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.
Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Leona Lewis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Way up high.
In the land that I heard of once in a lullaby
Well, someday I'll wish upon a star
and wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
Where troubles will melt like lemon drops away above the chimney tops.
That's where you'll find me
Skies are blue
And the, the dreams that you dare to dream.
They really do come true.
If happy little blue birds fly
beyond the rainbow
Why, oh, why
Can't I?
Leona Lewis's version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow is a cover of the famous song from The Wizard of Oz. The lyrics are about a place called "somewhere over the rainbow" and the idea of escaping from troubles and finding happiness. The opening line sets the scene of the song, with the singer imagining a place "way up high" that she has only heard about in a lullaby. The words "somewhere over the rainbow" suggest a magical, mystical place that is out of reach, which adds to the sense of longing and potential for escape.
The second verse shifts to the singer's desire to escape her troubles and find happiness. She sings about "wishing upon a star" and dreaming of a place where "troubles will melt like lemon drops". The metaphor of melting lemon drops conjures an image of sweetness, something that is pure and unadulterated, and serves as a contrast to the problems and issues that the singer is trying to leave behind ("far behind me"). The final lines of the song suggest that happiness is within reach- "the dreams that you dare to dream, they really do come true". It's a message of hope and optimism, encouraging listeners to hold on to their dreams and pursue them with determination.
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere over the rainbow.
There is a place, beyond our reach and imagination, that exists in our dreams and hopes.
Way up high.
This magical place is located high above us, out of our physical and mental reach.
In the land that I heard of once in a lullaby
The existence of this place has been known to us through lullabies and stories that have been passed down through generations.
Well, someday I'll wish upon a star
The artist expresses their desire to make a wish, which is a universal symbol of hope and belief in magic.
and wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
The artist longs to escape from their problems and worries, represented by the clouds that follow them.
Where troubles will melt like lemon drops away above the chimney tops.
In this magical place, the singer imagines that their troubles will disappear just as easily as lemon drops dissolve.
That's where you'll find me
The singer believes that they will find peace and happiness in this place.
Somewhere over the rainbow
The artist reiterates the existence of this magical place.
Skies are blue
The artist describes the sky above this place as a bright and clear blue, representing hope and optimism.
And the, the dreams that you dare to dream.
The artist encourages the listener to believe in their dreams, no matter how big or impossible they may seem.
They really do come true.
The singer affirms that dreams can become reality if one believes in them strongly enough.
If happy little blue birds fly
The artist uses the image of happy little blue birds to represent the joy and freedom that can be found in this magical place.
beyond the rainbow
The singer repeats the idea of this magical place being somewhere beyond our physical world.
Why, oh, why
The singer expresses confusion and longing for this place.
Can't I?
The singer questions why they cannot find their way to this magical place and echoes the listener's desire to reach it as well.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Yip Harburg, Harold Arlen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Scott Kinmartin
One of the best performances in talent show history!
GarageStudio
@Ken Drabinsky Leona has mentioned that she was inspired by and adores Eva Cassidy.
Marley Harris The LION Shall Lie With the LAMB
The most heavenly voice in the world… No one comes even close to this girl…voice of a cherubim Angel.
Shar Crum
A big part of the magic of this performance is that it was for her cousin that passed away. And, of course Eva Cassidy's rendition of the song helped a lot too but Leona is really good.
Ken Drabinsky
Yes perhaps....but not giving credit to Eva Cassidy for this arrangement is not putting her at the top of my list!!!
Barthélémy Guillaume
The best!
H MAN
Leona owns every other x factor winner ever (past, present & future)
Cole Cole
@The300ZXGuru Not better sorry nice try. Lewis turned down those chances she didn't need those to boost her career.
Cole Cole
@StevenR Yea we disagree.
Emmett
@Tone Loke guys..we are forgetting about Jedward