Leona Lewis - 'Bleeding Love'
I would've loved to have been a fly on the wall watching the staff in Simon Cowell's offices towards the end of the last series of The X Factor.
Exec 1: "Has anyone got those offcuts from the last Westlife CD? I thought I'd make a start on the X Factor winner's album. I've got half an hour to spare, I can probably get most of it done in that time."
Exec 2: "I thought we wouldn't know who the winner was for another eight weeks?"
Exec 1: "Pfffft. It's always the same Blandy Blands though, isn't it? We throw together any old rubbish and stick a pretty face on the cover and the public'll buy it anyway. Easy money."
Exec 3: [raises hand sheepishly] "Um, guys? I don't want to worry anyone, but there's this girl called Leona and she's actually quite good. She can actually sing like Christina or Whitney while still being connecting with the emotional heart of a song in a way that makes it more than just a two-bit karaoke version, and people seem to like her..."
Exec 1: "Yes, but she won't win, will she? We always get rid of the good ones in week four by pitting them against a one-armed puppy-juggler singing 'How Much Is That Doggy In The Window?' in the showdown, and they always lose."
Exec 3: "But that's just it. She's actually doing really well in the votes. She might never be in the bottom two at this rate."
Exec 2: [looking a bit panicked] "Anyone got a video of this girl?
[Exec 3 finds and plays a video of Leona. Absolutely Pinteresque pause as it finishes.]
Exec 1: "What the hell are we supposed to do with HER?"
Exec 2: "If we trot out another Westlife covers album and record her vocals in a toolshed the weekend before Christmas like we usually do, people are going to be cross. They might throw stones at us."
Exec 1: "Can't we fix it for that annoying swing kid to win?"
Exec 2: "Wouldn't that look like a bit of an obvious sabotage, though?"
Exec 1: "Gah, we're screwed. Anybody know where we can find any songs that weren't originally turned down by Westlife."
[Pause. A tumbleweed rolls through the office.]
Exec 3: "Shall I call Simon? He might know somebody."
Exec 1: "Better had, yes."
Then of course there was that rather brilliant moment when Gary Barlow rather brilliantly owned Simon on the X Factor finale last year by basically accusing him of lumbering the winner of these shows with a bunch of third-rate castoffs for their albums and warning him that if he did that to Leona, he'd be sending the boys round (presumably not Take That, although that would've been brilliant).
Since then I've found myself wondering what precisely happens when The X Factor, through luck more than deliberation I imagine, actually finds itself with a talented winner. We've been hearing about how Leona's been off to the US and working with all sorts of people, but it was a very long time before we heard any results, and there were points where I wondered if we were supposed to have forgotten she existed, but no, here she is with her first proper single. So: any good?
Actually, yeah. It's not the sort of thing that usually tickles my ears, but I'm grading on a curve here and it's infinitely better than the sort of drivel that The X Factor usually inflicts on us. In fact, why not go and have a listen to the embarrassingly bad new Shayne Ward single, and then listen to this, and just try telling me that this isn't in a different league entirely. It's mature, it's sophisticated, it's understated, it's vocally impressive and while it's perhaps a little bit too Radio 2, it's the only single to come from The X Factor I could imagine succeeding even without the hype of the show around it.
It's not without its faults, mind: 'Bleeding Love' is not a good title for a song because my mind immediately went to menstruation, and I think yours might have done so too. When you contextualise it ("you cut me open and I keep bleeding love") it sounds a bit better, although now I just want to say it in a comedy east London accent ("I keep bleedin', love", like "I keep bleeeedin', darlin'")
And while I argued earlier that Leona's quite good at making a song her own, she doesn't yet have a distinctive enough style: if I heard this on the radio without knowing who it was, I would've assumed Christina or possibly Mariah, and while that's a complimentary comparison, I think she does need to eke out slightly more of a unique sound for herself to avoid getting buried amongst the more experienced divas.
