Leona Lewis‘ talent is undeniable. Yet, her commercial viability is being called into question following reports that she has been let go from her record label.
Full story below…
The X Factor alum made headlines when she dramatically quit SyCo, her label since winning the talent-search in 2006.
At the time, she cited the different vision she had for her sound and career as the main reason for her departure from the Simon Cowell imprint.
She would sign to Universal’s Island, where she’d release last year’s ‘I Am.’
Despite being greeted well by critics, sales didn’t deliver and the set disappeared almost as quickly as its release.
Now, a UK newspaper is claiming that said numbers (or the lack-thereof) has caused for her agreement with the label to be dissolved:
I Am, her fifth album, was tipped as a return to her chart-topping form. But it entered the charts at a disappointing No.12, selling just 8,500 copies in its first week last September.
Last night a source close to Leona revealed: “It simply didn’t work out with Island. She made a great record and the label really championed her but something just didn’t click.
Universal is still very keen to keep her as part of the family so they will be holding a meeting next week to discuss her future.
“There has been interest from other labels too”
Sigh.
It’s time like this that one has to scratch their heads in confusion.
Because, unlike most projects that bomb, ‘I Am’ did have a decent enough setup. But like that feature points out, something just didn’t connect.
From our vantage point, the material (much of which was produced by Ryan Tedder) was solid enough and sonically mirrored what’s currently en vogue.
That said…
Many danced around it, yet there was the reality that Lewis’ live vocals didn’t “wow” as much as in previous years and several songs were structured in ways to accommodate her “new voice.”
Could that, in the absence of being a choreographed act or one with a big personality, have been the issue?
Who knows.
What is certain though is that Leona remains a gifted talent, who will hopefully unwrap fresh successes in the future.
Having seen her live on tour for the era, she appears to have ironed out some of the earlier kinks heard in the campaign’s initial performances. Something her next venture should further assist. She’s smartly veering into Broadway, replacing Nicole Scherzinger in ‘CATS’
Still, as one who absolutely believes in her potential as an artist, fingers crossed that the stars align for her again in the future.
She not the same Leona from 07
Your comment is right. Ever since that nose job, she just hasn’t been the same.
Leona was never and has never been an artist. She was created by the big machine. She has a beautiful voice, but I know plenty of singers with great voices who are not cut out to be artists. Everything she’s released has the same drowsy feeling—year after year. She was scared to take risks, scared to escape her own realm of comfort. No shocker here.
She’s very talented and has a great voice. But she doesn’t have that star power and her material is always weak.
Sigh ……….
She never capitalised of her momentum. Tooo many covers and not enough air time killing live performances on tv.
The talent is real but didn’t excell song wise.
There’s more in her vocal then the material she been producing after album 2.
Hope there’s a song that can get her relatable to audience’s. Broadway will be super vocally
She is talented, she’s just” BoRINg”
did island promote her album? i dont think so artist need to be promoted
Island never promoted her anyway
Is she the one who said she doesn’t date black men? Is she the one who was punched in the face and thrown to the ground at a book signing?
Wait. Come again? I’m that’s true, forget her bored, tiring self with her NyQuil music.
After Chris beat up Rihanna, folks were saying that it was because Chris was flirting with Rihanna. One of Leona’s friends said that was untrue because “Leona doesn’t like black guys”
* Chris was flirting with Leona*
It’s not that big of a shocker. She has underperformed as Simin Cowel thought since her second single. People hardly remember her for “Bleeding Love,” at this point
The reason Leona’s music hasn’t been big since ’08 is because she right along with her music is boring. I have listened to every album she has put out hoping to find at least a song or two that I like and besides hee first album I don’t like anything she does. I believe in her talent but she needs better writers and producers. She is BORING!!!!!
I think Outta My Head was amazing, never expected that from her. I loved her song from the Avatar OST
Leona lewis’s has a great voice but lacks soul, emotion that brings a song to life.
The fact that she seems to have zero personality wouldn’t be such a big deal if she could at least bring songs to life but instead she makes everything sound the same.
I’m not sure if Bleeding Love was the first, second or last song she did, of who the vocal producer was, where the moon was in the sky or where she was mentally, hormonally or anything else but it’s her only song that she seems to give it her all (iv’e listened to all of her music) Even the UK version of the video was a great concept
Didn’t LB Stan at one point? Seems like who ever LB stans for they end up flopping
Glassheart, was a step in the right direction. Thought she’d really BRING IT after that album but nope! Hope it all works it out for her!
Oh, no! I knew this was gonna happen. She needs to serve another “Forgive Me” instead of “I Will Be” 2.0. Well, I wish her the absolute best in all of her future endeavors. She’s too talented for this mess, and I know she’ll find another label to call home soon. I can’t believe the U.K. really dropped the ball on supporting her.
She needs a Clive Davis to mold the kind of vocal talent that she possesses. She should have signed with RCA.
Sad. I honestly haven’t listened to a Leona Lewis album since her debut but is it really true her voice has changed? I wonder what happened because she hasn’t even clocked a decade in the business. Anyway, I’ve always felt that her voice was incredibly pretty but there was no character and soul behind it. She simply doesn’t bring her songs to life both in the studio and in live performances. Good luck to her though.
Vocally talented, but even more boring. “Bleeding Love” was about the only song of hers worth listening to. She has worse A&R and managers than Jennifer Hudson, a woman with all the talent in the world still searching for a solid album.
Another Mariah Carey clone gone down in flames. It’s almost like being called the next Mariah Carey is the kiss of death for your career. All the Mariah Carey replacements have had no longevity. Ariana Grande is next to flop.
Copycats never prosper. They may look like they are prospering for a while, but at the end of the day they always go down as flops. Look at Nicki Minaj. Her third album couldn’t even sell 1 million copies worldwide. That’s what she gets for stealing Lil’ Kim’s swag.
she’s so beyond talented vocally. Whitney level good. But there is so much more to artistry than the voice and look. Its about the personality, its about the other things they bring to the table to keep the viewers interested. Nobody knows who she is, where she’s from, why she wants to be an artist, or any struggle or hardship. Just a pretty face with a virtually perfect voice most would say.. but nothing to wow you. Ariana Grande could never compare to her vocally but as far as stage presence + being able to make people look at her when she stops singing.. she’s got the race won. Leona is beautiful and talented, she just has her personality locked in a box, or she’s that boring. even Adele has personality that shines through.
If she has been struggling for years already imagine what will happen with Ariana Grande and any other upcoming girl who tries to emulate Mariah Carey in some way. Cause Leona was so much bigger than Ariana during her debut album, much bigger. She was invited to sing teh song for Avatar (in a bad attempt at recreating a My Heart Will Go On type of situation, didn´t go anywhere, but she was the chosen one), she actually had a big #1 single in the USA and worldwise, and she sold some damn good millions of real album copies. I remember seeing ehr performing at the Olympic Games in China. Ariana has only had a few forgettable and generic attempts at singles that I think have not even been #1 and that´s it.