Leona Lewis: Songbird on a Launch Pad

Gorgeous, exotic (mom is Welsh, dad is from Guyana) songstress Leona Lewis has taken the U.K. and Europe by storm and "American Idol's" badboy Simon Cowell has nothing but glowing compliments for the singer since she won "X-Factor", an "Idol-style" competition show. Her hit track "Bleeding Love" has topped the charts and, on April 8th, her album "Spirit", already a hit in Europe, will launch in the U.S. with two added tunes.

We chatted with Leona on the phone and found that her small, sweet, Brit-accented speaking voice nicely contrasts with the power ballad-belting sounds and huge singing range that we know she's capable of. We learned that the 22-year-old, sultry songstress has a soft, playful side. She has pictures of Bambi and Tinkerbell on her walls! Meet this friendly and impressive new voice....

TeenMusic: Your music video in the U.S. for "Bleeding Love" involves a lovers' quarrel. In your mind, what do you think they were arguing about there in Times Square? What were you guys really saying?

Leona: Yeah. You don't hear them talking. What we decided the argument was about was that I've found a girl's number and we're kind of having an argument about who is she and stuff like that. He's like 'nothing! It's fine' and I'm like 'no, it's not fine' and he's like 'well, if you don't trust me then...whatever' and he walks away.

TeenMusic: Typical. Who was the cute guy in the video and did you get to pick him?

Leona: [laughing] He's a model and yeah, we kind of picked him because he's obviously a good-looking guy but he was a nice guy. I met him and he seemed very sweet and he worked. The director thought he worked.

TeenMusic: Yeah, he so does! Do you think "The X-Factor" in the U.K. is a tougher show to win than our "American Idol" or just different criteria?

Leona: It's different criteria because there are categories. There is 'under 25' which I was in, there's 'over 25' and there's 'bands' as well so you've got more of a diverse group of people.

TeenMusic: That sounds more fair. Do you have any desire to go into acting at some point?

Leona: I love film and maybe. But, I'd more like to direct or produce or write because I'm a real film buff and I love how all of that works. My brother's an editor. He's got a real interest in film too and I share his passion.

TeenMusic: Do you expect "Spirit" to do as well in the States as it has worldwide so far?

Leona: I'm hoping. I just hope that it connects with people in some way. No matter how it does, if it can inspire someone or relate to someone or a lot of people, I just hope it does that.

TeenMusic: Can you talk about the two tracks that are added to the album for U.S. Release? "Forgive Me" and "Misses Glass"?

Leona: Yeah. 'Misses Glass' was recorded with Madd Scientist who is a very great musician. It's a mixture kind of song; like it's a '90's with a contemporary feel same as 'Forgive Me' as well. I worked with Akon and R. Kelly on that, great writers and producers and Akon was a lot of fun and a lot of energy in the studio. [The tracks] are both very song-based and up-tempo. I thought it would be great to add them on because I had a bit more time between the U.K. and Europe release and now so we added it on and I think it gives a new dimension to the album.

TeenMusic: Do you feel the most comfortable singing power ballads or a more, sexy, low-key number?

Leona: I love singing those classic ballads. I love those really emotional songs but I still like sad songs too. Mix it up.

TeenMusic: Simon Cowell seems to have nothing but glowing things to say about you but he is sooo tough on others. Why do you think you just rang his chimes so to speak?

Leona: [laughs] I don't really know. I think he's knows where I'm coming from as an artist and singer and he gets that. He's just so supportive and really positive. I'm happy that I've seen that side of him rather than the other side.

TeenMusic: Do you feel the pressure of being introduced everywhere as "the next important voice in music" or "The next Whitney Houston"? Is that intimidating to you or just challenging?

Leona: It's lovely when people say things like that. People are going to get to know me and see for themselves, really, what I do and where I come from and what my sound is so I'm just excited about sharing my music with people.

TeenMusic: I think Whitney's version of 'I Will Always Love You' is still one of the most amazing vocals I've ever heard. You sang it for your winning song on 'X-Factor'.

Leona: Oh yeah! She's great!

TeenMusic: Have you met Whitney? If so, what was that like?