But on the whole, I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised by this. Maybe the last series of The X Factor wasn't a complete waste of everyone's time after all? That really would be a turn-up for the books.
Download: Out now
CD Released: October 1st
(Steve Perkins)
Comments
Leona is an AMAZING TALENT.
Like Simon Cowell said. " She is one the most phenominal female artists this country has prduced in a very long time.
On par with the brilliant Amy Winehouse.
Leona has taken time to produce a great album with original material.
She will be a superstar as she has an AMAZING voice.
You dont have to be a publicity seeker like Britney etc to be successful in music.
Look at Katie Melua. She is brilliant and keeps herself out of the limelight.
I think this is an excellent song, leona is better than any of the other x factor winners by far !
what was it like on the x factor
Yeah it's a good song but I totally disagree with your comment about Shayne's new single.
It's fab and he's at number four this week, so obviously, your opinion doesn't count for much =]
Are we in the US supposed to have heard of her or was she just her to record the album? Because if she was trying to become famous here too, she failed miserably.
However, the song isn't bad. Maybe the song choices will get better later on in her career.
I like this song, she has an amazing voice. Its not the best song she could do, but she's obviously got a clever manager.
She probably has recorded better songs, but they're not going to release them first otherwise it'll look like she's got one amazing song, and an average follow-up. So with this one, the second single won't make her look like a one hit wonder.
Bill and Ben
Katie Melua Brilliant?? Purrlese. She is the most boring singer I have ever heard and she only appeals to children and the over 80's. I really can't imagine who wastes their mony on the stuff she brings out.
I wish she would GO AWAY.
Leona deserves a hit as she does have talent. She will get a hit too as she will be singing live on XFactor this week and obviously hyped up whenever possible - just like Shayne Ward who I see is appearing at Butlins Minehead next month! He no doubt will sing live on XFactor as he too has an album out soon and Louis Walsh hypes him up whenever possible. I see Westlife's new song is another cover. Shayne Ward appeared at Arundel Castle recently and he was a flop. I think he should not have gone down the Justin Timberlake "look a like" as he should go for his own image. It seems Leona is going to be herself - good luck Leona. Lets face it they are making money for the song writers and Simon Cowell.
This song is great, far far far better than the usual X Factor dross. Leona is such a nice girl with a fantastic voice, probably the best this country has ever had. I'm not a fan of The X Factor, but this song and artist are truely incredible. I can't wait for her album!
It's out on Monday 22nd October :) I'll deffo be buying it!
Shayne Ward is amazing and you guys who slate him and backstab him dont know what your talking about!
He aint done well has he? Oh no, its not likes hes had 9 number ones worldwide, sold over 3 million records, had 4 top 20 UK singles, platinum album in a week, sell out arena tour, ivor novello award and outstanding achievement award!
Yes, Leonas good but what has she got to prove that shes "better" than any previous talent show winner? Nothing!!
Yeah Clive Davis and Simon Cowell have some obsession over her but that doesnt mean anything. They think shes too good for record signings, promotion etc.
I like the song and Leona but shes not a big star yet as she has nothing really to her name that says WOW!!
Shayne and Leona are completely different artists and his last single wasnt bad or embarassing, it charted @ number 2, 700 records away from number one! Thats awful aint it...oh....and it stayed in top 10 for a month!! Haha to everyone who slates him, hes a MASSIVE star and you dont have your facts right!!
shayne ward is best x factor winner ever
shayne is so sexy
I have travelled internationally all over and seen many performers and I saw Shayne Ward on his solo tour at the beginning of this year. It was the best concert I have ever seen and he is the complete package. He has the voice, the looks and the moves and holds the audience in the palm of his hand. I am not a teenager but a mature woman who knows what a wonderful range he has.
In the article he writes for the Sun Online, he praises Leona for her single and says he will buy it and yet we have a disgusting article like yours where you have the cheek to run Shayne down. He will be performing his single Breathless on the 10 of November on the XFactor and I would like to see your face when you hear it. His first single sold extremely well and was No. 2 on the charts and remained in the top 5 for 4 weeks. In fact he is still no 1 in Ireland. He also had No. 1 in 9 countries for his first album. He has fans in many countries all writing in to the Shayne Ward site telling us how wonderful he is.
