History
Rebecca Ferguson
Rebecca Caroline Ferguson, born in Anfield, Liverpool, on July 21, 1986, is a British singer and songwriter. She first gained public attention in 2010 as the runner-up in the seventh series of the television talent show "The X Factor." Mentored by Cheryl Cole, Ferguson reached the finals, performing a duet of "Beautiful" with her idol, Christina Aguilera. She finished second to winner Matt Cardle and was subsequently signed to Syco Music, a division of Sony Music Entertainment.
Ferguson's musical journey began with a strong audition performance of "A Change Is Gonna Come." During the bootcamp stage, her rendition of "Like a Star" earned praise from judges Simon Cowell, who called it a "recording voice," and Nicole Scherzinger, who described her as "our generation’s songbird." She continued to impress throughout the competition, performing "Fireflies" at the judges' houses, "Teardrops," "Feeling Good," and "Why Don't You Do Right?" in the initial live shows. Her performances of "Make You Feel My Love" and "Candle in the Wind" in later live shows received standing ovations from the judges.
Discography
Ferguson's debut single, "Nothing's Real But Love," was released in November 2011, preceding her debut album, Heaven, which became available the following week. Her second studio album, Freedom, was released in December 2013. In 2015, she released her third studio album, Lady Sings the Blues, featuring covers of jazz classics popularized by Billie Holiday. In 2017, Ferguson explored a different musical direction with the dance single "Uncrazy." More recently, on May 8, 2020, she released the single "Nothing Left But Family," a collaboration with Nile Rodgers.
Prior to her music career, Ferguson qualified as a legal secretary after studying at Hugh Baird College in Bootle. She had previously auditioned unsuccessfully for "The X Factor" and P. Diddy's "Starmaker" competition in New York before securing her successful run on "The X Factor" in 2010.
