That Gaby Roslin Podcast: Reasons To Be Joyful - Alexandra Burke

Episode Date: August 4, 2026

Singer and actress Alexandra Burke joins Gaby to chat about her music, appearing in the West End, X Factor - and Chaka Khan! She tells Gaby all about what brings her joy and the full-circle moment she is currently having in her career. Alexandra gets a little emotional when talking about her mum, and her children, and how blessed she has been in her life and career - but they are tears of joy, not sadness. She loves living in the moment - and celebrating life - and we are SO here for that!

Alexandra Burke. Hello, darling. Hello, gorgeous girl. Oh, I just love you. No, but I love you more. So that's that. Let's just talk about going to the loo before having to go on stage. Share this story.

Okay, listen, if anyone that's heard babies understands that when you need to go for a wee after childbirth, you need to go for a wee. So when I was told I couldn't go for a wee, just before walking onto the stage, I was like, no, no, no, no. If you guys want an accident on stage, a shuck a car. I can give you that, too, but they're not. pain for that. They're pain to hear me sing a couple of tunes. So I'm going to have to go for a wee. Did you go? I did. I did. I went for the wee. And I didn't hold up the show. I didn't make the show late. They didn't have front house clearance yet. But I was desperate. It was at two and I was like I never leave the stage. Guys, I have to wee. So I went for a wee. But this happens all the time at work

where you feel like you're desperate for it. And because I drink so much water before a show. And then during the show, apparently I'm drinking water all the time. And I've got a tea. It's good for the boys. good for your voice and you've got to stay hydrated. But it just means that my blood is just slightly weaker after two children times. I love this. And that's just the realness of life. I love that because that's the real side. People don't know how crazy it is backstage.

No, it's mental backstage. And actually, I've got someone who I love dearly who carries me through every single show. His name is Harry. And I have to mention him because he is just a dream to work with but he's now become a really good friend of mine. And if he's not there, if I'm honest,

I probably wouldn't be able to cope with a show because he is my calm in the storm. He's my dresser as well as everything else that goes on in that building. And he is the reason why I'm able to get on stage and deliver because he is my calm. Oh, how lovely. He's amazing. But you're always like that.

You know, you've always been the person from all the years that I've known you. You remember everybody. You talk to everybody. You always say hello to everybody. I just love people. I love humans. And I just think that, you know, life is so precious. We're all of us in this room right here.

We're all so blessed. and I just think every day you have to wake up and remember that. I know that life will throw things at you, but I always believe and say the universe, whatever you believe in, God, the universe, whatever, doesn't give you anything you can't handle. And when it comes your way, you know, accept that something's happened, okay, well, let's just, how can we deal with it? Let's not add to any problems, it's find solutions, and that's the way that I've always been.

But you've been so open about some of those things. I mean, when you're doing strictly and the pain that you were in behind the scenes, you know, and you shared it with everyone. and everybody else has lost a parent or a friend or a significant family. Yeah, yeah. And you were so honest and open about it. And that would have helped so many people because you love helping people as well. That's your other head, is there?

I think if I wasn't a singer, I definitely probably would have been a nurse because I discovered that quite when I was really, really young because I wanted to help other people. And then I wanted to also be a lawyer to help other people. But I think for me, yeah, my mum's always said your door should always be open. always help others in need because that's how you get your blessings Good Karma follows you I guess So let's talk about Chaka Khan though Because what a lot

I didn't realize I was ignorant I knew a bit About Chucker Khan's life I didn't realize the enormity of what Chaka Khan has been through I have to full name Chukkah Khan You can't just say Chukkah I'm sorry

Yeah I've started calling the Shaka as well but I need to stop that. They don't pay me to say that. What she's been through and what you do on stage to show us what she's been through? Oh my word. Yeah.

Look, it's probably the heaviest show I've ever done to the point where I think I need a little bit of a break from performing in theatre for a bit after this. It's intense. And look, she is a wonderful woman. I don't understand how this has come full, circle for me, from my first audition at X Factor singing Shaka with my mum to performing at the Tribunal Theatre in Wembley Park where I won and got my career with X Factor. With the same building.

