Leon Jackson: Difference between revisions
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==Early life== |
==Early life== |
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Leon Jackson was born in [[Whitburn, West Lothian|Whitburn]], [[West Lothian]], [[Scotland]],<ref name="studentlife">{{cite news|title=Student life goes pop for X Factor favourite|url=http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/ViewArticle.aspx?articleid=3472098|publisher=''[[The Scotsman]]''|date=[[2007-10-19]]|accessdate=2007-12-15}}</ref> and currently lives there with his mother Wendy, who brought him up as a single parent.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.scotsman.com/ViewArticle.aspx?articleid=3470674|title=X-Factor Leon has singing in his genes|publisher=''The Scotsman''|date=[[2007-10-15]]|accessdate=2007-12-15}}</ref> He formerly worked as a [[retail]] sales assistant.<ref name="karaoke">{{cite news|url=http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2007/11/25/pub-contests-changed-x-factor-leon-s-life-78057-20157733/|title=Karaoke Changed X Factor Leon's Life|publisher=''Sunday Mail''|date=[[2007-11-25]]|accessdate=2007-12-15}}</ref> Jackson only started singing properly in 2007 when his friends entered him into a [[karaoke]] competition, which he won. <ref name="studentlife"/><ref name="karaoke"/> Apart from his hobby of [[karate]], in which he is a [[Black belt (martial arts)|black belt]], Jackson says that singing is the only thing that makes him happy. He is a huge fan of contemporary jazz, his hero being [[Michael Bublé]]. <ref name="studentlife"/> Before he made it through to the finals of ''The X Factor'', Jackson had been planning to start an architectural technology course at [[Napier University]].<ref name="studentlife"/> |
Leon Jackson was born in [[Whitburn, West Lothian|Whitburn]], [[West Lothian]], [[Scotland]],<ref name="studentlife">{{cite news|title=Student life goes pop for X Factor favourite|url=http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/ViewArticle.aspx?articleid=3472098|publisher=''[[The Scotsman]]''|date=[[2007-10-19]]|accessdate=2007-12-15}}</ref> and currently lives there with his mother Wendy, who brought him up as a single parent.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.scotsman.com/ViewArticle.aspx?articleid=3470674|title=X-Factor Leon has singing in his genes|publisher=''The Scotsman''|date=[[2007-10-15]]|accessdate=2007-12-15}}</ref> He formerly worked as a [[retail]] sales assistant.<ref name="karaoke">{{cite news|url=http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2007/11/25/pub-contests-changed-x-factor-leon-s-life-78057-20157733/|title=Karaoke Changed X Factor Leon's Life|publisher=''Sunday Mail''|date=[[2007-11-25]]|accessdate=2007-12-15}}</ref> Jackson only started singing properly in 2007 when his friends entered him into a [[karaoke]] competition, which he won. <ref name="studentlife"/><ref name="karaoke"/> Apart from his hobby of [[karate]], in which he is a [[Black belt (martial arts)|black belt]], Jackson says that singing is the only thing that makes him happy. He is a huge fan of contemporary jazz, his hero being [[Michael Bublé]]. <ref name="studentlife"/> Before he made it through to the finals of ''The X Factor'', Jackson had been planning to start an architectural technology course at [[Napier University]].<ref name="studentlife"/> He will resume this path once his career diminishes rapidly, such as with all winners of reality competitions. |
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==The X Factor== |
==The X Factor== |
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Revision as of 17:14, 1 February 2008
Leon Jackson |
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Leon Jackson (born 30 December 1988) is a Scottish singer who won the fourth series of the popular British television talent show The X Factor in 2007. His debut single, a cover of "When You Believe" was digitally released on 16 December 2007 and was available in shops from 19 December 2007.
Early life
Leon Jackson was born in Whitburn, West Lothian, Scotland,[1] and currently lives there with his mother Wendy, who brought him up as a single parent.[2] He formerly worked as a retail sales assistant.[3] Jackson only started singing properly in 2007 when his friends entered him into a karaoke competition, which he won. [1][3] Apart from his hobby of karate, in which he is a black belt, Jackson says that singing is the only thing that makes him happy. He is a huge fan of contemporary jazz, his hero being Michael Bublé. [1] Before he made it through to the finals of The X Factor, Jackson had been planning to start an architectural technology course at Napier University.[1] He will resume this path once his career diminishes rapidly, such as with all winners of reality competitions.
The X Factor
In 2007, Jackson auditioned for the fourth series of The X Factor in Glasgow. He made it through to the final stages and was announced the winner on 15 December 2007, winning a £1 million recording contract with Syco Music/Sony BMG.[4] He was mentored by Dannii Minogue.[4] In the final, he performed a duet with Kylie Minogue of "Better the Devil You Know".[4] Jackson was an outsider to win the competition, and his win was described as "the biggest shock in the history of reality TV betting."[5] ITV have confirmed that Jackson won on the night of the final by around 10% of the popular vote.[6]
In December 2007, Jackson performed with Michael Bublé at Wembley Arena, singing Bublé's "Home". Jackson said this was the highlight of his life as Bublé is his idol.[7]
Like his idol Bublé, he is also widely recognised as a crooner.[8][9][10]
Post-X Factor career
Jackson's debut single, a cover of the Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey duet "When You Believe" went on sale as a download from midnight on Sunday 16 December 2007 and as a CD on Wednesday 19 December 2007. The debut single became the fastest-selling single of 2007, with sales reaching over 300,000, which secured him the 2007 Christmas number one. At Woolworths the single at its peak was selling 40 copies per minute.[11] Bookmakers reportedly stopped taking bets on who would get the 2007 Christmas number-one single, as "Leon [was] practically guaranteed top spot".[12] "When You Believe" indeed reached number one in the UK on 23 December 2007, thus making Jackson the first Scottish artist to achieve a Christmas number one.
Simon Cowell has said a debut album will not be rushed out, following the success of previous X Factor winner Leona Lewis's debut album Spirit, which was released 11 months after Lewis won series 3 of the show.[13]
Discography
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | IE | UWC | ||
| 2007 | "When You Believe" | 1 | 1 | 13 |
References
- ^ a b c d "Student life goes pop for X Factor favourite". The Scotsman. 2007-10-19. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "X-Factor Leon has singing in his genes". The Scotsman. 2007-10-15. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b "Karaoke Changed X Factor Leon's Life". Sunday Mail. 2007-11-25. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b c "Leon Jackson wins X Factor final". Daily Telegraph. 2007-12-15. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Leon Jackson takes X Factor crown". BBC News. 2007-12-16. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Walsh defends The X Factor result". The Guardian. 2007-12-18. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Dream for Leon as he sings with hero". Edinburgh Evening News. 2007-12-06. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ BBC News Online - Leon Jackson takes X Factor crown
- ^ The Sun - X-mas Factor as Leon hits No1
- ^ Daily Mirror - X Factor voting probe. Was Rhydian robbed?
- ^ "Leon set for Christmas number one". BBC News. 2007-12-19. Retrieved 2007-12-22.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Leon "guaranteed" Xmas No 1, say bookies". Digital Spy. 2007-12-17. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Cowell: Leon's album won't be rushed". Digital Spy. 2007-12-17. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)