Leona Louise Lewis (born 3 April 1985) is an English singer-songwriter and winner of the third series of UK television talent show The X Factor. Her UK debut single, "A Moment Like This", was released in December 2006, breaking a world record after it was downloaded over 50,000 times within 30 minutes.
Her second single, "Bleeding Love", was the biggest-selling single of 2007 in the United Kingdom, topped over thirty national singles charts and became a number one single on the first week in France on March 22 and number one in the US on April 5, 2008.
Her debut album, Spirit, was released in Europe in November 2007, and became the fastest-selling debut album ever in both the United Kingdom and Ireland. Released in North America in April 2008, Spirit debuted at number one in the US Billboard 200 chart and made Lewis the first British solo artist to top the chart with a debut album.
With her album reaching number one in four continents and nine countries, Lewis has had the most successful launch of any television talent show contestant ever.Leona Lewis was born in Stoke Newington, in the London borough of Hackney, to parents Aural Josiah Lewis, an Afro-Caribbean Guyanese youth worker, and Maria Lewis (also née Lewis)[10], a Welsh social worker.[11][12] At the age of five, she attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School,[12] and later the Italia Conti Academy[13] and the BRIT School.[14]
Lewis wrote her first song at the age of twelve,[15] and won a number of talent competitions.[16][17] After leaving school, Lewis took a number of jobs to pay to get into a recording studio, including waitressing and several receptionist jobs.[12][13][18]
She wrote and recorded a number of songs including a demo album of her own songs called Twilight, but the album was never released.[19] When she was fifteen years old, she recorded a version of Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You" with music producer Marley J. Wills, after which Lewis and Wills were invited to the U.S. by Sony.[20] Wills commented that "Leona could hit the notes and I think she did it better than the original."[21]
When her career seemed to be going nowhere, she considered quitting the music industry until her boyfriend persuaded her to enter The X Factor.[16]In 2006, Lewis auditioned for the third series of The X Factor, singing "Over the Rainbow". She made it through to the final stages and was announced the winner on 16 December 2006, winning a £1 million recording contract.[22] She was mentored by Simon Cowell.
Lewis' voice was consistently praised by all three judges — Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh. Occasionally, she was compared with divas such as Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Celine Dion.[12] However, Lewis was also criticised, by both the judges and in the press, in relation to her confidence. Vocal coach Mark Hudson also criticised her lack of star quality.[23] On the final night of the show, Take That joined Lewis on stage for a duet of their song "A Million Love Songs". After the performance, singer Gary Barlow told Cowell, "you've got a big responsibility because this girl is probably fifty times better than any contestant you have ever had on this show, and it's your responsibility to make her the best record you can, so please do that."[24]
On the Oprah Winfrey Show on 17 March 2008, Simon Cowell said that it was during Lewis' barefoot performance of "Summertime" in the third live round of The X Factor (broadcast 28 October 2006) that he "could see her transform from a great singer into a superstar".Over one-million copies of the winner's single, a cover of Kelly Clarkson's first single "A Moment Like This", were pre-ordered by stores,[25] although at the time, the winner of the show had not been announced and it was unknown who would be releasing the single. "A Moment Like This" was released on CD on 20 December 2006, and was available as a digital download from midnight on 17 December. It broke a world record after it was downloaded fifty-thousand times in thirty minutes. On 24 December, "A Moment Like This" was crowned the 2006 UK Christmas number-one single,[26] having sold 571,253 copies, beating Take That's single "Patience", and outselling the rest of the Top 40's sales combined.[27] It was reported that one chain was "shifting more than 100 of her CDs a minute".[28] The single became the biggest-downloaded song in 2006, beating Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy". The single stayed at number one for four weeks, and also stayed at the top spot in the Irish Singles Chart for six weeks.[29] It went on to sell in the region of 1,000,000 copies.[30]
A four-track download EP, "It's All for You", that she recorded before entering The X Factor was released digitally on 18 December 2006, through The Schizofreniks record label.[31][32] However, the single did not chart.