Same building, which I thought were turned into FACTA. And then, the Fountain Studios, yeah, and we're there now. And it's just a whole big moment for me, which I really believe is from my mum up above. And that's giving me this massive blessing. But Shaka's life is extraordinary. She's still here Strong Strong minded Strong in her body Happy

And here to tell the tale It's a lot of pressure To perform this role In front of her Next week she's going to be there Yes Okay How on earth

Okay so you've duetted with Beyonce Beyonce Beyonce But you know Doing Shaka Khan To Shaka Khan Wow Yeah, I haven't really thought about it.

I probably won't on the day. Don't think about it. I just don't want to see her before the show. Just be you. Yeah, and I'm just going to keep doing what we've been doing whilst we've been in previews currently and just keep the direction there from the directors, from Nia Hill who wrote the script,

which is one of her best friends and basically a sister, family member. And Harry will be there to help me. And it will all be okay. I'm just going to keep convincing myself because that's what you've got to put out in the universe, and it's going to be fine, right? But of course it's dawn. it's going to be a powerful night

because I believe for her to sit and witness her life story also is going to be quite difficult for her because we touch on some subjects that actually she's never spoken about in the press it's not public knowledge some of the stuff which people will now

understand and see and we go quite deep with her story there's nothing that we leave behind and I am currently struggling with it yeah because it's hard for me as an actress I'm not a trained actress.

I go with the flow. I go with my gut and I take direction and apparently I take it well. You're all right. Hello. Hello. But look. Sorry, award winning actor. Platinum, multi-platinum selling. I think you know what you're doing by now.

I just have to give my all. That's all I can do, isn't it? But you always have done that. So I've seen you in many of the musicals that you've done. Obviously the body girl, but Chicago. I remember coming to see in Chicago. And afterwards, we came back stage afterwards, and you just the smile on your...

I love to play a lookie. And your manager who is here as well. Yeah, Nathan, my angel. We all came backstage and I remember he was smiling even broader than you. You were amazing in Chicago. You know what? I remember seeing Brandy on Broadway play that role and I remember sitting there saying one day that's going to be me to my ex at the time and he went, I think you've just started theatre. You might want to get off your high horse and I thought, well, seven years later I got that role and I was at the West End darling. so ha-ha to you. Good for you. And I just thought, you know, hard work does pay off because I really wanted that role.

And Roxy is probably one of my favourite roles to play. I have to, no, I've been really blessed. For someone that's not, you know, trained, quote and quote, I've landed such iconic roles since I've started my theatre career to play, to play with Newston, you know, Rachel Marion Bodyguard, to do sister act, to do chess, to do Chicago, go to, what if I miss?

Joseph, an amazing technical kind of dream coat. Oh my God, Adam's family, Mortisha. Any more? Just trying to reel them off, my God. There's so many more that are going to happen. I'm so blessed, right? Because I don't know, I'm the girl that's from Islington that had a massive dream. And thank God my mum believed in me because for her to push me.

Hold on, hold on. Absolutely your mum did, but you believed in yourself because you need that in a belief to do it. You have moments of doubt. I know that, you and I've spoken about that before. But you, but you, you. work hard. I do. I do. And sometimes I do play that down. I do play it down incredibly because I never want to sound anything but myself. And if it comes across as, I don't know, like I'm big-headed or whatever, it's not that. It's just simply acknowledging that I do work hard. And it's taking

me years to be able to say that, that I do work hard. And I am a, you know, I'm a lucky girl and I always say it's luck, but I then get reminded, but you have to work hard for it. And that's what I want to teach my kids, you know. Like, I want to teach them hard work. How are they? Oh, my God, they're wonderful. One's just turned four. One's about to be three.

I don't know how I'm coping, but it's okay. Oh, I'm here. Some holidays. So, no, so. They're in camp and nursery at the moment. Oh, right, okay. So it's okay. And the phone's on airplay mode right now.

So if there's any issues, if dad's on the other line, I'm working and this is fine. But I, you know, they came to see Shaka the other day. They're in love of Shaka. They're going to meet Shaka. They're going to be there on Press Night. They're going.

