Leona Lewis - "Echo" Era (17th NOV 09)

[SHOOTER]

I've tried to get into her music but aside from Bleeding Love and Take a Bow, I can't do it. Her voice is ill-suited for such processed material to me; I want her to record an album with live instrumentation.

[biltong]

Shooter: Great point, actually. Her voice has a very classical quality to it, due to her training. I think a bed of live instrumentation underneath that would only compliment that VS an overly-programmed/processed sound.

[Stephen]

Comments on some clips:

at Lost Then Found being ANOTHER retread of Halo. When they sing "Lost The Found" they almost mirror the exact same vocal inflections as Beyonce LOL.

Outta My Head sounds best. Is it the Max Martin track? Whoever produced it, the clip reminds me of Carrie Underwood's clip for Quitter. It has to be Max Martin. The tracks have a similar feel.

[BrokenArrow]

Oct 24, 2009 0:15:11 GMT -5 @biltong said:

Shooter: Great point, actually. Her voice has a very classical quality to it, due to her training. I think a bed of live instrumentation underneath that would only compliment that VS an overly-programmed/processed sound.

Well she said it herself, she is trained in operatics and I don't think her voice fits to robotosised R&B a la Beyonce/Rihanna at all.

She sounds best singing live, better than on record. She needs a put a permanent traditional 5 piece guitar and keyboards band behind her and keep them with her through the recording process.

She also falls into the trap of recording her own layered backing vocals, these are of course, impossible to recreate live, requiring some kind of pre recorded backing track. Most solo artists do this nowadays and I don't like it.

Just listen to her song, Stone Hearts, just a piano and guitar for the most part, amazing.

[elementd5]

From the snippets, "Can't Breathe" is the standout track for me. Anxious to hear the OneRepublic duet and I already love "I Got You"

[©!nful]

Leona @ Heathrow heading for a performance in Sweden.



Some magazine scans:

[BrokenArrow]

I guess the "I'm no pushover" article was written before the "incident".

She's looking slim and trim, I originaly thought the promo pictures had airbrushed her slim, but its obvious shes been on a diet.

[S_Bunny]

Wow the cover pic The Observer looks amazing!

[Midgeymite-Pookanooka]

Oct 24, 2009 6:52:28 GMT -5 BrokenArrow said:

Oct 24, 2009 0:15:11 GMT -5 @biltong said:

Shooter: Great point, actually. Her voice has a very classical quality to it, due to her training. I think a bed of live instrumentation underneath that would only compliment that VS an overly-programmed/processed sound.

Well she said it herself, she is trained in operatics and I don't think her voice fits to robotosised R&B a la Beyonce/Rihanna at all.

She sounds best singing live, better than on record. She needs a put a permanent traditional 5 piece guitar and keyboards band behind her and keep them with her through the recording process.

She also falls into the trap of recording her own layered backing vocals, these are of course, impossible to recreate live, requiring some kind of pre recorded backing track. Most solo artists do this nowadays and I don't like it.

Just listen to her song, Stone Hearts, just a piano and guitar for the most part, amazing.

Totally loving that Stone Hearts song. Is it on the new album?

Also agree she should use her operatic voice a bit more (obviously she uses her head register to great affect, but it's somewhat toned down for the pop market) - It would have been amazing if she had accepted Halo, as it was written specifically for her, hence the operatic vocals in the middle-eight. Beyonce does a good job, but she isn't trained in that way.

[S_Bunny]

^Stone Hearts is a hidden track on the new album.

[leafgal]

Leona to perform outdoor mini-concert on Jimmy Kimmel, Nov 20.

www.1iota.com/events,4439,Jimmy-Kimmel-Live-LEONA-LEWIS-outdoor-mini-concert.html[

[newborn]

Sorry if I'm late with this but only saw it tonite on TV....she looks HOTTTTTT!!!!!! :o :o :o

[r.enato]

I liked her acting in the video!

[insanoshano08]

Holy crap..That is the first time i've seen that video..I'm almost in tears..My God she is beautiful and the moment you realize it's not her is SOOOOO powerful. Good job whoever directed this!!

[newborn]

The video actually made me finally like the song, coz tbh, I wasn't feeling it when I first heard it...but now I kinda love it!!! :o

[S_Bunny]

IMO the best performance of Happy so far

[©!nful]

This is really cute.

[©!nful]

Oct 30 2009 - Rehearsing for my Hackney live show!

The last week has been so much fun for me, I’ve been busy rehearsing for my show in Hackney on Monday! I’m so excited about it - my first live show and its all for the fans!

I want to put on such a great night for everyone, we’ve all been working so hard, the band, dancers, crew! I love being able to get creative and perform so this has been an incredible time for me!



Can’t wait to hit the stage now! I probably won’t sleep all weekend!

Luv Leona -x-

www.leonalewismusic.co.uk/blog

[S_Bunny]

^Wow. Looks like she must be performing OMH. Cant wait :)

[©!nful]

Daily Mail article:



www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1223512/Fames-taking-cruel-toll-Leona-Lewis-vicious-attack-shook-core.html

Pride magazine:







Giant magazine:

[starr]

Thanks for posting the magazine articles! Everyone should read the "Daily Mail" article. That's a must-read!

[StarSprinkles]

Leona is so beautiful. Wow.

