Mama Brenda

Singing sensation Brenda Edwards talks about life after X Factor on Wednesday's show

Brenda Edwards, the last female finalist from the most recent series of 'X Factor', is currently making her stage debut as 'Mama Morton' in Chicago in London's West End.

Brenda joins Bonnie Langford, who stars as 'Roxie Hart', from 18-22 April at the Adelphi Theatre and from 28 April - 17 June at the Cambridge Theatre - the home of the show when the first production opened there in 1979.
 
As well as making several public appearances since The X-Factor, Brenda also took part, along with the other eight finalists - Chico, Nicolas Dorsett, The Conway Sisters, Maria Lawson, Chenai Zinyuku, Andy Abraham, duo Journey South and Shayne Ward in a 25 date X-Factor tour which commenced on 16th February and ran until 15th March 2006, singing to audiences all round the UK.

Brenda came fourth and was the final woman in the last series of The X-Factor, behind Andy Abraham, duo Journey South and the X-Factor winner Shayne Ward. Both Brenda and Andy were Sharon Osbourne's acts.

From 75,000 entrants, Brenda was the last woman standing in the semi-final as she was narrowly edged out in the closest public vote ever on the show. Unfortunately Brenda's performances of Aretha Franklin's 'Respect' and Anastacia's 'I'm Outta Love' and were not enough to secure a place in the final.

Celebrity judges Sharon Osborne, Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell led a standing ovation for Brenda's emotional farewell performance of 'Without You'.

Being Brenda

• Her favourite memory is getting through The X Factor auditions
• Brenda Edwards was born in Luton, Bedfordshire and has one older brother called Rodney
• On 22nd 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.
• Brenda first realised her love of music by singing in the Sunday school junior choir, aged 8. 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.
• Brenda was a good student at school and won 'Outstanding pupil of the year' award.
• 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.
• 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.
• Lives in London with her two kids, Jamal (15) and Tanisha (12) and her husband.
• Brenda met her husband, Patrick in 1995 and after a whirlwind romance they were married in Barbados in August 1996.
• 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 and it proved to be the start of an incredible X Factor journey that would introduce us all to her great undiscovered talent.