Yvonne “Yvie” Burnett was born in Aberdeen.

She studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama and embarked on the Opera Course at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, winning scholarships from The Caird Trust and The Countess of Munster. She gained early success as a successful Operatic Soloist with opera companies as diverse as Glyndebourne, Opera North and Netherlands Opera. However, a chance meeting with pop impresario Louis Walsh, led to her taking the first steps into the world of TV and becoming one of the industries leading TV vocal coaches.

Louis asked her to come and work with him on the second series of ITV’s smash hit The X Factor, where she jumped at the chance and went on to coach Mancunian shop assistant, Shayne Ward to victory.

Following this success, Yvie became the resident vocal coach to all of the contestants on the following series of X Factor, as well as lending her skills to X Factor Battle of the Stars, Grease Is The Word and Britain’s Got Talent.

In 2009 Simon Cowell appointed Yvie as vocal coach on the international hit America’s Got Talent. Her hard work and dedication saw her coach both 2009 winner Kevin Skinner and 2010’s winner Michael Grimm. She then took the opportunity to work with Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber when he was looking for Britain’s Eurovision entry on BBC1, where she helped the contestants hone their skills and saw us vote in our millions to crown Jade Ewen our choice to represent the UK, and coming an impressive 5th in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. Lord Andrew was so impressed with her work on the show that he hired her as vocal consultant on his West End hit Love Never Dies, the follow up to his ground breaking Phantom Of The Opera. He also introduced Yvie to his ex-wife Sarah Brightman and for the past year, Yvie has been her vocal coach.

During 2009’s Britain’s Got Talent, Yvie started working with Susan Boyle and when she was signed to Syco she stayed with Yvie at her home to prepare for recording her debut album. She has travelled the world with her, even accompanying her to a memorable performance at Tokyo’s Budokan Arena.
Yvie is in constant demand and has worked in the studio, on tour and in theatre with, among others, Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody, Kele Okereke of Bloc Party, Danny McNamara of Embrace, Murph of The Wombats, Lee Mead, Michelle Antrobus, Danny Bayne, Susan McFadden, Rachel Hunter, Carmen Electra and even David Guest.

In May 2010 Yvie won a Daily Record Our Hero Award for being Scottish Entertainment Personality.

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