Former X Factor contestant Ariel Burdett ‘regretted appearing on the show’ and ‘struggled with demons’ before her death at the age of 38
- Ariel appeared on the show in 2008 but did not make it past the audition stage
- Her encounter with the judges was one of the strangest in the show’s history
- Ariel ripped off her label when she walked into the room and said she was a ‘human being, not a number’
- She left the judges open-mouthed with her performance, with Simon Cowell telling her: ‘That was a complete and utter nightmare’
- Her death was announced on Facebook by friend Reza Bagheri – she is reported to have died on November 12 with an inquest due to be held later this month
- Police confirmed today there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding her death
Friends of X Factor 2008 contestant Ariel Burdett have been left shocked by her death earlier this month.
The musician – whose real name was Amy – died at her Leeds home on November 12, aged 38, with friends now reporting that she ‘struggled’ before her death.
Speaking to Sun Online Andrew Smalling, 35, who knew Amy from the Chemic Tavern pub, in Wodehouse, Leeds, said: ‘We were shocked when we heard she’d died. She’d struggled with demons for a while.
Shock: Friends of X Factor 2008 contestant Ariel Burdett have been left shocked by her death earlier this month, and have explained the musician ‘struggled with demons’
Andrew added that he believed Ariel wished she hadn’t auditioned for the X Factor in 2008, explaining: ‘I think she regretted appearing on X Factor because she actually a decent musician and it sort of tainted her.’
It was confirmed on Tuesday that Burdett’s death has been ruled as not suspicious. A cause of death has not yet been confirmed and an inquest is set to open on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the West Yorkshire Police told MailOnline: ‘On November 12, police were called to an address in the Woodhouse area of Leeds where a woman had been found dead.
Standing her ground: Ariel made a memorable appearance on The X Factor in 2008 where she described herself as a ‘holistic vocal coach’
‘There were no suspicious circumstances and the Coroner’s Office was informed. An inquest is due to open on November 27.’
Ariel is well remembered by fans of The X Factor for her audition in 2008 when she left the judges speechless with her original song.
Her death, which was initially reported by the Daily Star, was announced by a friend on her Facebook page.
A spokesperson for the West Yorkshire Police said: ‘There were no suspicious circumstances and the Coroner’s Office was informed. An inquest is due to open on November 27’
On appearing before the judges, she ripped off her label and said she was a ‘human being, not a number’.
She described herself in her audition as a ‘holistic vocal coach’.
After her wild performance, in which she left the judges open-mouthed, Simon Cowell told her: ‘That was a complete and utter nightmare.’
Infamous appearance: Ariel died earlier this month but her cause of death is not yet known
Ariel then tried to defend herself by saying, ‘the idea behind it was that you get to understand that every line was a different style.
But Simon brutally replied: ‘I don’t care’.
Ariel insisted that she was a ‘specialist, not a generalist’ and that her performance was ‘not something to be liked’ but rather something ‘to be understood from an academic perspective’.
Cheryl, who was also a judge on the show at the time alongside Louis Walsh and Dannii Minogue, added: ‘If I came to you for holistic [coaching] I would be scared of you, you’re actually really quite scary.
Shocked: Ariel had one of the most infamous auditions in X Factor history and left the judges open-mouthed with her performance (pictured: Simon Cowell during her audition)
Audition: Ariel described herself as a ‘holistic voice coach’ but Cheryl, then a judge on the show, said she was ‘scared’ of her
‘The way you walked over to me I thought we were going to have a scrap.
But an undeterred Ariel simply replied that Cheryl had ‘never been a rock singer then’.
Before being escorted out by security, Ariel rounded off her audition by telling the judges to ‘shove a bit of metal right up your a**’.
Iconic: Before being escorted out by security, Ariel rounded off her audition by telling the judges to ‘shove a bit of metal right up their a**’
Out: Before being escorted out by security after getting four nos, Ariel told the judges: ‘shove a bit of metal right up your a**’
Ariel reportedly changed her name to Arabella Starchild after her audition.
In the post announcing her death, friend Reza Bagheri wrote on Monday: Unfortunately Ara has passed away.’
He then advised those who wanted to go to her funeral to get in touch with her brother.
Another post read: ‘It is with great sadness that I post this, as I have only just found out myself. A some time member of the moot, Amy Burdett aka Arabella Starchild passed to the Summerlands earlier this month.’
One tribute to the aspiring singer read: ‘Ariel Burdett is gone. What a loss.’
Another posted: ‘I can’t believe that she died… rest in peace, Ariel Burdett.’
Sad: The aspiring singer’s death was announced by a friend on Facebook
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