Simon Cowell is a nut job for allowing X Factor winners like Leona Lewis and Alexandra to slip through his fingers. Other than Emeli Sandé, we don't have much powerhouses of colour dominating the UK scene and I find that painful. I think Alexandra could have been a force if she had the right material to suit her voice but her music sucked big time.
Going the generic pop route was disappointing and more disappointing because it was HER decision to go this path, with such a soulful voice. I think the bigger problem was that she just wasn't very likable. Leona on the other hand, was very likable but boring. She's come out of her shell over the years though. I'm not sure if Alexandra would be able to resurrect her recording career at this point. I mean Leona had much bigger success and is struggling to make a dent in the UK now, and Alexandra was blacklisted from UK radio so the odds don't look good at all. With her talent, it's such a shame.