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.
Shake You Up
Leona Lewis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Flashback, broken bottles in a trash bag...
The rush when you're about to fall, I feel when I remember it all;
I prayed that I would never have to see you again...
But now you're standing just an inch from my face,
And your drop of crazy is all I can taste...
I know exactly how to shake you, to shake you up...
Now you're standing just an inch from my face,
And your drop of crazy is all I can taste...
But what you don't know is I came out of the dark;
I know how to shake you, to shake you up...
To shake you up...
To shake you up...
Watch it - oh, how good it feels to do this
Like you did - the difference is that you deserve it...
No rush - I got the power tonight, and you are on the losing side,
But I'll never forget how you tore me down...
Now you're standing just an inch from my face,
And your drop of crazy is all I can taste...
But what you don't know is I came out of the dark;
I know exactly how to shake you, to shake you up...
Now you're standing just an inch from my face,
And your drop of crazy is all I can taste...
But what you don't know is I came out of the dark;
I know how to shake you, to shake you up...
To shake you up...
To shake you up...
How does it feel? How does it feel to be the victim?
How does it feel? I know, 'cause you did this to me, oh, yeah, yeah...
(Now you're standing just an inch from my face,) Yeah, yeah...
(And your drop of crazy is all I can taste...) Oh, oh...
(But what you don't know is I came out of the dark;) Dark...
(I know exactly how to shake you, to shake you up...) Oh, yeah...
(Now you're reaching out to take my hand;) Takin' my hand...
(You don't know you’re standing on sinking sand...) On sinking sand...
(I learned from the best, so I know
Exactly how to shake you,) how to shake you up...
I'm gonna shake, (gonna shake,) I'm gonna shake (you up...)
(I'm gonna shake, gonna shake, gonna shake you up...)
(I'm gonna shake, gonna shake, gonna shake you up...) I'm gonna shake you!
I'm gonna shake, (gonna shake, gonna shake you up...) Yeah...
In Leona Lewis's song "Shake You Up," the lyrics explore themes of revenge and empowerment after experiencing trauma. The first lines, "Kill me, it takes a lot to kill me; flashback, broken bottles in a trash bag," suggest that the singer has faced significant trauma in the past but survived. The next lines, "The rush when you're about to fall, I feel when I remember it all; I prayed that I would never have to see you again," indicate that the singer is now encountering the person who caused their trauma once again. Despite feeling their "drop of crazy" and being in close proximity to this person, the singer declares that they "know exactly how to shake you, to shake you up."
The chorus repeats this notion of the singer's ability to shake up their abuser. In the second verse, the singer appears to be exacting their revenge, singing "Watch it - oh, how good it feels to do this, like you did - the difference is that you deserve it." The bridge emphasizes that the singer has learned from their abuser and can now manipulate them in turn: "Now you're reaching out to take my hand; you don't know you're standing on sinking sand... I learned from the best, so I know exactly how to shake you, how to shake you up." The song ends with the repetition of "I'm gonna shake you," further emphasizing the singer's agency and power.
Line by Line Meaning
Kill me, it takes a lot to kill me;
I am strong and resilient, it takes a great deal to break me down.
Flashback, broken bottles in a trash bag...
I remember the pain and destruction you caused me, leaving me with nothing but remnants of what we had.
The rush when you're about to fall, I feel when I remember it all;
I experience a thrill and adrenaline as I recall the moments leading to our downfall.
I prayed that I would never have to see you again...
I hoped to never encounter you, but somehow fate has brought us together once more.
But now you're standing just an inch from my face,
You are in my personal space, presenting yourself entirely to me.
And your drop of crazy is all I can taste...
The madness and irrationality within you is palpable and intense.
But what you don't know is I came out of the dark;
I emerged from a place of emotional darkness and despair.
I know exactly how to shake you, to shake you up...
I possess the power to disturb and disrupt your stability and composure.
To shake you up...
My mission is to unsettle and disorient you.
Watch it - oh, how good it feels to do this
I take pleasure in my ability to inflict emotional upheaval and turmoil on you.
Like you did - the difference is that you deserve it...
I retaliate for the pain and suffering you caused me, as it was rightfully deserved.
No rush - I got the power tonight, and you are on the losing side,
I am in control and hold the upper hand in this encounter, leaving you at a disadvantage.
But I'll never forget how you tore me down...
I will always remember how you brought me to a place of sadness and vulnerability.
How does it feel? How does it feel to be the victim?
Now you know the agony and despair I felt when you mistreated me.
I know, 'cause you did this to me, oh, yeah, yeah...
It is clear that you were the cause of my pain and now you must experience it yourself.
(Now you're standing just an inch from my face,) Yeah, yeah...
You are still in close proximity to me, unable to escape our interaction.
(And your drop of crazy is all I can taste...) Oh, oh...
The madness within you is still ever-present and overwhelming.
(But what you don't know is I came out of the dark;) Dark...
I emerged from a place of hopelessness and anguish, now equipped to face you.
(I know exactly how to shake you, to shake you up...) Oh, yeah...
I am confident in my ability to cause chaos and exert control over you.
(Now you're reaching out to take my hand;) Takin' my hand...
You are attempting to engage with me physically, seeking connection and reconciliation.
(You don't know you’re standing on sinking sand...) On sinking sand...
You are unaware that your efforts to reconnect are futile and will only lead to your downfall.
(I learned from the best, so I know
Exactly how to shake you,) how to shake you up...
I learned from my experiences with you how to cause emotional upheaval and chaos in others.
I'm gonna shake, (gonna shake,) I'm gonna shake (you up...)
I am determined to disturb and unsettle you.
(I'm gonna shake, gonna shake, gonna shake you up...)
My actions will bring about a complete upheaval of your emotional state.
(I'm gonna shake, gonna shake, gonna shake you up...) I'm gonna shake you!
I am actively working to disrupt your emotional equilibrium and cause discord within you.
I'm gonna shake, (gonna shake, gonna shake you up...) Yeah...
My actions will not cease until I have achieved my goal of unsettling you.
Contributed by Blake S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.