Leona Lewis is a British singer, songwriter and vocal producer. She has recorded material for a demo album, five studio albums and an EP. She has also collaborated with other artists for duets and featured songs on other artists' albums, charity singles and soundtracks. Before winning the third series of the UK version of The X Factor, Lewis recorded a demo album entitled Best Kept Secret in 2004 and 2005, which was licensed by UEG Entertainment but not released.[1] UEG spent approximately £70,000 on the singer's recording and production, but the demo failed to gain interest from record labels or executives.[1] It was released by UEG in 2009, who claimed that they had the rights to the album, though Lewis revealed she had never signed a contract that stated Best Kept Secret could possibly be released.[1]
After winning The X Factor in December 2006 and signing a £5 million contract with Simon Cowell's record label Syco and Clive Davis's J Records,[2] Lewis began to work with writers Ryan Tedder and Steve Mac,[3] among others, for her debut studio album Spirit, which was released in November 2007. The first single, "A Moment Like This", was released the day after Lewis won The X Factor, and its second single, "Bleeding Love", was released in October 2007. Lewis also covered Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" for the album.[4] Cowell conceptualised the song "Footprints in the Sand", and was thus credited as a songwriter.[5] Lewis also co-wrote the song "Here I Am" with Walter Afanasieff.[4] The re-release of Spirit in November 2008 was followed by a cover of Snow Patrol's "Run".[6]
According to Lewis, her second studio album, Echo was more guitar-orientated than Spirit.[7] In addition to working with Tedder again, Lewis collaborated with Justin Timberlake on the track "Don't Let Me Down", for which he provided background vocals,[5] and Kevin Rudolf on "Love Letter".[8] Australian recording artist Che'Nelle co-wrote the song "Can't Breathe" with Lewis and five other songwriters.[8] Lewis appeared on the soundtrack to the 2009 film Avatar on a song called "I See You (Theme from Avatar)". In August 2011, Lewis released a summer single entitled "Collide", a collaboration with Avicii. Although it was originally intended to be the lead single from her third studio album Glassheart, it was not included in the final track list. The singer released Hurt: The EP in December 2011, to bridge the gap for fans while she finished Glassheart, released in November 2012.[9] The EP consisted of three covers: "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails, "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls and "Colorblind" by Counting Crows.[10]
Prior to the release of Glassheart, Lewis revealed that the album content would be very different from that which is present on Spirit and Echo, stating that although it would be "experimental", it would still have a "classic" sound.[11] "Trouble", the lead single featuring Childish Gambino, combines elements of hip hop and trip hop music genres.[12][13] It was also co-written by Lewis with Emeli Sandé, amongst others.[14] Sandé co-wrote two other tracks called "I to You" and "Sugar".[14] She also wrote a track entitled "Mountains" which was originally planned to be included on Glassheart's track list, however Sandé decided to reclaim the song and include on her debut album, Our Version of Events.[15][16] Fraser T Smith, who was appointed by Lewis as the albums executive producer, was heavily involved with Glassheart's songwriting sessions, and is credited for co-writing "Trouble", "Un Love Me", "Come Alive", "Stop the Clocks" and "Fingerprint".[14] Lewis reunited with Tedder on the track "Glassheart", a dubstep inspired song.[17] Lewis co-wrote the song "Shake You Up" with Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins and Olivia Waithe.[14]
Songs
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Notes and sample credits
edit- ^ "Burn" was originally recorded by Lewis for Glassheart but was not included on the tracklisting. Ellie Goulding would go on to record it for the re-issue of her second studio album, Halcyon (2012).
- ^ "Favourite Scar" contains elements of the Tears for Fears song "Head over Heels" written by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith.
- ^ "Mountains" was originally recorded by Lewis for Glassheart but it was reclaimed by the song's co-writer Emeli Sandé for her debut album, Our Version of Events (2012).
- ^ "We Found Love" was originally recorded by Lewis for Glassheart but when the album was delayed, it was reclaimed by the song's writer Calvin Harris and then given to Rihanna for her fifth studio album, Talk That Talk (2011).