[clarksodi]

Leona really is a very beautiful girl.

I'm most excited about "Outta My Head". That track sounds soo catchy.

[dehaviland]

They should push this back.

[BrokenArrow]

Jeez at that daily mail article.

I didn't know racism like that still exists, and in London of all places.

[S_Bunny]

That racism story is just so wrong, Leona must have been very upset, her dad too.

I wonder what songs from Echo she'll perform tommorrow, Happy obviously and I think OMH too. I hope she sings Can't Breathe aswell or maybe Broken, theres meant to be some epic notes in that song.

I have a feeling she'll perform Brave and maybe IGY though.

[S_Bunny]

Happy doing great on Airplay in the UK

Airplay Chart:
4 15 Leona Lewis Happy

TV Airplay:
15 120 Leona Lewis Happy

[©!nful]

Leona doing her first UK gig @ the Hackney Empire.






















SETLIST

Brave
Whatever It Takes
Better In Time
Happy
Bleeding Love
I Got You
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Outta My Head
Run

The show had a Masquerade theme & lasted an hour. A lot of people said Outta My Head was the best performance and had a choreographed dance routine.

[Jack]

Nov 2, 2009 17:55:02 GMT -5 ©!nful said:

Leona doing her first UK gig @ the Hackney Empire.

This is like her 'move'. I hate it.

[©!nful]

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1224826/Leona-Lewis-hits-right-note-takes-stage-solo-concert.html

Leona Lewis hits the right note as she takes to the stage for first ever solo concert

It was her first solo concert so, clearly, Leona Lewis wanted things to go without a hitch.

And just in case the nerves got the better of her, the X Factor winner penned the running order of songs onto her hand as she took to the stage.

The 24-year-old singer dazzled at the homecoming gig, which she performed just weeks after being attacked at a book signing.

Lewis, who won the X Factor in 2006, returned to the stage of the Hackney Empire where she first performed as a teenager.

She told the crowd: 'I just want to say thank you so much for coming to support me.

'The first time I ever performed here I was 13 so it seemed fitting for me to come back here.'

The Bleeding Love star appeared on stage in a black cape and hood with giant images of herself projected onto a see-through screen at the front of the stage surrounded by half naked dancers.

In Phantom of the Opera-style scenes, the star stalked her way though plumes of stage smoke which covered the ground.

She changed into a purple mini dress and leggings to sing her hit single Bleeding Love and told the cheering fans: 'Thank you so much for supporting that song. That song has allowed me to travel and do so much. Thank you.'

In October Lewis was left shaken after being punched in the head while signing copies of her new book at Waterstones in central London.

But as she left the venue following the show, the star could barely wipe the smile off her face and looked absolutely delighted.

REVIEW: Leona Lewis (Hackney Empire, London)

She originally made her name by singing ballads while standing nervously a few yards away from a panel of notoriously demanding judges.

But last night, three years after winning the X Factor and just stones throw away from her parent's home in East London; Leona Lewis came of age as an artist.

This was the 24-year-old diva's first ever full concert and she used the occasion to premiere an arena-ready show, complete with all the necessary whistles and bells and exotic visual effects, much to the delight of an enthusiastic home town audience who rewarded her with a standing ovation at the end.

Singing in a black, wasp-waisted dress, Leona also previewed a handful of songs from her forthcoming second album, Echo, that suggested she has now fully transcended the role of talent show winner and is moving on to a new phase of her career.

Leona's image is that of a head-in-the-clouds diva. Beneath the fluffiness, however, there lies a steely resolve and she showed no signs of being affected by her last high profile public appearance.

That came less than three weeks ago, when she was attacked by a fan while signing copies of her autobiography, Dreams, at Waterstones bookshop in central London.

Visibly shaken, she cut short the signing and subsequently cancelled an appearance on the BBC's The One Show and pulled out of a trip to Germany.

But last night, in front of 1250 fans, she dazzled. Like all good troopers Leona knows the show must go on.

Security outside the venue beforehand had been tight and fans were subjected to an airport-style frisking on the door. But the evening, thankfully passed without any unsavoury incident.

Taking to the stage flanked by six bare-chested male dancers, she was in sublime, if controlled, form from the outset.

Her signature tune, Bleeding Love arrived relatively early in an hour-long set. A big, show-stopping ballad with a strong percussive undertow the song still sounds like one of the best pop singles of the past few years.

It's musical template was replicated on two excellent new songs, I Got You and new single Happy, the latter given a highly theatrical setting thanks to a larger than life image of Lewis which was projected onto a silk curtain in front of the singer.

Another new song, Outta My Head, was an up tempo electronic number which reiterated the suspicion that Leona live is an artist with more pace and punch than the wispy balladeer we have come to know from her records.

But a Lewis show, even at this early stage, would not be complete without its slower, reflective moments.

Accompanied initially only by a pianist she gave her sweet, soaring vocals full reign on a tender version of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face before closing with a windswept rendition of Snow Patrol's epic Run.

Even the odd technical glitch failed to put her off her stride. When a guitar cut out at the start of the third song, Better In Time, Leona and her two backing singers were able to continue the song unaccompanied until her five piece band kicked in.

All in all, it was a night in which Leona hit all the right notes and barely put a foot wrong. As a taster for a full UK tour next spring, it was a triumph - both for her and her mentor Simon Cowell.