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.
Thank You
Leona Lewis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Only called when I needed help
If I've only thought of myself
Couldn't find the words to say what I felt
If I've ever lied to your face
Shut you out to keep you away, oh
You'd always give and I'd always take
Yes, it took some time for me to say
Thank you, thank you
For seeing the best and the worst of me
The angel underneath, thank you
When I had trouble finding my way
You showed me I am not my mistakes, no
And that dreams are meant to be lived, not to be chased
And our hearts get stronger after they break
So thank you, thank you
For seeing the best and the worst of me
The angel underneath, thank you
(Thank you, thank you, thank you)
'Cause I wouldn't be here without you
How could I ever doubt you
Slamming doors didn't stop you
Oh, you made me face up to
I wouldn't be here without you
How could I ever doubt you
I was running wild, a reckless child
I'm sorry if I let you down
If I ever put you through hell
Only called when I needed help
Yes, it took some time for me to see
Thank you, thank you
For seeing the best and the worst of me
The angel underneath, thank you
(Thank you, thank you, thank you)
Thank you
Thank
Thank you
Thank you
Thank you
(Thank you, thank you, thank you)
Leona Lewis’s "Thank You" is a moving song that expresses gratitude for the people in our lives who have stuck with us through thick and thin. In the first verse, the singer confesses to having been a difficult person at times, only calling when she needed help, thinking only of herself, and failing to express her emotions. She acknowledges shutting out those close to her and taking more than giving. However, the chorus shifts the tone of the song as Leona thanks the person in her life for seeing the best and worst of her, emphasizing the angelic qualities that they have recognized in her even when she couldn't see them herself. The chorus reflects the idea that someone close to us can help us see our worth when we cannot.
The second verse deepens the message of gratitude as Leona recalls a time when she was struggling to find her way. The person she thanks here is someone who helped her to see that she was capable of more than her mistakes and that her dreams were worth pursuing. In place of chasing her dreams, they showed her how to live them, making her a better person, paving the way for her best qualities to come out. In the end, she exclaims that she wouldn't be where she is today without that person, expressing a deep and sincere gratitude.
Line by Line Meaning
If I've ever put you through hell
In the past, if I have caused you any pain and agony,
Only called when I needed help
And I have reached out to you only when I required assistance,
If I've only thought of myself
If I have been self-centered and obsessed with my own needs,
Couldn't find the words to say what I felt
And I was unable to express my emotions that I wanted to share with you,
If I've ever lied to your face
If I have ever told you anything but the truth right to your face,
Shut you out to keep you away, oh
Or I have rejected you and closed the door on you to keep you at a distance,
You'd always give and I'd always take
You have constantly been a giver, but I was always a taker in our relationship,
Yes, it took some time for me to say
It has taken me a while to come forward and say this to you,
Thank you, thank you
But now, I want to express my gratitude and say thank you, thank you,
For seeing the best and the worst of me
For accepting me for who I am and dealing with my flaws and strengths alike,
The angel underneath, thank you
Thank you for seeing the kind and pure person hidden deep inside of me,
When I had trouble finding my way
When I was lost and could not find my direction in life,
You showed me I am not my mistakes, no
You were there for me to show that my past errors do not define me,
And that dreams are meant to be lived, not to be chased
And that one needs to live their dreams rather than pursuing them endlessly without taking action,
And our hearts get stronger after they break
After experiencing heartbreaks and hardships in life, our hearts become stronger and more resilient,
'Cause I wouldn't be here without you
I owe my present and future to you,
How could I ever doubt you
I cannot fathom how I could ever have second-guessed you,
Slamming doors didn't stop you
Even when I pushed you away by shutting doors, you persisted in reaching out to me,
Oh, you made me face up to
You forced me to confront and deal with my problems and issues in life,
I was running wild, a reckless child
I was behaving recklessly like a wild and uncontrolled child,
I'm sorry if I let you down
I apologize if I have disappointed you or failed to meet your expectations,
Thank you, thank you
Thus, I want to convey my gratitude once again and say thank you, thank you,
The angel underneath, thank you
Thank you for recognizing and appreciating the goodness that exists within me,
Thank you
My thanks to you,
Thank
My gratitude,
Thank you
My thanks to you,
Thank you
My thanks to you,
Thank you
My thanks to you,
(Thank you, thank you, thank you)
(Repeated expression of gratitude)
Lyrics © CTM Outlander Music LC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, CTM Publishing
Written by: TOBIAS GAD, JACQUELINE NEMORIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind