Lewis has become a multi-platinum selling artist and three time Grammy Award nominee. She was proclaimed 'Top New Artist' by Billboard magazine in 2008. Her two albums Spirit and Echo, released in 2007 and 2009 respectively, have collectively sold in excess of 10 million copies worldwide and topped the charts in numerous countries. Lewis's debut tour, The Labyrinth, took place in 2010. As of December 2012, Lewis has sold 28 million records worldwide. Her third album Glassheart was released 12 October 2012. It was preceded by the single "Collide", which became her seventh top-five hit in the UK. With the release of Hurt: The EP and "Trouble", Lewis has had nine top-ten hits in the UK.
Lewis' debut single A Moment Like This became the fastest selling UK single after being downloaded over 50,000 times within thirty minutes of its release. Her second single, Bleeding Love, reached number one positions in over thirty singles charts around the world. In November 2008 she set a record in the UK for the fastest selling download-only release with her cover version of the Snow Patrol song Run which sold 69,244 copies in two days. Lewis's debut tour, The Labyrinth, started in 2010.
Lewis was born in the London Borough of Islington, to Aural Josiah "Joe" Lewis of Afro-Guyanese descent, and Maria Lewis of Welsh, Italian and Irish descent. Her parents enrolled her at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, and from there she attended the Italia Conti Academy and the BRIT School, where she learned to play instruments such as the guitar and piano, in the hope of becoming a singer-songwriter. Lewis wrote her first full-length song at the age of 12. She initially trained in opera, but went on to singing jazz and blues, eventually leading to popular music, citing Minnie Riperton, Eva Cassidy and Stevie Wonder as her main influences. After leaving the BRIT School at 17, she took a number of jobs to fund studio time, recording a demo album called Twilight. The album, almost exclusively comprising her own compositions, was recorded under Spiral Music, a production company based in Fulham. "I tried to secure a record deal by doing things my own way. I worked very hard but I never managed to land a contract", said Lewis. Other demos were recorded under licence from UEG Entertainment, later included on an album called Best Kept Secret. However, none of Lewis's demos were released and she considered taking a hiatus from her music career to attend university until her boyfriend persuaded her to enter The X Factor which subsequently severed her connections with UEG.
Songfacts says that Collide, the first single from Leona Lewis's third album finds her taking a more dance pop route than on her previous material. She said, "I'm excited for people to see a different side to my music. I'm a fan of so many different genres and styles. For me this song has all the great ingredients of a summer anthem." The song got its first play on Scott Mills' Radio One show on July 15, 2011 and will be released on September 4, 2011.
Lewis' third studio album, Glassheart, is due for release in 2012.
Can't Breathe
Leona Lewis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Afraid of losing
It's like I'm not in control
I'm watching myself fall down
Thinking you won't be around
You know you got my heart unlocked
And even if I want to run
I can't go
Go, go
I don't wanna go, go
Got nowhere to go, go
I don't wanna go, go
I can't breathe
Without you I get weak
And I can't breathe
And I can't breathe
And I can't breathe
Without you near me
And I can't breathe
And I can't live without you, I can't
And I can't breathe
And I can't breathe
And I can't breathe
Without you near me
And I can't breathe
And I can't live without you, I can't
Maybe I make believe
You're not different
But you got me in love
Don't wanna be alone again
I cannot function without you here
My indecisions and all my fears
Get higher higher day by day
Higher higher
But I can't go
Go
I don't wanna go, go
Gotta let it go, go
I don't wanna go, go
I get weak
Without you I can't breathe
And I can't breathe
And I can't breathe
And I can't breathe
Without you near me
And I can't breathe
And I can't live without you, I can't
And I can't breathe
And I can't breathe
And I can't breathe
Without you near me
And I can't breathe
And I can't live without you, I can't
Oh, It's just not fair that
I'm lost in your warmth
That I just can't breathe
Just can't breathe
I'm coming up, coming up for a breath
Coming up, coming up for a breath
Coming up, coming up for a breath
Coming up, coming up for a breath
And I can't breathe
And I can't breathe
And I can't breathe
Without you near me
And I can't breathe
And I can't live without you, I can't
And I can't breathe
And I can't breathe
And I can't breathe
Without you near me
And I can't breathe
And I can't live without you, I can't
Leona Lewis's "Can't Breathe" is a heart-wrenching love ballad that speaks of the desperation and helplessness one feels when they are uncontrollably in love. The singer begins by asking herself what she is fighting, indicating that she may be struggling with the idea of falling in love against her better judgment. However, the fear of losing her lover overrides everything else, making her feel like she is not in control. Despite this, she watches herself fall deeply in love and is terrified that her lover will not be around to catch her when she hits the ground. Lewis then admits that even though she wants to run away from her feelings, she can't because her lover has her heart unlocked. She laments that she can't breathe, that she gets weak without her lover, and that she can't live without them.
"Can't Breathe" highlights the agony of being in love and being unable to function without the presence of one's soulmate. The lyrics also suggest that the singer is aware that her love for her partner might be irrational, but she cannot help it.
Line by Line Meaning
What am I fighting?
I feel like I'm in a battle but I'm not sure what I'm fighting for.
Afraid of losing
I'm scared that if you leave, I'll lose everything.
It's like I'm not in control
I feel like I'm being controlled by my emotions and I can't help it.
I'm watching myself fall down
I can see that I'm losing myself and it scares me.
Thinking you won't be around
I'm afraid that you'll leave me and I'll be alone.
You know you got my heart unlocked
You have access to my heart and my love, and I can't resist you.
And even if I want to run
Even if I try to leave and forget you, I can't.
I can't go
I'm trapped in my feelings for you and I can't escape.
Go, go
This is a plea for help to go and find a way out of this situation.
I don't wanna go, go
I don't want to leave you, even though it hurts.
Got nowhere to go, go
I don't have any other options or solutions besides being with you.
I can't breathe
You take my breath away and my love for you is suffocating.
Without you I get weak
I'm not strong enough to be without you and my heart can't handle it.
Maybe I make believe
Maybe I'm in denial that our love is not good for me, but I pretend everything is okay.
You're not different
You're not like other people who have hurt me, but I still feel vulnerable with you.
But you got me in love
I'm head over heels in love with you, even though it's not logical or smart.
Don't wanna be alone again
I don't want to go back to feeling lonely and empty without you.
I cannot function without you here
My life revolves around you and I can't imagine doing anything without you.
My indecisions and all my fears
I have a lot of doubts and insecurities, and they all relate to you and our relationship.
Get higher higher day by day
My doubts and anxieties are getting worse over time and I can't cope with them.
Gotta let it go, go
I need to learn to let go of my attachment to you, even though it hurts.
I get weak
My love for you weakens me and leaves me vulnerable.
Oh, It's just not fair that
It's not fair that I'm so in love with you and it's causing me so much pain.
I'm lost in your warmth
Your love and affection makes me feel safe and comfortable, but it's also suffocating me.
Just can't breathe
My love for you is taking my breath away and leaving me feeling helpless.
Coming up, coming up for a breath
This is a plea for help to find a way out of this situation and to breathe again.
Without you near me
I feel lost and empty without you by my side.
And I can't live without you, I can't
I know I need to let go, but I can't even imagine living without you.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cheryline Lim, Gavriel Aminov, Keith Ross, Leona Lewis, Lundon Knighton, Michael Malih, Uriel Kadouch
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind