Leona was ‘ready to drop music dream’

Leona Lewis was on the verge of abandoning her dreams of making it in the music industry - when she was propelled into the limelight on The X Factor.

Years of hard graft for little return had left the 21-year-old PA and receptionist, who grew up in Grosvenor Avenue, Highbury, ready to leave music behind and start a degree in sociology.

“It’s been a battle - a long, hard road of 15 years, especially the last five years, trying to get into the industry,” said her proud dad Joe, 45, who works for Islington youth offending team and lives in Highbury.

“She hasn’t just picked up a hairbrush and started to sing. She’s worked and done it off her own back. With hand on heart, she deserves this.”

Leona started singing before she could even talk - at the age of two. Her parents noticed their toddler warbling along to songs in the back of the car.

By the age of 12 the rising star, who went to Ambler Primary School in Blackstock Road, Finsbury Park, as well as attending performing arts academy Italia Conti in Goswell Road, Finsbury, was writing her own songs.

Leona got her secondary education at the BRIT school in Croydon - the only non-fee paying performing arts school in the UK, still hoping to follow in the footsteps of her idols, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Eva Cassidy.

Mr Lewis said: “She was trying to get into the music industry, recording demos with different producers who promised her the world but didn’t deliver. People recognised the talent but weren’t in a position to help her.

“The X Factor was her last attempt to get into the music industry.”

Leona, whose two brothers Bradley, 23, and Kyle, 19, still live in Islington, applied for the X Factor along with her boyfriend - but it was Leona who caught the judges’ eye.

“She’s just gone on from day one. Obviously I’m proud of her achievement,” said Mr Lewis.

Now Leona, who works in Clapton, is the X Factor’s hotly-tipped favourite, and has been described as “terrific” by her musical mentor Simon Cowell on the show.

And it seems Leona can at least rely on a few votes from Islington.

Ambler Primary School’s deputy head, Juliet Benis, said: “Everybody was delighted that one of our past pupils was doing well on the X Factor. We place particular value on the arts. We all hope she wins.
Source:http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/