Leona Lewis (full name Leona Louise Lewis) was born on April 3, 1985 in Islington, London, England. She is an English singer. Leona Lewis became famous after she won the third series of the popular British television talent show "The X Factor".
Biography and Career :
She is the daughter of Aural Josiah, an Afro-Caribbean youth worker, and Marie Lewis, a social worker of Anglo-Welsh descent. She started to sing when she was a little girl and she wrote her first song at the age of twelve.
She attended many art schools like Sylvia Young Theatre School, performing arts academy Italia Conti in Goswell Road, Islington and then the BRIT School where she was a classmate and friend of Katie Melua.
At the age of thirteen she won the Lady D under-eighteen talent show at the Hackn
ey Empire and many people saw her like a future music star. In 2004 she won Yates's Wannabe Talent Contest, singing Mariah Carey's "Always Be My Baby".
After she finished her school she had some jobs like waitress at Pizza Hut or receptionist at Metropolitan Mortgages in Median Road, Lower Clapton, Hackney and Head & Short Chiropodists in Stoke Newington High Street.
In 2006 she participated at an audition for The X Factor singing "Somewhere over the rainbow" and she succeeded to won the contest and signed a £1 million recording contract. Her first single was a cover of Kelly Clarkson "A moment like this" became number one quickly and won a lot of records for selling.
In February 2007, Lewis signed a £5 million contract with Clive Davis, founder of Arista Records. Her debut album "Spirit" appeared on November 9, 2007 and soon after this it appeared her second "Best kept secret" on November 26, 2007 and was appreciated by critics and fans.
Trivia :
- Her debut single was downloaded 50,000 times in just 30 minutes.
- Her parents shared the same surname before they got married.
Discography :
2006 - A moment like this (single)
2007 - Bleeding love (single)
2007 - Spirit
2007 - Best kept secret Leona Lewis Image : flickr.com