Rebecca Ferguson is one of X Factor's most famous contestants.
The Scouse singer rose to fame when she captured the nation's heart's on season 7 of the talent competition. Rebecca wowed judges with her rendition of "A Change is Gonna Come" at her audition in 2010.
Rebecca grew up in Anfield and sailed through the judge's houses into the live shows, where she was mentored by Cheryl. She faced tough competition in a star-studded season that also included Matt Cardle, One Direction and Mary Byrne.
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Rebecca was aged 24 at the time she competed in the show - and progressed all the way to the final. She eventually finished in second place behind Matt Cardle.
Rebecca started dating One Direction member Zayn Malik during her time on the show. However, the two split up after four months. She said: "When I was in a relationship with Zayn it was quite hard, but it comes with it. Me and Zayn just grew apart. I wish him all the best."
Rebecca's stunning soulful voice made sure her career continued to go from strength to strength following her stint on the ITV show and she was signed to Simon Cowell's record label, Syco Music. Her first single "Nothing is Real but Love" reached the top 10 of the UK's singles charts - and she released a song titled "Nothing Left But Family" with Nile Rodgers in 2020.
Rebecca spoke on This Morning about how she was growing disillusioned with the industry before her love for music was reignited following her collaboration with the iconic Chic hitmaker. She said: "I was deeply unhappy for many years but I had no idea I was unhappy.
"I had a tough childhood and I picked the wrong relationships, which I own now. "But I've been happy for three years now, I just needed someone to pull me out of that pit."
However, Rebecca announced in December 2021 that she will be retiring from music once her next album is released this year so she can focus her efforts on helping young artists break through in the music industry.
She told the Daily Star : "After my retirement, I will dedicate my time and energy into helping and nurturing emerging artists and fighting for better treatment. Nobody is more important than the creator, without the creators of music there are no independent or major labels!
"If songwriters are struggling to pay their rent the industry will naturally fail or evolve into something else as the current model is not sustainable."
Away from the world of showbiz, Rebecca is in a long term relationship and announced she was engaged in a heart-warming Instagram post shared on New Year's Day. The 35-year-old is also a mum to three children named Lillie May, Karl and Arabella.
She recently shared a snap with her daughter on Instagram along with the caption: "Stay at home mum life is EVERYTHING."
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