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Leona Lewis
Leona Lewis
Where thereââ¬â¢s a star, thereââ¬â¢s no need for a surname - think Madonna, Beyonce and erââ¬Â¦ Jesus. So if we say ââ¬ËLeonaââ¬â¢ youÃ
"I still live at home in my two-bedroom place in Hackney. It is surreal meeting people like Clive Davis because heââ¬â¢s behind some of my idols, but I love coming back home. "
So you've worked with some big names like music veteran Clive Davis. Is that ever intimidating?
Oh yeah, it’s really daunting, especially when I worked with Ne-Yo which was really amazing. But he was really great and really lovely. I worked with Walter [Afanasieff] as well who's done some of my favourite songs of all time. Like Celine [Dion] and Mariah [Carey]. So I was like, ‘My gosh’ but they all just put me at ease. They all wanted to do the best that they could do, so it was really lovely to learn from them.
Is it ever tempting to copy Mariah and Celine because you’re a fan?
No, Walter and I were just really creative together and he hasn’t just done that he’s done so many different things. He’s like a great pianist so he was coming up with different piano tracks and coming up with a whole load of different stuff.
So it’s a collaborative process, what part do you mainly do?
Usually the lyrics and the melodies. With lyrics it’s a lot of love stuff and I like stuff that’s positive, obviously all stuff about love isn’t positive but I do like to put positive stuff out.
Is your life glamorous now?
I still live at home in my two-bedroom place in Hackney. It is surreal meeting people like Clive Davis because he’s behind some of my idols, but I love coming back home. I’ve grown up in Hackney so it’s just normal to me. Everyone in Hackney kind of knows me now and they’re really proud. It’s really sweet.
You’ve been with your boyfriend since before you were famous, has it been weird to adjust?
It’s great, we’ve been together since we were 17 and we’ve always been trying to find our way career wise, so it’s kind of normal that we’re doing that. The only thing that’s changed is that some people know who I am now. I went to the Hackney Empire and did four songs. I can’t believe how many people turned up. I cried. I cry all the time!
Is he ever intimidated by all the attention you get?
No, not at all. I think everybody is just really excited about it and really amazed that I’ve been given this opportunity. Everyone that I know has always known I wanted to be a singer and I wanted to do music, so they’ve always been like, ‘Go on, keep doing it!’ and now it’s finally here they’re all really excited.
And he never worries about you leaving him for someone famous?
No, of course not! That’s not who I am. We’re pretty much on the same page. We kind of always agree on stuff so there’s been nothing. It’s been smooth sailing.
So have you met any famous people that you’ve always looked up to?
I went to see Celine Dion in Las Vegas. It was amazing, and all of those dancers. Wow! What was great though was when she spoke she just seemed like such a nice person and so genuine. She’s definitely a person who inspires me.
Pop stars are expected to do sexy shoots to promote their music, would you say no to that?
Well my record company know I wouldn’t do that. Everyone knows me now, the people that are around me, and so they wouldn’t say to do this or do that when they know I wouldn’t do it. I’m not against it or anything I just don’t have the confidence to stand there and be…in a bra and knickers. I wouldn’t do that. I think good on to the people who have the confidence to do that but I don’t.
You are vegetarian and staunchly anti-fur (she recently turned down £1 million to open the Harrods sale because the store stocks fur), where does that passion come from?
Just as soon as I knew where meat came from, you kind of grow up and start realising stuff has consequences; that this is pig and it was once alive. So just from when I was really young I stopped eating meat. But I got quite ill because I didn’t really know what else to eat. I mean my parents cook vegetarian food but they still eat fish and I don’t eat even eat fish or anything. So I started eating meat again, but now I don’t eat any. I don’t wear leather or any animal products.
Is it difficult to find nice clothes?!
It is really hard and at first it was hard because there’s so much leather around. I’ve always said from when I was younger that it would be great to do a range of non leather that is still quality and will last. That’s the thing with leather, the durability, but there are still options out there that you can find and stuff that’s not too expensive. I adore Stella McCartney and I love her range so I think she’s a great role model for people.
You work in a glamorous industry though and people are bound to wear fur, does that bother you?
It’s very glamorous in America and very extravagant, but I don’t force my opinion on anyone. Everyone has the right to do what they want but I do think people should be informed of where stuff comes from, but I would never force anything on anyone.
When you see pop stars around you having meltdowns, do you ever worry you might go the same way?
I don’t worry, I’ve got this opportunity now and I’m just being really dedicated and working hard. I think as long as I’ve got my friends and family around me they’ll be saying, ‘You shouldn’t be doing that and you shouldn’t be doing that’ and just giving me advice, I think I’ll be fine.
Leona Lewis’s single ‘Forgive Me’ and the re-issue of Spirit are both out now.
