BIO

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SHAN AKO is a London-born actor and vocalist whose work spans the West End, major UK and international tours, and large-scale concert productions. 

A BRIT School alum, she first came to national attention on the fifteenth and final UK series of The X Factor, where Simon Cowell selected her as his mentee for the live finals. She went on to perform on the X Factor UK Arena Tour in 2019.

Shan’s breakout theatre role arrived shortly after, when she was cast as Eponine in the acclaimed Les Miserables: The All-Star Staged Concert, now available on streaming platforms. Her performance led to her joining the new West End production at the Sondheim Theatre in 2020, earning her the Stage Debut Award for Best Performer in a Musical. She later returned to the production in Les Miserables: The Staged Concert through 2021.

In addition to her West End work, Shan spent three years touring the UK and Europe in Whitney – Queen of the Night, taking on the leading role of Whitney Houston. From 2022 to 2024 she starred as Eliza Hamilton in the West End company of Hamilton, completing a celebrated two-year run. She also appeared in the filmed Cameron Mackintosh production Sondheim’s Old Friends, honoring the legacy of Stephen Sondheim.

Most recently, Shan joined the Arena Spectacular World Tour of Les Miserables, performing in Abu Dhabi and Australia, and returned to London for the 40th anniversary West End company in 2025. 

She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Travis Burbanks.

PICTURE & RESUME

LES MISERABLES

SOCIAL MEDIA

CONTACT