You are not doing Leona much good because most of the Shayne fans who intended buying her album are most certainly put off now.
And now I will bid you farewell. See if you have the decency to print my reply.
[Farewell, Audrey! May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. There, decent AND cultural. - Fraser]
How dare you slate Shayne Ward, he's been more successful than Leona in his first year. There was nothing wrong with his single infact it was in the top 10 4 a month and the first time it was entered in the chart it went to No.2, now if that isnt good then please tell me what is?.
Don't get me wrong I like Leona and her new single but I think its safe to say that Shayne has been and will be more successful than Leona. So before you start slating him please get your facts right first before you open your mouth.
Wow you have recieved quite a backlash from your ridiculous comments about shayne. Everywhere he performes he is a success, and no he isnt performing at the local pub but in massive arenas.
Okay Leona yeah shes great but why slate another star in the process of trying to tell us that?
The fact is shayne has a massive fan base, his new song no u hang up is not embarrassing but as good as anything Mr J-T has come up with (although i must agree J-T makes his own music wheras shayne who will grow to make his own music is still given songs, oh but he has promised his next album will be full of his own written music!)
I am glad shaynes fans who many are leona fans have voiced their opinion. I know for a fact shayne has helped leona when they met , giving her advice so i just think its wrong on your backs to write such comments about him a nice guy, who even bought the sugarbabes flowers when they got to number one ahead of him!
Leona has an amazing voice and i do think she has her own unique style she can be compared to the likes of christina and mariah but i can still tell the difference.
And as for dissing Shayne, shame on you, he has come along way himself and also has an amazing voice his songs are amazing, how many guys do you know that can reach the notes shayne can?
Heyy Ahh Hink Leona Lewis Has Ahh Gr8 Voice Nd Her Nuu Singo Bleedin Lvv Is Gr8
Jade Dee Lvvs Martin Ohh xxx 2kaii7 xxx
1st time i seen leona at x factor i do like her but after winning the contest i had lost interest on her.
Shes somewhat copycat on most of the big singers and that includes Mariah carey i just hate her shes so hypocrite
shes no beautiful physically and her voice is just so lame and ordinary
I had seen so many great black girls singing but shes way below them
Pls leona your not a great singer dont place that on yoour head your not popular yet okay
i really like this song and i think leano rox
I dont like her song and leona sucks big time!!!
Your not a good singer okay so dont act like you are okay
I hate her so much
I am a big fan of Leona, she has a fantastic voice my girl knows how to hold her notes.
I wish her every success, and I agree with Simon, she is the best singer to come out of Britain in a long time.
Leona will be in the entertainment business for a long time!
Omg, will you Shayne Ward lovers shut up?
All that was said about him was
"In fact, why not go and have a listen to the embarrassingly bad new Shayne Ward single, and then listen to this, and just try telling me that this isn't in a different league entirely"
It's not like its on big huge article about how crap he is
All he was said was that the new single isn't all that great in comparison to this song in the reveiwers opinion
So STOP overreacting
:)
x
"In fact, why not go and have a listen to the embarrassingly bad new Shayne Ward single, and then listen to this, and just try telling me that this isn't in a different league entirely"
I think Louis's making him into a british version of JT!!!!!!
LOVE THIS SONG!
i love leonas new song it as just to be the best song i have ever seen in mi life lol
Stupid veggie, hippy snob! Leona sucks ass, she's a b**** who thinks she's so much better for deliberately playing down the whole "diva" image while simultaneously trying to achieve fame and success! Hypocrite! She needs to disappear or quit complaining. What a poseur!
[Are you sure your name isn't VIOLENT_M? - Fraser]
I鈥檓 from the USA(& no I鈥檓 not a teenager) I listen to both Leona & Shayne and I gotta tell you Shayne has an AMAZING voice & stage presence. I understand that in UK he鈥檚 been compared to JT. Well I tell you what: give Shayne鈥檚 JT鈥檚 materials & pair him with the same talent I can guaranty Shayne will come up on TOP. I鈥檝e been is marketing for 20+ years & all Shayne needs is good marketing. I stumble on to Shayne鈥檚 music on one of my European travels & I have been listening to him since & everyone I send his music to loves it & wonders why he鈥檚 not in USA. My husband is a JD & every time he plays Shayne鈥檚 songs & gets massive feedback & they always want to know where their can purchase his music. When Shayne鈥檚 new single dropped in September I received over 200 emails from different people asking me how they can download the songs. Unfortunately in the USA we couldn鈥檛 legally download it we had to wait for the physical CD via postmail. I guess what I鈥檓 trying to say is you didn鈥檛 need to make the negative comment about Shayne to have light shine on Leona. They are both very talented but Shayne is more marketable then Leona.
Love from the USA
leona is fab shayne ward is fit and fab i wish leona was my sister
it very good
you are great the best xfacter ever all my friends sing it
hey leona
your song
bleeding love is the best
i listern to it on my i pod every day on the way to school.
now i know it of by heart
'closed up from love
my fav part is the
chorus
i dont care what they say
im in love with you
they tried to pull me away
but they dont know the truth
ok
bye for now
xxx
ps noone is as good as you this year in x factor
your the best
Hey! x
OhMiiGawsh!!
Leona's ( You ) New Song Is Amazing
I Have It On My Phone
And When My Friends Are Round We Dance And Sing Along To It
Its Soooo Cool!!
In School Atm
In I.T
I Have This Teacher That Looks Like Mr bean Its Soo Funny!!
Bye My HunnieMumchkins!
x
Whoever that frasier guy is, stay as lame as you are...Meh, Leona's a little overrated and I don't understand why she feels the need to prove herself-she's obviously got a number 1 so she doesn't need to 'pretend' like she's going to fade away because reality stars nowadays are pretty much guaranteed success. As long they continue releasing material that is.
[Tell that to Steve Brookstein, fella. - Fraser]
Hello Leona You Are Fab Haha xx
Leonas song is so annoying that just prooves people who live in this country is annoying and dont know what real music is.
IS LEONA known outside UK heheheh
Think about that people...
she may have a number 1 single in UK but only in Uk
poor leona and shes not a great singer as what people claimed here
I do agree with you joanna, she is annoying. I wonder why it is still on top she has one of the lousiest single of the year and a number 1?? come on guys wake up is this the end of music world.
leona is noty a good singer
I do agree if leona will be here in US im pretty sure she will be on Unknown status.
even kylie find it so difficult to crack america and who is Leona to be known, Shes not that a great singer as what european people bubbling here. leona is just a contest winner no more no less.
She may have a year of number 1 song for bleeding love, but she will never be known globally.
IM SURE ABOUT THAT!!!
and its a thing that will happen a wannabee and just an artist in Uk no more no less.
and last thing Bleeding love is not a great song as what youpeople claimed here.
Its so crappy
Re: Joanna's comment
well she can probly sing betta than you and she sings fab i love her new song i playi t on my phone all the timexxxxx
if I heard this on the radio without knowing who it was, I would've assumed Christina or possibly Mariah, and while that's a complimentary comparison, I think she does need to eke out slightly more of a unique sound for herself to avoid getting buried amongst the more experienced divas.
i absolutely agree
shes a wanna be
and millie her songs sucks okay
and it just shows how ignorant youa re and poor your musical skills
Bleeding love stinks okay dealw ith that
Yeah i wonder why this filthy song still at the Top , it makers me wonder are we european really had a bad type of music.
