Leona Lewis

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Leona Lewis

Leona Louise Lewis (born 3 April 1985) is an English singer-songwriter who was the winner of the third series of the popular television talent show The X Factor.

Her debut single, "A Moment like This", was released on 20 December 2006. The single was also available as a digital download from midnight on 17 December and broke a world record after it was downloaded fifty thousand times in thirty minutes.[1] Her debut album, Spirit, is due for release on 12 November 2007. It is claimed Lewis will be the first winner of a major television talent show in both the UK and U.S. to be given a major global launch with the release of the album.[2]

Biography

Early life

Lewis was born in the London district of Islington to parents Joe, an Afro-Caribbean youth worker, and Marie Lewis, a social worker of Anglo-Welsh descent.[3][4] She is the middle child of three, with two brothers, Kyle, who is younger, and Bradley, who is older.[5] They grew up in Highbury and went to school at Ambler Primary School in Finsbury Park.[5] Lewis always wanted to get into music and at the age of five her parents sent her to the Sylvia Young Theatre School, despite fearing it would cripple them financially.[4] She also attended performing arts academy Italia Conti in Goswell Road, Islington[6] and the BRIT School.[7]

Lewis wrote her first song at the age of twelve,[8] and at the age of thirteen she won the Lady D under-eighteen talent show at the Hackney Empire.[9] In 2004 she won the Yates's Wannabe Talent Contest, singing Mariah Carey's "Always Be My Baby".[10]

After leaving school, Lewis took a number of jobs to pay to get into a recording studio. She worked in Pizza Hut as a waitress[4] and as a receptionist for Metropolitan Mortgages in Median Road, Lower Clapton.[6] She was also a receptionist for Head & Short Chiropodists in Stoke Newington High Street.[11]

She recorded a number of songs including a demo album of her own songs called Twilight, but the album was never released.[12] 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 US by Sony.[13] Wills went on to say that "She was young and innocent but very much able. Even then she had a very good voice. We started putting tracks together straight away." … "Leona could hit the notes and I think she did it better than the original."[14]

When her music career seemed to be going nowhere, she decided to give up, until her boyfriend Lou Al-Chamaa persuaded her to enter The X Factor.[9]

The X Factor

See also: The X Factor (UK series 3)

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.[15] She was mentored by Simon Cowell.

Lewis's coloratura soprano voice was consistently highly praised by all three judges — Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne. Her abilities demonstrated a vocal range of four octaves, with parts of certain performances reaching the whistle register. On occasions she was compared with divas such as Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera and Celine Dion.[4] All three judges also commented on how the British music industry needed a singer like her, and that her performances were world class.[4] Walsh remarked that her performance of "I Will Always Love You" was as good as Whitney Houston's version. On the 28 October show (Big Band week), Lewis sang "Summertime". Following her performance, Cowell said, "You are, absolutely, the best contestant I have ever had across any of these shows, and that was an amazing performance."

Lewis was criticed, by both the judges and in the press, in relation to her confidence. Vocal coach Mark Hudson also criticised her lack of star quality.[16] On the 9 December show, Cowell remarked that her rendition of Eva Cassidy's "Over the Rainbow" (originally sung by Judy Garland) was the best he had ever witnessed. Cowell also commented throughout the show that Lewis's lack of awareness as to how good she is, is what makes her special. 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, "This girl is probably fifty times better than any other contestant you have ever had, so you have a big responsibility to make the right record with her."[17] Before the final, on 11 December, Lewis performed at Hackney Empire for her friends, family and people from the local area.[6] She went on to win the competition, receiving 60% of the 8,000,000+ votes cast.[15] Cowell claims that he believed runner up Ray Quinn would win, until Lewis sung Eric Carmen's "All by Myself" and hit the final note, saying, "I think that final note may have just won you The X Factor".[4][18][19][20]

Post-X Factor career

Template:Sound sample box align right Template:Multi-listen start Template:Multi-listen item Template:Multi-listen end Template:Sample box end 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,[21] although at the time, the winner of the show had not been announced and it was unknown who would be releasing the single. On 24 December, "A Moment like This" was crowned the 2006 UK Christmas number-one single,[22] having sold 571,253 copies,[23] beating Take That's single "Patience", and outselling the rest of the Top 40's sales combined.[23] It has been reported that one chain was "shifting more than 100 of her CDs a minute".[24] 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.[25] It went on to sell in the region of 1,000,000 copies.

File:Leona Lewis showcase America.jpg
Lewis performing at the exclusive showcase at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, California.

