Early Life
Born in Luton, Bedfordshire, Edwards and her older brother Rodney were raised by relatives following the death of their parents in a car crash on 22 December 1974. Her grandmother, who was a member of the local Pentecostal church, encouraged her granddaughter to attend when she was eight, and Edwards soon discovered a love of music and singing, which led to joining Sunday school junior choir, and soon became the choir mistress, as well as a member of the Pentecostal Collective Church Of God In Christ (COGIC) mass choir.
Edwards eventually made the move from gospel to secular music, and at eighteen she sang at local night clubs, weddings, funerals and Bar Mitzvahs, hoping that she would be discovered by a record label - most of her performances were unpaid - but to no avail. Prior to becoming famous, Edwards worked full-time in accounts; this career lasted 17 years, and at its height she was promoted to Accounts Payable Manager at Sit-up Ltd.
Read more about this topic: Brenda Edwards
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