We may have a lot of artist but few are cracking the global market. westlife stinks this time and all those new acts ewww...
and my God bleeding love still at the top come on guys the world is laughing at us, We had a bad taste of music
and leona i dont like you okay
youre singing ability sucks big time
shiela jeanie wrote:
"...a wannabee and just an artist in Uk no more no less."
Oh, now I can understand why so many people seem to hate her, if that's what she is... ;)
Everyone is a wannabee before they become...whatever it is! And everyone's just an artist in the UK, or Poland, or Guadaloupe, before they become...an artist in THE WORLD.
Of course, the next step for Leona should be to follow Enrique Iglesias's example, and give up her nationality. It's what worked for him: "not only one of the biggest Spanish artists in the world, but an international superstar in his own right." (See ChartBlog recently: 'Even More Fun With Press Releases...')
It seems the way to find success is to belong to nobody, or everybody...like Antarctica?! That's fine, but nobody wants to stay there for long...it's not very comfortable...
yeah i do understand artist starts to become as a wannabee but to leona she will always be categorize as mariah copycat and a soso christina aguilera thats not good.
And pulzzzzzzzzzzzzzz bleeding love is so aweful wakeup guys i guess many people here are making it straught and right that bleeding love is no great number 1 single.
She may have won this so called contest but still shes unkwon. Tell me guys when kelly clarkson won the contest in few months from her victory with her A moment like this single she makes the world love her. But why artist like leona till now if we call this bleeding love awesome and fab ewwwww...... why isnt she known even in ASIA>>>>>????? and even in somepart of america??? do i make sense???
Coz Uk artist and leona is just an ordinary artist from europe no more no less thats correct. Nothing special that people of the world will get astonished with.
if she is popular and soon will upgrade it will only be here in europe not overseas,;.
LEONA is just one of those lame artist europe could offer again.
rachel rachel rachel i disagree with you leona is too over rated her song is not that great though and i hate it that it is still at the top. Why cant we give it a rest now.. That song deserves to be buried now. Its too painfull in the ear to hear that over and over again.
Leona is no good singer and this song suxs
bledding love is the worst song in world history!
Hmm...how many of us Rachels are there on here?
In response to 'the real rachel' (I'm upset now, I thought it was me):
I didn't say I liked the SONG. I was just making the point that it's not a very strong criticism to say someone's just a wannabe from the UK. It's a bit like hearing that someone's won a bit of money on a lottery scratchcard, and bought another one, and then accusing them of "hoping they'll be lucky again...and they only come from Bolton as well, huh!"
I can understand if you think Leona's just imitating other singers, and are annoyed by that. I don't know if that's true - but anyway, she can't help it if people keep buying her song and everyone else gets sick of it! People seem to be reacting to her with extreme viewpoints, one way or the other!
Totally agree bleeding love is so over rated it havent proove anything yet globally. We can say yes she has a great song but only here in europe did we say artist considered to bve famous should be globally known not just here in Uk.
Pity on leona shes considered to be a copycat of almost prominent singers globaly known and its a bad sign considering leona is a talent show winner.
Take kelly clarkson for example she had come up as a great entertainer notjust in america but globally and also carrie underwood wow that girl really had a distict voice and never shes being compared to other artist except her.
Leona go find your own style okay you will never grow as an artist and worst an artist wannabe known globally but failed due to lack of luster and lack of world domination that means you SUCK!!!
LEona enough of your aweful voice okay and people this just shows how pity we are in terms of music.
USA had come a long way and never topple from the yop in terms of artist quality.
Leona is just one big example of a big joke as an artist cam e from EUROPE.
Leona do have a great supporters but i dont find her so interesteing and her song is just ordinary. I totally agree american music had great impact than our music they are globally competitive in music aspect.
I agree leona is just a wannabe and never will be globally famous. cos her song is bad
Bleeding love is not agreat song its totally lame
Leona your not mariah okay stop acting as a primadonna
she doesn't yet have a distinctive enough style.
shes just a wannabe and a lame artist who won a contest thats all..
She will never dominate the world music.