In February 2007, Lewis signed a £5 million ($9.7 million) contract in the United States with Clive Davis, founder of Arista Records.[26] Davis has been responsible for the success of Whitney Houston. Houston is reported to have said that Lewis will be an international star and has offered to mentor her[27] and Lewis is now hoping they will record a duet.[28] Lewis will now release five albums worldwide through Davis's label, J Records. She celebrated her record deal by showcasing for several American music executives at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California,[29] where she sang "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word", "Summertime" and "Over the Rainbow". One executive described her as "the lovechild of Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey".[26]

A four-track download EP, "It's All for You", that she recorded before entering The X Factor went on sale online on 18 December 2006,[30] however, the single did not chart.

Lewis was scheduled to make a performance on the current series of American Idol to help her launch her career in the US.[31] She would have appeared in the semi-finals of the hit show,[32] but was sent back to the UK due to suffering from tonsilitis.[33]

On 16 January 2007, Lewis's single "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 prestigious Ivor Novello Award for Best Selling British Single. On 15 March 2007, Lewis performed in front of Charles, Prince of Wales at the UK finals of The Prince's Trust RBS Celebrate Success awards at the Barbican Centre in London, which were hosted by June Sarpong.[34] She presented the award for "Young Achiever of the Year" and also performed "Over the Rainbow".

On 2 June 2007, Lewis performed at a special This Is Your Life for Simon Cowell,[35] singing "Somewhere", from West Side Story, with Il Divo.

Lewis appeared in the October 2007 issue Harper's Bazaar UK, modelling dresses from Roberto Cavalli, Dolce & Gabbana, Emanuel Ungaro and Vivienne Westwood.[36] The photo shoot was done in Los Angeles and it was reported that severe disruption was caused when a crowd of fans blocked the streets trying to see Lewis.[37][38][39]

Spirit (2007)

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's debut album, entitled Spirit.[2][40] The album was said to have a September 2007 deadline,[33] however the album will be released on 12 November 2007 in the United Kingdom, and early 2008 in the United States.[41] Lewis has been writing and recording in London, Miami,[42] Los Angeles[43] and Atlanta, Georgia.[44] She has worked with American songwriter and record producer Dallas Austin,[44] Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis,[45] Max Martin, Stargate, Damon Dash,[46] Walter Afanasieff,[47] Danish producers Soulshock & Karlin, Salaam Remi, up-and-coming producer Fernando, Danja, Kara DioGuardi and Novel.[48] She has recorded a track called "I'm You" with Ne-Yo[49][50] and befriended Kanye West during the recording of the album.[45]

Lewis's second single, "Bleeding Love", written and produced by Ryan Tedder, will be released on 22 October 2007.[51] Lewis performed the song on the first live show of the fourth series of The X Factor.[52]

Other tracks confirmed as appearing on the album are "Whatever It Takes" (co-written by Lewis), "Homeless", "Yesterday" and a cover of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face".[53][54]

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.[53][54][55][56]

Personal life

Lewis now lives in Hackney and has been with her boyfriend Lou Al-Chamaa, an electrician, since she was seventeen. Lewis and Al-Chamaa have known each other since Lewis was nine years old and they grew up on the same street.[4][57] They are reported to have exchanged commitment rings and rented a £120,000 flat together in North London.[57][6] Lewis has stated that she wants to marry Al-Chamaa in the future.[4]

Although her big passion is singing, Lewis is also a keen dancer and actress, and can play the piano and guitar.[9] She also has a pet Rottweiler named Rome.[9]

Lewis has been a vegetarian since she was 12, saying that she became ill when she stopped eating meat because she didn't know what else to eat. She says in the future she would like to promote a line of non-leather bags and shoes that are affordable.[58]

Discography

Albums

Twilight

  • Unreleased

Spirit

  1. "A Moment like This"
  2. "Bleeding Love"

Singles

Year Single Chart positions Album
UK IE UWC
2006 "A Moment like This"[25] 1 1 9 Spirit
"It's All for You"Template:Fn - - - -
2007 "Bleeding Love" TBR TBR TBR Spirit

