The X Factor winner told The Observer that interviewers often tell her they didn't realise she was so "bubbly".
© Kevin Rosdale /LOOK
"I remember I had a photoshoot last year and the photographer told me, 'Yeah, I asked a few people and they told me you were rude. They told me you were a diva'. It made me cry. It made me upset because I know who I am, and I was like, 'What am I not showing in my interviews? What am I not showing in my music?'," Burke said.
"I'm executive producer of the new album, so what I say goes. Of course I take advice from management, but I'm in a position where I can say a track's definitely not on the album because it doesn't speak about who I am. All I care about is making sure no one ever says again, 'You're such a diva'."
Burke has previously confessed that her mother, former Soul II Soul singer Melissa Bell, has struggled to cope with her daughter's success, leading to them clashing. Her half-brother was also accused of working illegally in Britain as a cleaner.
"Honey, my whole life is like EastEnders. The Burke family - if we had one of those reality shows, people would be shocked. We're crazy," she said.
Speaking of her recent return to The X Factor as a judge, she added: "It's catch-22. If I went on The X Factor and didn't criticise the acts, I would've got slated for that; and if I go on there too nice, people would've said, 'She's not got a bloody opinion'.
"I've got a lot of catchphrases. 'Okay dot com'. I'll go 'dot com' after everything. I'll go 'dot com', 'forward slash', it's just me, I'm a nutcase."
Burke's new single 'Elephant' is released today (March 11).
> Alexandra Burke interview: 'Simon Cowell was too busy for me'
Watch Alexandra Burke's video for 'Elephant' below:
