Springfield hit 'Son of a Preacher Man'. These were followed by performances of 'Rescue Me', 'Midnight train to Georgia'. Performances of 'I'm Outta Love' and 'I'll Never Love This Way Again' won her a place in the semi-finals, where she was voted out after her renditions of Aretha Franklin's 'Respect' and Nilsson's 'Without You'.

Chicago

After 'X Factor' she was chosen to play the role of Matron Mama Morton in the hit West End Musical Chicago, and her run of the show continued until March 2007.

Carmen Jones

From 25th July until 2nd September 2007, Edwards is appearing as "Pearl" in a production of Carmen Jones at the Royal Festival Hall

External links

• Brenda Edwards Official Website