Rebecca Ferguson: 15 Years Stripped

“Our generation’s songbird,” was what Nicole Scherzinger called Rebecca Ferguson during her X Factor days. Britain fell in love with Ferguson’s voice during the seventh season of the competition show, during which the then 24-year-old singer won hearts with her story of single motherhood and passionate love of music. Shortly after her time on The X Factor, Ferguson released her debut album, Heaven. It was received with universal acclaim from critics, with no publication giving it less than four stars, and was certified platinum in the UK. In early 2012, Ferguson departed on her first headline tour, which sold out across the UK and Ireland.

Ferguson’s sophomore album, Freedom, arrived in December 2013. The album saw Ferguson making a departure from her soul-influenced sound in favour of R&B-tinged, dance-friendly tracks. Her next full-length project, Lady Sings The Blues, was even bolder departure from her previous work. It saw Ferguson reimagine Billie Holiday’s 1956 record of the same name, covering 17 songs previously performed by Holiday. Her fourth studio album, Superwoman, was released in 2016.

In 2023, Ferguson announced the upcoming release of Heaven – Part 2, her first full-length album in seven years. She explained on social media that the album would be her last, marking her retirement from the music industry. She also announced a homecoming show at Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall on 18th November, ahead of a string of summer 2024 dates around the UK.