Oh, honey, yeah, they were there. So it's going to be mental because I've got no childcare, but it's okay. They can run on stage. They can run on stage, yes. Oh, look, when they saw the show the other day, they were screaming, mum. And one of them started crying at one of the really, oh, yes, there's traumatic. A traumatic scene that I didn't want them to be in and watching that moment.

And Darren was like, Mommy's okay. And they were like, Mommy's not okay. And started crying, so they had to be taken out. So maybe they just need to be backstage having fun. And you know what? going to say it some screen time. Yeah, because why not? Watch a movie.

Watch Disney Plus, darlings, I don't care. Have what you want. Have popcorn. Just relax backstage. I'm thinking more maybe at home you could do Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Club for them. Yes, why not? Yes, it was red and yellow and green and blue and whatever it was.

Can't remember that the script. Come on. No, darling, it's done. That's no, it's, no, mum brain, gone. Blue and purple and orange and blue. And blue. That's the end of it. It's that son, yes.

But if you want me to pay a narrator again, guys, I can just see the script. Here's the thing, though. Here's the thing, it was way, way back many centuries ago. She didn't get it. She didn't get it. Oh, no, you've done. Yes, well done you.

Yeah, yeah. Thank you all. My head's in Shaka Khan. Well done. Give it up for Gabby, guys. My head's in Shack. But if you started singing it in their body, I'd be able to finish that one. Can we talk, can we talk Beyonce?

Can we talk, Beontz? Yes, of course we can. We've spoken about this before and your eyes whenever you talk about it. There you were on X Factor. I know. In Fountain Studios, as you said, in the same building that you're now the star and you were the star when you did X Factor and you won and you were there with Beyonce singing a duet with Beyonce.

Yes. A young girl with a dream. Oh my word. I know. And you know when we get to Tuesday, do you mind coming backstage? I can show you, they've called it the X-Factor corridor. Let me tell you, it's so crazy. The carpet hasn't changed nearly 20 years,

but that's okay because it's got memories there. Does it smell of it? It doesn't smell. They've actually cleaned it really well. No, I'm going to do a good way to smell. No, no. Memories smell. No, no memories of the smell.

But what it does have is pictures of everyone across the wall. And my big old face with Beyonce is there on each side of the corridor and then a massive one in the middle of the corridor and it's just so amazing. Matt Cardle's there, you've got little mix there, you've got everyone there. It's just beautiful how they've done it.

The memories and then the first three days, I think that I was there doing tech and stuff. Couldn't stop crying. Oh. Couldn't stop crying. It's where I met Nathan, my manager, 18 years ago. Us looking fresh face and look like babies on our picture that I've got on my phone,

in that corridor, me in a little robe. And it's just, I'm now in Sherry, Shelf's room, shelves room is my dressing room. And it's just bizarre. And even neighboring that shed her tear because it was just so emotional going back. And why it was emotional for me personally was because I basically could see

some people who are no longer here walking up that corridor. And one was my mum and I could spiritually see her walking up and down, could feel her. And I walked in and I was just like, how am I going to do this? How am I going to do this show in this building? And that's probably why.

I have such an emotional journey with this show because of how it's all come about with playing my first ever originating role in the place that gave me my career. I auditioned with Shaka Khan with her song Ain't No Body with my mum. Wow. I'm so grateful. I'm eternally grateful. I'm overwhelmed by that. I don't know how I got so lucky. Because you work hard and because you're really, really wonderful of what you do.

You know, it comes from. in your soul. Your voice comes from in your soul. And you look how you feel. Look how you care. You care. That's the other thing. Sorry. No. Why are you apologising? Please don't apologize. It's because I'm going to get it. I'm just really grateful. We've known you've done for a long old time. I still remember being 19 and then walking back with kids. I was just like, wow, God's been so good to me. And everything I do is for them. I know. You know, everything I do, the way my mum used to do everything for us as her children. Everything I do is for them, for them two kids.

Like, I'm so lucky. But you also, you also, I think, and I think you have to remember that you're doing this for you as well. Yeah, I am. You did that. You've had moments where you didn't believe you could do it. We've spoken about that, and you're very open about that. And yet, you've worked hard.

