Yvie's Blog

Enough Of Vocal Coaching, Let's Get Out In The Snow

2009-02-06T04:43:00.001-08:00

Well I was meant to be teaching Alexandra this morning, but she's stuck in snowbound traffic, so I thought I'd build an igloo with my daughter, Emily May

Dodging Germs & Final Nerves

2008-12-13T00:20:00.001-08:00

Dodging Germs and Fighting Nerves - It's X Factor Final Week

My daughter and husband have been struck down with awful colds, so, anxious not to get any germs that I might pass onto the Alexandra, Eoghan or JLS, I've decided to book into a hotel from now until Saturday.

It's not just the germs that have made me book a hotel room but it's the experience of the past three years when preparations for the final week have run on late into the night and start again early in the morning.

Yvie's Big Night Out - The National TV Awards

2008-10-31T01:29:00.000-07:00

I love a posh night out and as I'm married to someone who doesn't, I have to get my surrogate husband, Louis Walsh to take me out every now and again.

Luckily this week, we'd both been invited to the National TV Awards, so, having spent 8 hours in London stores trying to find the right dress, I ended up finding the perfect dress in a shop in my hometown, Bedford (thanks Michael Bailey).

Although X Factor got pipped at the post for best talent show, we still had a great evening and it was fabulous light relief from rehearsals for this week's show, which have been hard as I've been losing my voice

Yvie On Anglia News with Leon Jackson

2008-10-16T14:36:00.001-07:00

Tonight's The Night - Of The First X Factor 2008 Live Show, Of Course

2008-10-11T02:41:00.000-07:00

Morning everyone, here's a link to an interview I did with Rick at the Daily Record, giving you the lowdown on this year's finalists.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/entertainment-news/2008/10/11/scots-x-factor-vocal-coach-yvie-burnett-on-the-final-12-86908-20792902

Also, here's a couple of random pics of who I had lunch with in the X Factor Canteen yesterday.

Yvie x

The Choirs' Last Stand and Leon (Again)

2008-09-05T02:54:00.000-07:00

August finished with the final of Last Choir Standing which was a great TV show as I feel the three best choirs made it through to the final. Ysgol Glanaethwy, Only Men Aloud and Revelation all gave amazing performances and OMA ended up winning.

After a couple of days well-earned rest, I have been back working with Leon Jackson getting him ready to do the heavy promotional schedule he'll have around the launch around the release of his wonderful debut album.

A lot of people have been quite dismissive of Leon as last year's XFactor winner, but when they hear his album, I think they'll be shocked and pleasantly surprised.�

Choirboys and 90 degrees by the Pool

2008-08-10T13:57:00.000-07:00

Well, July finished much as it had started, working flat out on two albums on two different continents.
Myself and producer, Nigel Wright have almost finished Andrew Johnston’s debut album, which we have been working on at Sphere Studios in South London.

However, at the start of June, I was given the chance of swapping the mixed delights of an English Summer for two weeks in Los Angeles working with Grammy Award-winning producer, Walter Afanasieff.

Holed up in a lovely hotel just off Sunset Blvd, on my third night there, I and the other guests of the hotel were entertained by Stevie Wonder playing piano and singing for the guests of a private party at the hotel.

It was a real privilege to see such a world-renowned entertainer at such close quarters.

Walter’s studio is at the back of his lovely house which like many in LA, has a pool, so in between sessions, I got to sunbathe by the pool.

We finished recording and I had to dash to the airport to make my late evening flight back to London, where the following day I was at this year’s XFactor Bootcamp.

I don’t think I’ve ever felt so tired as when my alarm went off at 6am the morning after I’d got back from Los Angeles. Jet lag was not an option!!!
Bootcamp was at the lovely, Indigo Theatre inside the O2. We were booked into a hotel across the river and this was the view that greeted me when I opened the curtains on the morning of Bootcamp (which also happened to be my 40th Birthday).

We finished at 10.30 on Friday night and I headed across London to my hotel close to the BBC, where we were doing the first live shows of Last Choir Standing on Saturday night.
I finally got home on Sunday night for my first night in my own bed for over two weeks.

Sun, Studio and Singers

2008-07-14T00:50:00.000-07:00

July 13th 2008

Sun, Studio and Singers

Although July is only 13 days old as I write this, it's been a really hectic month so far.

I've been working with Andrew Johnston on his debut album, working on BBC's new TV show, Last Choir Standing and I've managed to get away for three whole days of lying in the sun in Mallorca with my family. Unfortunately, I've only been able to go to one of the audition days for this year's X Factor (a particular pleasure of mine)

Most random of all, Rhydian Roberts was at our house today and instead of doing any singing we went for a run!

Tomorrow is back into the studio with Andrew.