Alexandra Burke is Christmas no. 1

By Ruth Doherty on Monday 22 December 2008

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Alexandra Burke, X Factor, Celebrity news, Marie Claire

Alexandra Burke's version of Hallelujah shot to the Christmas no. 1 spot on Sunday , with Jeff Buckley's version snapping at her heels in second place - making it the first time the top two places on the Xmas singles chart have been taken by the same song.

Alexandra's version of the Leonard Cohen classic is the fastest selling single by a female solo artist with 576,000 sales on CD and download.

The release of The X Factor winner's single also triggered

interest in Buckley's 1994 recording, which managed to reach number two in download sales alone. Jeff Buckley, the son of musician Tim Buckley, died in a drowning accident in Memphis in 1997, aged just 30.

He recorded Hallelujah for the one album he released in his lifetime, Grace.

His Christmas success was driven by fans who campaigned on the internet for people to buy his haunting version over a reality TV winner's.

His mother,Mary Guibert, last night spoke of her pride at its renewed success, telling the Daily Mail:'It is phenomenal. Nothing like this has ever happened before.

'To think my son made only one album in his lifetime and would have the power in this one performance to touch people all these years later is amazing.'

She added: 'I know Jeff would have applauded Alexandra. I don't think he would have been negative about it and he certainly wouldn't have wanted to take any wind out of her sails.

'But I am also sure he would not have been a fan of The X Factor because it validates the notion that there are starmakers who think they can take just about anybody with the right look and the right song and turn them into a star.'

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