You are unbelievably talented. Thank you. So you have to accept it. It's not just luck. But also that, you know. you. This is for you as well. You're living your dream. I am. Yeah, I really am. And I said it to like, I was in the room and every day and I was just like, how is it that I get to wake up and do the one thing that I've

always dreamt of doing? And when my mum used to say to me, what do you want to be when you're older? And I was like, I just want to be like you, you're a mum and you're a singer. And I've got the two things I always asked for and prayed for. And even now with like, has, as chaotic my life, my life is chaos, right? But in a great way. And I was walking in the park the other day with my kids and with Darren and with the six dogs that we have. And I just turned sick. And I said, I know, it sounds wild. No, I love it.

It's great. It's a house full of love, right? And I said to Darren, isn't this a life you prayed for? And he just touched me. He was like, yeah. I was like, we've met on a dating site. And I never thought in a million years I'd meet someone on a dating site. But thanks to Nathan, that's why we're together.

And Darren has to thank Nathan too, because I rejected him on that dating site. Three times. But like I walk in that park, I see my kids running around happy, full of joy, full of life. The dogs running after them and everyone just feels free. We're all free and it's like we're so lucky to have this life. Do you know what I mean? On reasons to be joyful, the podcast, we always ask everybody, what brings you real true joy?

Yeah. You sort of answered the question before I even asked. I can give you another one. Go on. So I sleep with my eldest. And just because it's sometimes easier to sleep with my baby. And when I wake up and I try not to move too quickly, so I don't wake, you know, I get this stroke on the face.

And I get, Mommy, you're so beautiful. I love you. Oh, my God, I love you so much. And I just, I can't explain how that feels. I don't even know how to put it into words, but my whole body. And then my other baby walks in when they woken up, up and they're both in the room and they're jumping on the bed and I'm like, whoa, this is just

amazing and it's just pure joy waking up to that. I know it's madness sometimes when they're not listening. I love that. But it is great, right? And these moments won't last forever. Because when the kids are older and they go to uni or they're going to school and stuff like that and you're not the cool mum anymore and you're at that gate and they're going, drop me there because you're not cool enough to drop me at the gate anymore. That's what I don't want that. But it's going to come And it's okay because they've got to be able to grow and, you know, and live their own lives. But right now, at the tender ages of three and four, I'm grateful because you don't get these moments back. Let's talk about your dogs.

Yes, can we? Because I love their old pets. Right, names please are the dogs and what are they? Okay. Are you ready? Yeah, I'm ready. So we've got two German shepherds, right? Nican and Willow. And then we've got the four littles.

So we've got Bella, miniature golden doodle. You've got Prince, my Chihuahua. Then you've got two toy poodles, which is panda and pickles. Lovely, thank you very much. In every single way, I'm moving in with you. You don't mind that. I'll show you pictures in a minute. They are wonderful.

I'm moving in with you. So great. So, Alexandra, as you're here and you are now, you embody, Chukkah Khan. I need a tiny weeny bit of you singing that. I know, I know you can't. Oh, just a tiny. Yes. Ain't nobody loves me better.

Makes me happy. Makes me feel this way. Ain't nobody loves me better than you Wow Gave you a bit more You said teeny I gave you a fool

Sorry I think the socials are going to Love you Yay! I knew it Look at her face She's like That's my Thank you very much

It's always so lovely to see you So lovely to see you My darling Please promise me You will have a little I'm looking at nice as well A little bit of a break after this I will

I think I will Yes And then are we going to get some more music? Absolutely. Look at Nathan's face. I just want the camera panning to Nathan right now. And he will be fuming if you do. Are we going to have a new album? We've got to get the new music out because we've been discussing it.

He's not. He's not saying yes. Yes. And the decision is that we're just going to drop singles and see what people like and get the feedback and go from there. Because it was going to be an album. But I'm kind of away from that. I just want to just drop music and just get a feel

because at the minute I'm loving what we're. we're creating in the studio and what we have created. But I just want to make sure it's what people want to hear. So because of Mighty Hoopla, I'm performing on that stage a couple of months ago, I got such great feedback. And now we're just like, let's just give them what they're asking for. And it's just music. And if you don't like it, that's okay.

And if you do, then fantastic. And if you can give me constructive criticism, I would take it and just go back and work harder. Simple. There's no stopping. Alexander Martin, everybody.