| Sam Bailey | |
|---|---|
| |
| Contestant Profile | |
| Birth Date | 29 June 1977 |
| Age | 47 |
| Hometown | Leicester, Leicestershire, England |
| Occupation | Former prison officer Singer Stage actress |
|
| |
| Category | Over 25s |
| Mentor | Sharon Osbourne |
| Placement | Winner (1/12) |
| Gallery | |
Samantha Florence "Sam" Bailey (born 29 June 1977) is an English pop/soul singer from Leicester who won Series 10 of The X Factor. She was a part of the Over 25s catagory, mentored by Sharon Osbourne.
Background
Sam, who is from Bexley, England and had attended Bexley Arts College, is a married mother of two who had been singing on cruise ships, in clubs, and at music festivals for several years without success. She was even a member of a duo called Girls Next Door when she was a teenager.
Sam was living in Leicester with her husband Craig Pearson and their two children, son Tommy and daughter Brooke, and working as a prison officer when she tried out for the show.
The X Factor
Sam tried out for the show singing "Listen" by Beyonce in her room audition and then "Who's Loving You" by the Jackson 5 for her arena audition. Wowing the judges with her amazing voice, Sam progressed to bootcamp and then judges' homes where she got Sharon Osbourne as her mentor.
After Lorna Simpson and Shelley Smith were each eliminated in the first two weeks of the live shows, Sam became the only one left in her catagory, but despite that, she flourished, impressing the public week after week with her performances of such songs as "One Moment in Time" by Whitney Houston and "Bleeding Love' by Leona Lewis.
During her time on the show, Sam was compared to Scottish singer Susan Boyle due to her audition reminding people of Boyle's audition for Britian's Got Talent where they each impressed people with their talent as opposed to how they looked.
After several weeks of grueling competition, Sam won X Factor UK on December 14, 2013, becoming the first "over" to win the show since Steve Brookstein in 2004.
Sam's first single is a cover of the Demi Lovato hit "Skyscraper". The single was successful, debuting at number 1 on the UK Singles Chart and becoming the fifth fastest-selling single of 2013.
Sam is currently playing the role of Mrs. Potts in the 2022 UK touring production of the Disney musical Beauty and the Beast.
Performances
| Episode | Theme | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room Auditions | Free choice | "Listen" | Advanced |
| Arena Audition | Free choice | "Who's Lovin' You" | Advanced |
| Bootcamp | Group performance | "I'm Every Woman" | Advanced |
| Six Chair Challenge | Free choice | "Clown" | Advanced |
| Judges' houses | Free choice | "I Have Nothing" | Advanced |
| Week 1 | Songs from the 1980s | "The Power of Love" | Safe |
| Week 2 | Love and heartbreak | "Make You Feel My Love" | Safe |
| Week 3 | Movie week | "My Heart Will Go On" | Safe |
| Week 4 | Disco | "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" | Safe |
| Week 5 | Big Band | "New York New York" | Safe |
| Week 6 | The Great British Songbook | "Something" | Safe |
| Week 7 | The X Factor 10th Birthday Party | "Bleeding Love" | Safe |
| Week 8 | Musical heroes | "How Will I Know" | Safe |
| Jukebox | "Clown" | ||
| Week 9: Semi Final | Songs by Beyoncé | "If I Were a Boy" | Safe |
| Songs by Elton John | "Candle in the Wind" | ||
| Week 10: Final | Free choice | "The Edge of Glory" | Safe |
| Celebrity duets | "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (with Nicole Scherzinger) | ||
| Song of the Series | "The Power of Love" | Winner | |
| Winner's Single | "Skyscraper" |
Post The X Factor
In addition to being a part of the X Factor UK tour, Sam got to open for megastar singer Beyonce for one show on the UK leg of her Mrs. Carter Show World Tour on February 24, 2014. Sam's debut album, The Power of Love, which features duets with Nicole Scherzinger and Michael Bolton, was released on March 24, 2014. It debuted at number 1 on the UK Album Chart, making Bailey the first X Factor UK winner to acheive that feat since Alexandra Burke. She headlined her first ever concert tour, which kicked off in January 2015 and ended in February of that year. She released her autobigraphy, Daring to Dream, in November 2014.
Pregnancy announcement
On March 6, 2014, Sam announced via Twitter that she and husband Craig Pearson were expecting their third child. She gave birth to a daughter. Miley Beau Pearson, on September 10, 2014, and she made former mentor and close friend Sharon Osbourne her godmother. However, she later admitted to suffering from Bell's palsy after her daughter's birth.
Leaving Syco Music
In February 2015, Sam announced via Twitter that she had parted ways with Syco Music. She was later cast as Momma Morton in a UK touring production of the musical Chicago in 2016.
New label and new album
Sam released a new album, Sing My Heart Out, on September 16, 2016. It was her first album under a new label, Tiger Drum Records and peaked at #33 on the UK charts.
Discography
Albums:
- The Power of Love (2014)
- ' 'Sing My Heart Out (2016)
Singles:
- "Skyscraper" (2013)
| The X Factor UK Winners | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| |||
| Series 10 Finalists | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Abi Alton • Hannah Barrett • Kingsland Road • Lorna Simpson • Luke Friend • Miss Dynamix • Nicholas McDonald • Rough Copy • Sam Bailey • Sam Callahan • Shelley Smith • Tamera Foster | |||