Britain’s Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon reveals pop comeback nine years after last single
BRITAIN’S Got Talent star Alesha Dixon has announced a brand new single as a guest on The Receipts Podcast, nearly a decade since her last single.
Alesha, 45, recently appeared on The Receipts Podcast to discuss BGT and inform fans of the release date for her new single Ransom.
In April of this year, the pop superstar had been spotted in a red bikini top and jean shorts while on the set of the music video for the reggae-inspired new single.
A social media teaser of the new single last month left fans wondering the actual date the single would be released onto music platforms.
The Britain’s Got Talent judge put fans out of their misery when she told The Receipt Podcast hosts Tolani Shoneye, better known as Tolly T, and co-host Audrey Indome, the exciting news about Ransom.
Alesha told the podcast that her eagerly awaited new single will be released on the 31st of May.
Alesha said: “I can reveal that my new single is called Ransom, and it will be released on May 31st. We also have BGT live shows coming up and then I’m going to move onto a second single.”
The MOBO-award winner has had an array of platinum selling singles and albums both as a solo artist, and as 1/3 of the noughties UK garage, pop and r&b group Mis-Teeq.
However her fourth and most recent solo album, 2015’s Do It For Love, included the single The Way We Are which failed to chart. The album also peaked at number 81 on the UK singles chart that year.
ALESHA’S EARLY BEGINNINGS
The Hertfordshire-born singer-rapper formed the R&B, pop and garage outfit Mis-Teeq in 1999, when she met fellow singer Sabrina Washington, 45, in their dance school in Fulham, London.
They spotted their third member Su-Elise Nash, 42, as the singer auditioned for another group. They would soon form a quarter when they met fourth member Zena McNally, 45, in 1999.
The pop and r&b hopefuls signed to Telstar Records the following year.
Zena left the group in in early 2001, and only featured on their first single, Why.
The noughties group were known for their unique fusion of UK garage, R&B and rap. Mis-Teeq had seven consecutive top-10 singles and two top-ten albums across US, Europe, Asia and Australia.
Their debut album Lickin’ on Both Sides was released peaked at number three on the UK albums chart back in October 2001. The album featured five singles, with each entering the the UK top 10.
The album included the single Why. Their second album Eye Candy was released in March 2003, and proved to be even more greater success than their debut effort, reaching double platinum.
The success was due in part to Eye Candy’s standout first single, Scandalous, which became an international hit and the bands biggest song to date.
The song also reached number two in the UK top 40 back in 2003. Scandalous even charted stateside, reaching number two on the US Billboard dance chart.
Unfortunately, the excitement would be short-lived as their US success marked the beginning of the end for the group.
MIS-TEEQ SPLIT AND SOLO CAREER
Mis-Teeq would split-up in February 2005 and Alesha and the other members of the group began carving out solo careers.
The rap queen even dazzled audiences as a video vixen in then US hip hop N*E*R*D’s video for She Wants To Move.
Alesha spoke of the split with the Receipts Podcast, telling the hosts: “We were working together everyday for eight years. You see each other more than your family.”
She continued: “Scandalous was a hit in America, but I wasn’t happy. I came back and I let my family know I didn’t feel good about being in the group anymore. We decided to end, but it was amicable.”
DIVORCE AND STRICTLY OPPORTUNITY
Alesha released her debut solo album Fired Up in 2006. Her debut single Lipstick was released in August 2006 and charted at 14 on the UK singles charts.
The following year, news about an affair between her husband, Harvey, 45, from UK rap group: So Solid Crew, and British singer Javine Hylton, 42, began to surface.
Alesha and Harvey had been married since 2005, and divorced the following year due to the aftermath of the affair.
2007 would prove to be a year of highs and lows for the singer, when Strictly Come Dancing bosses came knocking on door as she began to figure out next steps after the breakdown of her marriage.
Alesha would be partnered with professional dancer Matthew Cutler, and go onto win the fifth season of the BBC One hit show, which set the foundation for an even greater solo career.
She soon signed to Asylum records after taking home the famed glitterball trophy.
In 2008, she release platinum-selling second album called The Alesha Show, and hit singles Breathe Slow and The Boy Does Nothing.
Breathe Slow would become her best selling solo single, and it would be nominated at the 2010 BRIT awards in the prestigious Best British single category.
In a full circle moment, in 2009 Alesha got invited to appear on Strictly as a judge, which coincided with the release of her third studio album: The Entertainer.
BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT GIG
Alesha quit working on Strictly’s ninth series to become a judge on ITV‘s Britain’s Got Talent in 2012.
The vocalist replaced comedian Michael McIntyre, 48, on the hit variety show. She joined the judging panel which consisted of David Walliams, 52, Amanda Holden, 53, and Simon Cowell, 64.
CURRENT LIFE
In recent years, Alesha has settled into family life, balancing a thriving career with motherhood.
Alesha and her then boyfriend, former backing dancer Azuka Ononye, 43, welcomed their first child Azura Sienna back in 2013.
Inspired by motherhood, Alesha released best-selling novel series: Lightning Girl in June 2013.
Alesha and Azuka married four years later in 2017 and had their second daughter Anaya in August 2019.
The mother-of-two also told the Receipt Podcast hosts that she intends on focusing more on free time with her daughters; writing more children’s book stories as well as well as writing more music.
Alesha said: “I am going to take some time in the summer to be with my girls because it’s been a hectic six months, and then I’m back to the studio writing.”
She continued: “I’ve also just finished promoting my eighth children’s book ‘Luna Wolf 2: Code Danger’ ,and I’m writing its next part. If you don’t see me, I’m usually writing something or being with my kids.”
The TV host expanded her presenting repertoire to Eurovision Song Contest co-host last year in Liverpool alongside Graham Norton, 61.
ALESHA DIXON ON WORKING WITH PHARRELL
Alesha and Pharrell Williams in the music video for N*E*R*D's 2004 hit song She Wants To Move
WORKING WITH PHARRELL WILLIAMS
-Alesha was in bed watching the 90s sitcom Friends when a music video casting director called her to say she got the video vixen gig for She Wants To Move. The director had shown Pharrell a picture of Alesha from a magazine cover.
-She told The Receipts Podcast hosts that she had major competition for the video girl role. Alesha said: “The role was between Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks and me! I was happy, but surprised and nervous!”
-Alesha had been engaged at the time to So Solid Crew’s Harvey, and had one request. She said: “One of the first things I had to make them clear on was that I am not having a kissing scene with Pharrell. I wouldn’t have done the video if I had to do a kissing scene.”
ALESHA ON RAPPING FOR PHARRELL
Alesha went on to let listeners know that she also had to rap in front of Pharrell the night before the video-shoot in their hotel. Alesha explained: “I had to rap in front of Pharrell in the hotel the night before! He was lovely, he was keen to hear me rap.”
ALESHA’S ON THE VIDEO SHOOT SET
Alesha was so exhausted on the video-shoot, that she told the Receipt ladies that she had to be given oxygen. She said: “I was doing a lot of dancing and become hot. I’d been running on adrenaline and nerves.”
Alesha continued: “At one point after filming a scene, they had to give me oxygen! I didn’t want to mess it up. It’s a big budget Dave Meyers [US music video director to the stars] video production so a lot of was at stake.”