Leona quit okay
1st i heard this song i thought it was mariah who sing it and find it so distinct and thats odd thats my reaction then i finally see this girl leona. Bleeding is ok at 1st but now it is so over rated and overplayed. ifinally gave up that we still have this song at the top and that is bad for her coz its not agreat single though.
LETS GIVE IT ABREAK NOW.
leona is so over rated.
lets take our eyes with other artist more talented and not just a wannabe mariah and christina.
take your own style leona to get it globally
hey
A lousy singer... leona could be the successfull singer here in europe that just means UK MUSIC IS THE LOUSIEST MUSIC SCENE IN THE WORLD.
LEONA LEWIS = EUROPES MUSIC SCENE NOW .......MEANS WORLDS LOUSIEST MUSIC
Her song isn't very lively which I think spoils it if it had a quicker beat it could have been a bit of a better song. Also I don't really like the way she became top song of 2007 just because she released it near 2008 when everyone was voting for best song of 2007. Also everyone would request it on the radio just because they missed the song or for their friends or it could be the first song in their head because not many songs were released near that time so I think she got onto top of the charts by pure dumb luck!! But really she doesn't deserve it I think. She has tricked all of Britain!
heyya im a fan off you..
writeback
love you
x
I got another song that i wrote:
Even the ugliest rose has thorns
You see all the pretty girls getting all the boys and lads. They think you鈥檙e the minging one and deserve to be left in the shade with all the other minging lasses. It鈥檚 so stupid. What happened to natural looks and curviness in women? I think we should listen to Mika鈥檚 song 鈥淏ig Girl You Are Beautiful鈥 with pride cos we are all beautiful.
To get a lad do I have to get my legs waxed everyday? Do I need my own manicurist so I don鈥檛 chip a nail every five bloomin鈥 minutes? Do I have to straighten my hair just cos it gets a bit frizzy?
I鈥檓 telling you I ain鈥檛 a fake but it seems that the Barbie doll image has taken over the image of girls of the 21st Century. Girls take care of yourselves and don鈥檛 change for any lad. As the saying goes even the ugliest rose has thorns on its bush and is equal to the circle of life.
You look in the mirror and all you see is flab. You read magazines and all you can see is pictures of Paris Hilton and her posse. They look stick thin and dumb. Paris鈥 vocabulary consists of two words 鈥淭hat鈥檚 Hot鈥. She鈥檚 a size zero and her ex best mate Nicole Ritchie鈥檚 not much better either. I think we should look at curvy women from the fifties like Marilyn Monroe and Phinella Fielding who were curvy.
To be famous do I have to be a size zero? Do I have to dumb down and say 鈥淭hat鈥檚 hot鈥 all the time? Do I need my entourage with me all the time? Do I need to work out for 24 hours a day and live on 100 calories which consists of half a dozen apples?
I鈥檓 telling you I think that being a size zero is s***. Paris Hilton and the rest of her crew can stick it. The paparazzi doesn鈥檛 help either. All you can see is Paris Hilton on the front pages of tabloid newspapers. Girls don鈥檛 listen to the media. Don鈥檛 change just to fit in. As the saying goes even the ugliest rose has thorns on its bush and is equal to the food chain.
I know this song sounds a bit sexist but the same applies for lads. There鈥檚 to much media coverage of perfection. It seems the Barbie doll image has taken over the image of girls of the 21st Century and for the lads it鈥檚 an Action man image. We are all beautiful and have a reason to be on this planet.
Even the ugliest rose has thorns on its bush and is equal to the circle of life. Even the ugliest rose has thorns on its bush and is equal to the circle of life.
Even the ugliest rose has thorns on its bush and is equal to the food chain.
Even the ugliest rose has thorns on its bush and is equal to the food chain
[*speechless* - Fraser]
Dear:leona lewis
i love your song it is so beatuiful i wacthed it on the hits when i am 16 i am going to join the x factor and i might be on the hits you never know.uor song is fantastic and brillant xxxxxxxxxxxx