In February 2007, Lewis signed a £5 million ($9.7 million) five album contract in the United States with Clive Davis's record label, J Records,[33] and showcased for several American music executives at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.[34]
On 16 January 2007, "A Moment Like This" was shortlisted for the British Single award at the 2007 BRIT Awards. It made it to the second round but was eliminated and did not make it to the final selection. In May, it was awarded the Ivor Novello Award for Best Selling British Single.[35]On 25 April 2007, a press release was sent out revealing that Simon Cowell and Clive Davis would work together in a first-of-its-kind partnership on both the song and producer selection for Lewis' debut album, entitled Spirit.[36] On 24 September 2007, Lewis performed a special album launch party at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge, London, where she performed four tracks from the album.[37][38][39][40] The album was released in the Republic of Ireland on 9 November 2007, where it entered the Irish Albums Chart at number one, being Ireland's fastest-selling debut album of all time. It was released on 12 November 2007 in the United Kingdom, where it entered the UK Albums Chart at number one, and was also the UK's fastest selling debut album, and the fourth fastest selling album of all time.
The album was released in several other nations in January 2008, and went to number one in New Zealand, Australia, Austria, Germany, South Africa and Switzerland.[41]
Spirit was released in the United States on 8 April 2008, and entered the Billboard 200 at number one.[42][43]
Lewis recorded tracks for the album in London, Miami,[44] Los Angeles,[45] New York City, and Atlanta.[46] She worked with several songwriters and record producers including Dr. Luke, Dallas Austin,[46] Max Martin, Stargate,[47] Walter Afanasieff,[48] Salaam Remi, Kara DioGuardi, Per Magnusson, David Kreuger, Richard Page and Novel.[49] She also recorded "I'm You", which was written and produced by Ne-Yo.[50][51] Two further tracks were recorded in early 2008 for the U.S. release of the album, "Forgive Me" which was produced by Akon and "Misses Glass" which was produced by RockCity.[52][53]
Lewis' second single, "Bleeding Love", produced by One Republic's Ryan Tedder,[54] and written by Ryan Tedder and Jesse McCartney, was released on 22 October 2007 in the UK.[55] Lewis performed the song on the first live show of the fourth series of The X Factor on 20 October.[56][57] The single sold 66,000 copies on its first day of release[58] and went on to sell 218,805 copies in its first week, giving it the biggest first-week sales of 2007 to date.[59][60] It entered both the UK Singles Chart at number one,[60][61][62] where it stayed for seven weeks.[63] It also debuted at number one in the Irish Singles Chart, remaining there for eight weeks.[63] It also reached number one in the singles charts of New Zealand, Australia, France, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Belgium, The Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Canada and the United States.[63] On 16 December 2007, "Bleeding Love" won The Record of the Year 2007 award.[64]
On 31 October 2007, Lewis appeared on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge, with acoustic performances of "Bleeding Love" and a cover of Snow Patrol's 2003 single "Run".[65][66] Her version of "Run" was popular with listeners, and as a result, was added to Radio 1's A list (a list of songs receiving the most airplay).[67] On 6 November she won 'Newcomer of the Year' at the Cosmopolitan Ultimate Woman of the Year Awards.[68][69] It was reported on 31 October 2007 that management company UEG Music planned to release an album of ten songs recorded by Lewis before her time on The X Factor, shortly after the release of Spirit, called Best Kept Secret. This is because the management company claimed they wanted to recoup some of the costs incurred in their investment and training of Lewis, including £70,000 of studio costs that they claimed remained unpaid. They also claimed to have offered Sony and Lewis' father to buy the rights of the album but both refused. Cowell was reportedly angered by the release of the album, saying that the company did not have the rights to release the songs, and that he would attempt to block the album from being released. He also claimed that the songs are unfinished demos, that fans should boycott the album and that there is no agreement with Lewis to release it. A representative for Lewis said: "UEG approached Leona and her representatives earlier this year - but they do not have the rights to release these demos."[70][71][72][73][74][75] Despite Cowell's attempts, the album was briefly released two weeks after her debut album Spirit, on 26 November 2007, through online music store Juno Records, though all trace of the album was removed from Juno the same day.
