X Factor winner Alexandra Burke has bravely opened up about the horrific racism she has faced during her career in an emotional Instagram video.
Speaking frankly in video posted on her Instagram TV page, Alex said: “When I first won the X Factor, I was 19, I got told, ‘cos you’re black you are going to have to work 10 times harder than a white artist because of the colour of your skin.
“You can’t have braids, you can’t have an afro, you can’t have anything that is basically my identity.
“You have to have hair for example that appeals to white people so people can understand you better.”
Alexandra Burke has opened up about racism in the industry (Image: Twitter)
She added: “I mean, I was only 19 years old.
“There’s only so much you can understand at 19 and your life has completely changed overnight. And that was quite hard to digest.”
Throughout the video Alex avoided naming any individual, show or job in which she was told to change her appearance, but said that the people she was referring to would know it was about them.
Alexandra Burke found fame on The X Factor in 2008 (Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for BVLGARI and EJAF)
The Bad Boys songstress continued: “I got told to bleach my skin and that was something I refused to do.
“Because that is just absurd to me that somebody could even remotely say to someone ‘Bleach your skin so you can look whiter’.
“Still to this moment it breaks my heart that I was told that.”
Alexandra Burke made sure not to name and shame anyone in the industry (Image: Ken McKay / Rex Features)
The vocal powerhouse has enjoyed a glittering career in the industry since winning the X Factor in 2008.
Not only has she topped the charts, but she’s also appeared on BBC primetime show Strictly Come Dancing and starred in a number of West End musicals.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
