Rebecca Ferguson (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rebecca Ferguson MBE
Rebecca performing in Milan, Italy in 2012
Background information
Birth name	Rebecca Caroline Hughes
Also known as	Ferguson
Born	(1986-07-21) 21 July 1986 (age 38) Liverpool, Merseyside, England
Genres	R&B soul gospel pop jazz
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2010–present
Labels	Sony RCA Epic Columbia
Associated acts	The X Factor finalists 2010

Rebecca Caroline Ferguson MBE (born 21 July 1986) is an English soul singer and songwriter. In 2010, Rebecca became famous as the runner-up in the seventh series of The X Factor. After the show, she released her first album, Heaven, in December 2011. This album reached number 3 on the UK Albums Chart.

Since then, Rebecca has released four more albums: Freedom (2013), Lady Sings the Blues (2015), Superwoman (2016), and Heaven Part 2 (2023). She looks up to artists like Aretha Franklin, Kings of Leon, Christina Aguilera, and Amy Winehouse.

Early Life and Education

Rebecca Ferguson was born on 21 July 1986 in Liverpool, England. Her father is of Jamaican descent, and her mother is white British. She spent her early years in Huyton and then moved to Woolton Village. Rebecca has a younger brother named Sam.

She went to Woolton Primary School and Gateacre Community Comprehensive School. As a teenager, she moved to Anfield. Rebecca became a mother to her first child, Lillie May, and two years later, her son, Karl, was born. Rebecca has shared that her family always supported her dream of becoming a singer. She also mentioned that she wanted people to focus on her talent.

Rebecca is also a trained legal secretary. She studied at Hugh Baird College in Bootle. She said she wanted her children to see her succeed and be a good role model.

Music Career Journey

Starting Out with The X Factor

Rebecca was guided by Cheryl (pictured) during her time on The X Factor.

Before The X Factor, Rebecca had tried out for other music shows, including P. Diddy's Starmaker in New York, but she was not chosen. She also auditioned for The X Factor before, but it didn't go well.

For her successful X Factor audition, Rebecca sang "A Change Is Gonna Come". She impressed the judges, Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, and guest judge Nicole Scherzinger. Her mentor, Cheryl, chose her for the live shows. Rebecca performed many songs during the competition, including "Make You Feel My Love" and "Candle in the Wind", earning praise from the judges.

In the final, she sang a duet with Christina Aguilera. Rebecca finished as the runner-up, coming in second to Matt Cardle. This made her the first female runner-up on The X Factor.

Rebecca performing on The X Factor Live Tour in April 2011. She sang for 500,000 people across the UK.

After the show, Rebecca signed a record deal with Syco Music and Epic Records. She also joined nine other contestants on The X Factor Live Tour in 2011. During this tour, Rebecca performed for 500,000 people all over the UK.

First Album: Heaven

Rebecca released her first single, "Nothing's Real but Love", on 20 November 2011. It reached number ten on the UK Singles Chart. Her first album, Heaven, came out on 5 December 2011. Rebecca helped write all the songs on the album to make sure she felt a strong connection to them. The album included songs in the soul, pop, and blues styles.

Heaven quickly became very popular. It was certified platinum, meaning it sold over 300,000 copies in just two weeks in the UK. Because of high demand, Rebecca added more dates to her first UK and Ireland tour, and all the tickets sold out.

In 2012, Rebecca had some disagreements with her management team. She also broke her left leg, which meant she had to perform sitting down for a while. Later that year, she released a special deluxe version of Heaven and a new single called "Backtrack". Rebecca also sang on the charity song "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" to raise money for charities related to the Hillsborough disaster. This song became the Christmas Number 1 in the UK.

Albums: Freedom and Lady Sings the Blues

In October 2012, Rebecca announced plans for a US tour and began writing new music for her second album. She started working on the album in February 2013 and finished it by August. Rebecca shared that making this album was challenging, and she wrote about her children.

On 22 August 2013, she announced her new album would be called Freedom. It was released on 2 December 2013 and reached number 6 on the charts. Freedom received good reviews and was certified Gold. The album included a song with US soul star John Legend.

On 7 August 2014, Rebecca tweeted that she was back in the studio, working on her third album. She mentioned working with the same musicians who played for Frank Sinatra. Her third album, Lady Sings the Blues, was released on 9 March 2015 and reached number 7 on the UK Albums Chart.

Superwoman and Future Plans

On 9 May 2015, Rebecca performed at a special event in London called VE Day 70: A Party to Remember. She confirmed she was working on a new album in October 2015. The first song from this album, "Bones", was released on 2 September 2016. Her album, "Superwoman", came out on 7 October. Rebecca then went on tour across the UK.

In December 2016, Rebecca spoke about how her Christian faith helped her through difficult times during and after The X Factor. In 2017, she announced she was working on her fifth album. She released a dance song called "Uncrazy" on 1 December 2017, which was a different style for her.

Heaven Part II and Retirement

On 8 May 2020, Rebecca released a song called "Nothing Left but Family" with Nile Rodgers. She later confirmed that her next album, produced by Nile Rodgers, would be released in late 2022 or early 2023. On 25 November 2021, Rebecca announced that her fifth studio album, set for 2023, would be her last. She plans to retire from the music industry after its release.

On 6 June 2023, Rebecca confirmed that her final album, Heaven Part II, would be released in December. She performed in her hometown of Liverpool on 18 November 2023. In November, she also announced a nationwide tour for April 2024 to support the new album.

Personal Life and Family

Rebecca Ferguson has four children. She met the father of her two oldest children, Karl Dures, while on holiday. They dated for four years. She also has a daughter born in 2014 from a later relationship.

On 1 January 2022, Rebecca announced her engagement to Jonny Hughes, her partner of seven years. They got married in December 2022. On 17 February 2023, Rebecca shared that she had given birth to her fourth child.

Rebecca was honored with the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2024 Birthday Honours. This award recognized her services to the music industry.

Musical Style and Inspirations

Kings of Leon (left) and Aretha Franklin (right) are two of the musical acts Rebecca Ferguson looks up to.

Rebecca's music is often described as soul, pop, blues, and R&B. Her songs often tell stories about feelings and relationships. People have compared her music to artists like Aretha Franklin and Macy Gray. Rebecca describes her own sound as "quite soulful."

She says Aretha Franklin is one of her biggest inspirations, calling her the "Queen of Soul." Rebecca feels honored to be compared to Franklin but believes she still has a lot to achieve. She also admires the band Kings of Leon and would love to write music with them. Rebecca also looks up to the late soul singer Amy Winehouse, respecting her for being real and artistic. Other artists who inspire her include Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, and Nina Simone.

Other Activities

In June 2011, Rebecca became the new face of Walkers crisps Sunbites. She appeared in an advertisement for the brand. Rebecca also opened a beauty salon in Liverpool called Rebecca's Beauty Boudoir in 2013, but she closed it in 2015.

Since 2017, Rebecca has made guest appearances on ITV's show Loose Women. Her most recent appearance was in April 2019.

Discography

Albums

• Heaven (2011)
• Freedom (2013)
• Lady Sings the Blues (2015)
• Superwoman (2016)
• Heaven Part II (2023)

Tours

• The X Factor Live Tour (2011)
• Heaven Tour (2012)
• US Tour (2013)
• Freedom Tour (2014)
• Lady Sings the Blues Tour (2015)
• Superwoman Tour (2016)
• Revolution Tour (2018)
• Heaven Part II Tour (2024)

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Rebecca Ferguson (cantante) para niños