Brenda Edwards

Brenda Edwards is a British singer and West End actress. Known for her strong vocals and personality, she rose to fame during her appearance on the second series of The X Factor, where she came fourth.

Born in Luton, Bedfordshire to a Afro-Caribbean family, Edwards and her older brother Rodney were raised by relatives following the death of their parents in a car crash on 22 December 1974. Her grandmother, who was a member of the local Pentecostal church, encouraged her granddaughter to attend when she was eight, and Edwards soon discovered a love of music and singing, which led to joining Sunday school junior choir, and soon became the choir mistress, as well as a member of the Pentecostal Collective Church of God in Christ (COGIC) mass choir.

Edwards eventually made the move from gospel to secular music, and at eighteen she sang at local night clubs, weddings, funerals and Bar Mitzvahs, hoping that she would be discovered by a record label – most of her performances were unpaid – but to no avail. Prior to becoming famous, Edwards worked full-time in accounts; this career lasted 17 years, and at its height she was promoted to Accounts Payable Manager at Sit-up Ltd.

During The X Factor, Edwards was in the Over 25s category alongside Andy Abraham, Chico Slimani and Maria Lawson, and mentored by Sharon Osbourne. The first live show saw her singing "Son of a Preacher Man". This was followed by performances of "Rescue Me" and "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 "Respect" and "Without You" with just 23 votes separating her and the act in third place.

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