Leona: Amazing. I met her and she was just so lovely. It was really briefly but she was like 'you know, you're doing really well and I've heard a lot about you. It's good to meet you'. It was at Clive Davis's Grammy party.

TeenMusic: What is the most important lesson you learned from the famous collaborators on this new album?

Leona: I think each one of them has a different approach to writing and that's what I learned really, that you can create in any situation and you should not hold back and just go for it.

TeenMusic: What is the weirdest object you have written song lyrics down on when you don't have a recording device or paper?

Leona: [laughs] My hand, probably. If I don't have anything or I would write it in my phone or something.

TeenMusic: What would you say to a teen who is talented as a singer but working at Pizza Hut like you used to?

Leona: Keep dedicated. I left school at 17. I'd been at performing arts school and I was like 'okay, right now I'm going to really pursue my singing and music so I'm going to keep going for it'. Sometimes it was hard but you have to keep going and be dedicated and if you're passionate and love it, just keep going for it.

TeenMusic: Who do you like to listen to?

Leona: I like Eva Cassidy and Minnie Riperton. People like that.

TeenMusic: Any fave fashion designers?

Leona: I love C by Chloe. I like to just be comfortable and confident really. Diane Von Furstenberg, Stella McCartney. She's got great fashion range.

TeenMusic: Your dad was a D.J. When you were a kid, did you go to a radio station or on gigs with him?

Leona: He would D.J. at parties. No, I never went with him. I was much too young really but, when he would come back, he would D.J. at home and spin '80's grooves and '90's grooves; a lot of Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder.

TeenMusic: Disney created a character of you? Princess Leona?

Leona: They made a cartoon animation. They screened it for me. It's quite amazing. I was so happy. I love Disney as well. I've got Disney pictures hanging up in my house so it was so cool. I've got Bambi, Tinkerbell, Lady and the Tramp. We get the Disney Channel and I went to the premiere of Enchanted. It was such a great movie.

TeenMusic: How have your tastes in music changed over the years?

Leona: I've been doing singing lessons since I was nine and I actually started my training classically. I did opera first so I'd look up to sopranos like Leontyne Price and then I went into more jazz and blues and really liked Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone and then more popular music like Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey as well. Then, as I got older I got into Alanis Morissette, Bjork and I love Eva Cassidy. I've got a broad taste in music.

TeenMusic: So did you leave the opera singing behind entirely?

Leona: I still do it now. I'm still carrying on with it. I always will because it's a great foundation for training but I love singing popular music just as much. This path has taken me to this platform; the show that I went on [Britain's 'X-Factor'] I decided to sing a more contemporary song and it went from there.

TeenMusic: Do you feel you are more pop or R&B or a happy combo?

Leona: I don't like to be put in a box because I like every kind of music and can do every kind of music and I've got recordings like a cover of Snow Patrol's 'Run' which is very 'rocky'. And I've got 'I Will Be' on there which is more of a rock vibe. Then 'I Am You' which is more R&B and 'Bleeding Love', a mixture of pop, rock and R&B. I love everything. It's just whatever I'm feeling and what people can relate to. It's good to keep your tastes broad.

TeenMusic: What in life, do you do really well and what kind of badly?

Leona: It's hard. I like writing short stories. I do that a little bit well I guess and badly, I'm not that great of a cook [laughs].

TeenMusic: Being a popular singer at the beginning of a worldwide career must be a dream of many teens. Would you say it is as good as it sounds?

Leona: There are so many upsides. I'm able to incorporate music into every day. I'm able to share my music with people, go to different countries and sing and perform. I really want to do a tour so I have to do that. There's no big downside but sometimes you have invasion of your privacy, cameras and stuff like that which is a bit weird sometimes because you just want to do your everyday things and it's kind of hard when people are chasing you down the street. That would be the weird thing about it.

TeenMusic: Any message to the North American fans about 'Spirit'?

Leona: 'Bleeding Love' is one of the many different songs on 'Spirit'. There's a whole body of work there and I'm so excited for everyone to hear it. It's a mix of classic and contemporary and you can listen to it whenever; if you've just fallen in love, if you've ever felt heartbreak or if you've broken up with someone. If you're in your car, if you are getting ready to go out, it's one you can listen to and always find songs on there to listen to in any situation.

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Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.