I knew I needed to sing once I was actually younger. I went to the Sylvia Young Theatre School once I was six. My mum was an aerobics teacher when she was youthful, and he or she did ballet, so I’d do her ballet lessons once I was little. I cherished singing and dancing however I feel I actually targeted on singing once I was 9 and a instructor requested the category, who do you assume ought to do the solo within the college present? And everybody pointed to me. I used to be like, wow, what?! And I did it. And I actually loved it. I actually loved the preparation and the rehearsal and the preparing for it and happening stage. I felt a connection to everybody.
I’d like to return and inform my youthful self that the world isn’t ending as a result of my relationship is ending. I feel that may actually consolation her, as a result of that was actually painful for me. And I bear in mind speaking to older individuals, like aunts and stuff. And they might be understanding, however they might be like, oh, it’s nice. Recover from it. You’ll see. But it surely didn’t really feel like that within the second. So I’d inform younger Leona, I see your ache, and I really feel you, and I do know that is terrible proper now. However you’ll be OK.
I’d inform the younger Leona to filter out the noise of individuals commenting on how she appears. It’s exhausting as a result of clearly at that age, the way you look, what dimension you might be, all these loopy issues, they appear like they really matter. As a result of that’s what individuals had been speaking about, particularly when it got here to younger feminine singers. I got here up in a time the place we didn’t have any social media, however then in my late teenagers it began with MySpace, after which Fb, after which Twitter. So it was effervescent up in my late teenagers. I’d identical to to guard my youthful self from the scrutiny and the cruel feedback from individuals.
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I had grown up going to auditions so I simply noticed The X Issue as one other audition. It was simply one other strategy to get expertise, problem myself. I on no account thought concerning the lengthy recreation, or like, the likelihood that I’d win. Each step of the best way I knew I used to be on the precise path. However I’d at all times discover some excuse to doubt myself. Perhaps that pushed me to be the very best I might. Once they did say my identify [she won in 2006], it was like, shock, but in addition elation. It was unbelievable, actually.
I recorded an EP earlier than The X Issue so I had an concept of what I needed to do as an artist. However then I used to be catapulted into working with producers and songwriters and recording my very own album. And I received this entry to some actually wonderful producers. I did a showcase, and a few songwriters and producers got here down. I did a showcase with Clive Davis, who labored with Alicia Keys and Whitney Houston. So I’d have entry to those that I might solely dream of. I feel possibly individuals assume that I simply got here off the present, and then you definitely simply go and report a great deal of songs. It wasn’t like that. I needed to actually work to make these individuals see what I might do.
I left SyCo [Simon Cowell’s production company] once I was able to do one thing completely totally different and new. I’d been with them for a strong 5 or 6 years, and I used to be getting a bit like, I wish to go in one other path. I wish to strive one thing totally different. They usually weren’t on board with the path I needed to go in. I needed to experiment extra, work with totally different those that possibly they weren’t used to working with. Which is truthful, we simply had inventive variations. On the time I felt actually rocky as a result of I’d been with them for thus lengthy, and I felt secure of their little bubble. However the whole lot adjustments, and it’s important to get snug with that change. It was very scary for me to go away and go to a different label. But it surely was additionally liberating.
I went again and ahead rather a lot serious about having youngsters. I did see my life with kids. However once I was youthful, about 20, I used to be like, yeah, I’m gonna have like 5 youngsters. Then as I received older, I used to be like, oh no, I’m not having 5 youngsters. Then in my mid-30s I used to be actually weighing up the choices – do I really need this? After which I really felt my daughter calling me, in my coronary heart, so deeply, and I simply knew it was meant to be. Once I had her [in 2022] the whole lot modified. I’ve grow to be a unique particular person. It’s not even a brand new chapter, it’s a brand new guide.
Once I was 16 I noticed 40 as previous. I assumed it will be all downhill after that. However truthfully, it will get higher. It simply will get higher. I really feel a lot safer. Individuals’s opinions don’t matter to me as a lot as they used to, which has freed me a lot. I feel we’re in a psychological jail after we’re teenagers, and in our 20s, we get trapped worrying about all these judgments from individuals and all these societal pressures that hold us locked up. I actually really feel a freedom as I become old, that’s one thing to actually simply relish.
I’m about to do a residency in Las Vegas. The primary present I noticed in Vegas was Celine Dion, and this was most likely once I was about 21, 22 and I bear in mind being completely blown away by her. I feel in my thoughts Vegas has at all times been one thing that may be a large, momentous place to get to in your profession.
I toured a few Christmases in the past, after feeling very disconnected throughout Covid, and it was the primary time I’d meet individuals after reveals – I’d have numerous individuals are available in. I’d meet them, I’d speak to them, I’d sit with them. And truthfully, the power and the love that they gave me was fairly overwhelming. And it simply made me so joyful, simply to see individuals on the reveals. I simply felt so related with everybody. In order quickly as I got here off that tour, I used to be like, I’ve to discover a strategy to hold doing this once more. And the Vegas factor got here up, and I used to be like, this could be unbelievable.
If I might relive any second in my life it will be the beginning of my daughter. I used to be so nervous all through my entire being pregnant. It’s so bizarre, I used to be simply so nervous. For some cause, I used to be like, is she gonna be OK? After which when she got here, when she was born, and I noticed her and he or she was OK, it’s like the largest reduction. I can’t describe it. It was so wonderful.
Leona Lewis’s holiday residency, A Starry Night, runs for 33 nights at Voltaire on the Venetian Resort, Las Vegas, 1 November-3 January. Tickets are on sale now from $75 (£56), and there’s additionally a VIP hotel package.
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