Biography of Leona Lewis
Leona Lewis’ success as a singer hardly came as a surprise to those who know her, as she has been pursuing a career in music for most of her life. Leona Lewis wrote her first song when she was 12 and won in an under-18 competition the following year. She subsequently attended two highly regarded stage schools, the Sylvia Young Theatre School and the BRIT School.
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 on 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 at least three continents and nine countries, Lewis has had one of the most successful launches of any television talent show contestant ever.
leona lewis on x factor
Leona Lewis’ increased confidence -- coupled with the encouragement of family and friends -- led her to audition for The X Factor. The British program essentially follows the same formula as American Idol: Participants perform in front of three judges (Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louise Walsh) until a winner is chosen.
After The X Factor
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, 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, having sold 571,253 copies, beating Take That's single "Patience", and outselling the rest of the Top 40's sales combined. It was reported that one chain was "shifting more than 100 of her CDs a minute".[19] 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. It went on to sell in the region of 1,000,000 copies.
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.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, and showcased for several American music executives at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.
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.
Leona Lewis was considered an early favorite by fans and pundits alike, and she consistently knocked the judges out with her stirring renditions of popular songs like “I Will Always Love You” and “Over the Rainbow.” On December 16, 2006, Leona Lewis, with approximately 60% of the votes, was crowned the third-season winner of The X Factor.
leona lewis releases spirit
A few days after her victory, Leona’s first single -- a cover of Kelly Clarkson’s “A Moment Like This” -- was released to stores and online music shops, and it shot straight to No. 1. In early 2007, at about the same time her single was short-listed for an honor at the 2007 Brit Awards, Leona Lewis relocated to Los Angeles to begin work on her highly anticipated debut album, Spirit, which was released in March 2007 in the UK.
In 2008, Leona Lewis was nominated for an outstanding four BRIT Awards, and her album Spirit was released in the U.S. as well.
Her hit single, "Bleeding Love," also hit No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in March 2008.
Tracklisting:
1) L.O.V.E U
5) Joy
10) Silly Girl