References
edit- ^ a b c Geoghegan, Kev (13 October 2008). "Leona's secret album is launched". BBC. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
- ^ "X Factor winner in US record deal". BBC. 9 February 2007. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
- ^ "Leona Is Back!". RCA Label Group. 20 August 2007. Archived from the original on 23 March 2008. Retrieved 20 August 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Spirit (inlay cover). Leona Lewis. Sony BMG, J Records, Syco. 2007. 8 86970 25542 4.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b Rick Edwards (28 February 2010). "T4: Under the Skin". T4. 30:00 minutes in. Channel 4. Channel 4.
- ^ "Leona Lewis adds Snow Patrol cover to album re-release". Daily Record. 31 October 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
- ^ "Leona Lewis Chats About Her New Album". Seventeen. 2 October 2009. Archived from the original (video) on 3 October 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Echo (inlay cover). Leona Lewis. Sony BMG, J Records, Syco. 2009. B005GRTNXC.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Corner, Lewis (25 January 2012). "Leona Lewis delays release of third album 'Glassheart'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
- ^ Daw, Robbie (5 December 2011). "Leona Lewis 'Hurt' EP To Contain Nine Inch Nails Cover". Idolator. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
- ^ Love, Ryan (17 February 2011). "Leona: 'LP has different, classic sound'". Digital Spy (Hearst Magazines UK). Retrieved 19 July 2012.
- ^ Love, Ryan (6 September 2011). "Leona Lewis interview: 'I want to give people the best of me'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
- ^ Hammersmith, Andrei (16 August 2012). "Leona Lewis' New Song Reveals She's Trouble for her Lovers". The Metro. Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Glassheart (Liner notes). Leona Lewis. Sony BMG, Syco, RCA Records. 2012. 88697963782.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b Corner, Lewis (15 August 2012). "Music - Leona Lewis demos leak online - listen". Digital Spy. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
- ^ a b Our Version of Events (Liner notes). Emeli Sandé. Virgin Records, EMI Records. 2012.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Rubenstein, Jenna Hally (21 September 2012). "New Song: Leona Lewis, 'Glassheart'". MTV Buzzworthy. Viacom. Archived from the original on 27 October 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
- ^ a b "BMI – Collide (Legal Title)". Broadcast Music. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
- ^ Sabbagh, Dan (4 August 2011). "X Factor winner faces high court battle to release new single". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ^ "Leona Lewis returns with her brand new single - 'Trouble' featuring Childish Gambino". Syco Music & Sony Music through DawBell Press & Media. August 2012. Archived from the original on 25 August 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o I Am. Def Jam Recordings (Liner notes). Leona Lewis. 11 September 2015.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b c d e f g h i j Christmas, with Love (Liner notes). Leona Lewis. Sony BMG, Syco, RCA Records. 2013.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b c d e f g h i j Best Kept Secret (Liner notes). Leona Lewis. UEG. 2005.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Copsey, Robert (10 December 2013). "Leona Lewis: 'Ellie Goulding's Burn wouldn't have worked for me'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
- ^ a b c Hurt: The EP (Liner notes). Leona Lewis. Sony BMG, J Records, Syco. 2011. B006HD1T4A.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Everybody Hurts (Legal Title)". Broadcast Music. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ "Heartbeat (Legal Title)". Broadcast Music. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
- ^ "I Got You - Single". iTunes Store. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
- ^ "ACE Title Search (I Know Who I Am), Leona Lewis)". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^ "ACE Title Search (I See You, Leona Lewis)". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^ "Leona Lewis shares 'Kiss Me It's Christmas' with Ne-Yo". 2 November 2021.
- ^ "Duetto tra Antonacci e Lewis nel brano 'Inaspettata'". MTV Italy (in Italian). 5 June 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
- ^ Prunes, Mariano. "Inaspettata". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
- ^ "'Inaspecttat' by Biagio Antonacci - 14 Tracks - 56:33". Tidal. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
- ^ "BMI – Just Stand Up! (Legal Title)". Broadcast Music. Archived from the original on 23 July 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
- ^ "Leona Lewis shares 'Kiss Me It's Christmas' with Ne-Yo". 2 November 2021.
- ^ "ACE Title Search (Love is Your Color, Leona Lewis & Jennifer Hudson)". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^ a b The Labyrinth Tour Live from The O2 (Liner notes). Leona Lewis. Sony BMG, Syco. 2010.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Stone Hearts and Hand Grenades (Legal Title)". Broadcast Music. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
- ^ "Calvin Harris explains why he ditched Leona Lewis for Rihanna on Number One hit 'We Found Love'". NME. 22 April 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2015.