Fleur East

Fleur East was born on October 29, 1987, in Walthamstow, London, to an English father and a Ghanaian mother. She pursued her education at Holy Family Technology College and Queen Mary University of London, where she studied journalism and contemporary history. Her career in music began in 2005 when she appeared on the second series of “The X Factor” as part of the girl group Addictiv Ladies, though they were eliminated early in the competition. Following this, she signed with Strictly Rhythm in 2012, releasing singles under the name Fleur, and collaborated with artists such as DJ Fresh and Drumsound & Bassline Smith, including the track “One in a Million” which charted at number 53 on the UK Singles Chart in 2013. During this period, East also worked as a waitress and fitness model to support her aspirations in music, facing financial challenges before deciding to re-audition for “The X Factor.”

In 2014, Fleur East returned to “The X Factor” as a solo artist for its eleventh series, mentored by Simon Cowell. This marked a significant turning point in her career. Her performance of Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” in the semi-final became a notable moment, propelling her rendition to number one on the UK iTunes Store chart and expediting the release of the original track. She ultimately finished as the runner-up in the competition. This success led to a record deal with Simon Cowell’s Syco Music in January 2015, and the release of her debut solo single “Sax” which reached number three in the UK. Her debut album, “Love, Sax and Flashbacks,” was released in December 2015 and achieved certified silver status by the BPI. East also secured an international music career deal with Columbia Records in 2016, and notably partnered with women’s fashion brand Lipsy London for her first fashion collection.

Subsequent to her music endeavors, East expanded into television and radio presenting. She participated in “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!” in 2018, finishing in fourth place. In 2019, she began hosting the breakfast show on Hits Radio and the Saturday Morning show across the Hits Radio Network. Her second studio album, “Fearless,” was released in March 2020. East also appeared on “Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway” from 2020 to 2023, presenting segments related to holiday giveaways. In 2022, she competed on “Strictly Come Dancing,” placing as a runner-up and achieving a perfect score of 40 for her Couple’s Choice. In June 2023, she became a co-host for “Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two.” Looking ahead, East is set to make her West End debut in April 2025, taking on the lead role in “Tina – The Tina Turner Musical” for a limited summer run, further diversifying her performance portfolio. She also welcomed her first child, a baby girl, in March 2024 with her husband, Marcel Badiane-Robin.