See also

References

  1. ^ Blackburn, Jen (17 December 2006). "Leona breaks world record". The Sun. Retrieved 2006-12-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ a b "Clive Davis and Simon Cowell work on X Factor's Leona Lewis release (25.04.07)". prnewswire.com. 25 March 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ "Leona's family factor". The Daily Mirror. 20 December 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-20. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "Exclusive: Leona I'm Going To Marry My Childhood Love". Mirror. 18 December 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ a b "X-tra special family Christmas for Leona". Islington Gazette. 20 December 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-20. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ a b c d "Winner Leona proud to be Hackney girl". Hackney Gazette. 22 December 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ "Fame Academy: The Brit School". The Independent. 28 January 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-20. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  8. ^ "I Want To Be Around For A While". News & Star. 31 December 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-09. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ a b c d "Did Leona Lewis ever imagine a moment like this?". thenewspaper.org. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
  10. ^ "Leona is best, bar none". The Sun. 15 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  11. ^ "Past Receptionists". Head & Short Podiatrists/Chiropodists. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  12. ^ "Leona's track record puts X-Factor bosses in a spin". thelondonpaper. 21 November 2006. Retrieved 2007-07-20. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  13. ^ "Leona To Say 'I Do' To Lou". Sunday Mirror. 17 December 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  14. ^ "Happy times recording track with X Factor finalist Leona". This Is Local London. 13 December 2006. Retrieved 2007-02-08. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ a b "Leona crowned winner of X Factor". BBC News. 16 December 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ "'X Factor' vocal coach criticises Leona". Digital Spy. 3 December 2006. Retrieved 2007-10-18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  17. ^ "Gary Barlow to pen track for Leona". Digital Spy. 10 January 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  18. ^ "2006 December". The X Factor Blog. December 16 2006. Retrieved 2007-01-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ "X Factor Final, Leona Lewis: All By Myself". Unreality TV. December 16 2006. Retrieved 2007-01-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ "The X Factor". The X Factor series 3. 2006-12-16. ITV. ITV1. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |episodelink= (help); Unknown parameter |city= ignored (|location= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ "Leona wins X Factor". AOL. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
  22. ^ "X Factor's Leona Lewis Christmas Number One". Gigwise. 24 December 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ a b "The Razz: Bigger than Britney". The Daily Record. 30 December 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  24. ^ "Leona's single is 'selling fast'". CBBC Newsround. 20 December 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-23. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  25. ^ a b "Leona Lewis - A Moment Like This". Musicsquare.net. Retrieved 2007-08-21.
  26. ^ a b "Leona Lewis secures £5 million US record deal". Life Style Extra. 9 February 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. ^ "Whitney tips Leona for stardom". ITV News. 19 December 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  28. ^ "Leona to duet with Whitney?". Digital Spy. 7 June 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-07. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. ^ "Leona Lewis creating waves Stateside". Hello Magazine. 9 February 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  30. ^ "Twinkle twinkle little stars". The Daily Record. 16 December 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-20. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ "Leona Lewis to perform on 'American Idol'". Life Style Extra. 8 January 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-09. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ "Neil Sean's Scoop 5/3". sky.com. 5 March 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  33. ^ a b "Sick Leona flies home from Los Angeles". Digital Spy. 13 May 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  34. ^ "Winner of the 'X Factor' Leona Lewis will sing for Britain's Prince Charles tonight". PR-inside.com. 15 March 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  35. ^ "Simon, this is your life". Metro. 25 May 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  36. ^ Gundersen, Catherine (2007). "Sweet Harmony". Harper's Bazaar UK: 244–255. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  37. ^ "Leona Lewis photo shoot causes LA traffic jam". LondonNet. 11 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  38. ^ "X-Factor winner Leona Lewis stops LA traffic". NewzLine.com. 11 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  39. ^ "Leona hits sea note". The Daily Mirror. 10 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  40. ^ "Leona glams up for vid". The Mirror. 3 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  41. ^ "Leona Lewis: Basically a press release presented as "news"". Popjustice. 16 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  42. ^ "Leona Is Back!". RCA Label Group. 20 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-20. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  43. ^ "Leona writes off this year". The Daily Record. 18 January 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  44. ^ a b "Leona's hard at work in the US". What's on TV. 14 April 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  45. ^ a b "Leona Lewis befriends Kanye West". Digital Spy. 17 July 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-20. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  46. ^ "No more Leonly nights". Sunday Mirror. 19 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  47. ^ "Cowell Defends Leona Lewis Chart Absence". Product-Reviews. 16 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  48. ^ "Photo of Leona and Novel". 22 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-22. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  49. ^ "Greetings from Atlanta". 31 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-01. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  50. ^ "I'm back!". 4 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  51. ^ "Hear Bleeding Love!". 14 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  52. ^ "Leona Lewis: Leona to perform on The X Factor". Unreality TV. 16 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  53. ^ a b "Long wait for Leonaarrrgghh!". The Sun. 26 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  54. ^ a b "First Listen: Leona Lewis' new album". Digital Spy. 25 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  55. ^ "Leona launches new single". Virgin Media. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
  56. ^ "Leona blows us away". Closer.co.uk. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
  57. ^ a b "Report: Leona to marry long-term partner". Digital Spy. 18 December 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  58. ^ "The transformation of Leona Lewis". The Times. 14 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

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