In the 30 November 2007 edition of American magazine Entertainment Weekly, Lewis was included among "8 to Watch in '08" in their 2007 "Entertainer of the Year" issue. The list of entertainers expected to become household names in the coming year describes Lewis as "the next Mariah Carey".[76]On 14 January 2008, Lewis was nominated for four BRIT Awards, in the categories British Female Solo Artist, British Breakthrough Act, British Album for Spirit, and British Single for "Bleeding Love".[77] She performed at the awards ceremony on 20 February 2008.[78] Despite being the favourite to win the most awards,[79] she received none.[80]
On 9 February 2008, Lewis performed at Clive Davis's annual pre-Grammy party, as Davis's 'Special New Artist' guest.[81][82][83] Lewis performed "Bleeding Love", on The Oprah Winfrey Show, on 17 March 2008.[84]
In February 2008, Lewis broke the major American charts as "Bleeding Love" entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 85.[85] It peaked at number one for at least four non-consecutive weeks in three separate runs beginning on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart dated 5 April 2008. "Bleeding Love" became the first track by a UK female to hit number one since Kim Wilde in 1987. [86] Lewis is also the third British female to go to number one with a debut single, the other two acts being Petula Clark with "Downtown" in 1965 and Sheena Easton with "Morning Train (Nine to Five)" in 1981, and only the sixth British female to ever top the US singles chart, following Clark, Easton, Wilde, Lulu and Bonnie Tyler. "Bleeding Love" is only the second single to ever fall out and return to the number one position on the Hot 100 twice, returning to number one on the charts dated 26 April 2008 and again on 10 May 2008. The first was Le Freak by Chic in 1978 and 1979.[87]
Lewis' third single, a double A-side featuring "Better in Time" and "Footprints in the Sand", was released in the United Kingdom in March 2008, in aid of Sport Relief,[88][89] and she visited South Africa for the charity.[90][91] The songs reached a peak of number 2 in the UK singles chart selling over 40,000 copies in its first week of physical release. She was kept off the number one position by Duffy who sold only 302 more copies of her single "Mercy" than Lewis. As a part of Sport Relief, Lewis has set up a website, yougivemestrength.com, for people to share their inspirational stories.[92]
It has been reported that Lewis is planning a £15 million world tour in 2010.[93] A second album is planned for release in 2009.[94]
On 27 March 2008, "Bleeding Love" became number one in the United World Chart.
On 23 April 2008, Lewis performed "Bleeding Love" on the seventh series of American Idol during one of the results nights of the show. She was also a presenter at the MTV Australia Awards 2008 on 26 April 2008, and a special guest performing "Bleeding Love" again at the finale of So You Think You Can Dance Australia on 27 April 2008.
On 27 June 2008, Lewis performed "Bleeding Love" and "Better In Time" at the 46664 Concert in Hyde Park, London to celebrate the 90th Birthday of Nelson Mandela
Lewis is reportedly in talks to sing the theme tune for the next James Bond film Quantum of Solace.[95] She is also set to perform at the closing ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing representing the change from Beijing to London.[96]
It is now currently believed that "Forgive Me" will be Lewis' next UK single.[97] There is not a set release date for the single, however various music sites have stated that the release date for the single will be around September/October 08.[98]Lewis lives in Hackney with her boyfriend Lou Al-Chamaa, an electrician, whom she has known since she was ten years old.[12][99][13] Lewis has stated that she would like to marry Al-Chamaa sometime in the future.[12]
Lewis has been a vegetarian since she was 12,[100] and in 2008 she won PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian along with Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis
