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Debut CD still keeping Leona Lewis busy – Metro US

Debut CD still keeping Leona Lewis busy

Leona Lewis has been spending her time lately holed up in a studio, working hard on her sophomore release.

But it might be tough for her to concentrate on future music when her first album remains the subject of so much celebration.

The statuesque British singer made her debut last year with the CD “Spirit.” The CD sold more than one million copies in the United States and its lead single “Bleeding Love,” became a No. 1 smash.

Now, the album is up for three Grammys, including a coveted record of the year nod for “Bleeding Love,” and the CD is also being rereleased with four additional songs and a DVD complete with videos and bonus footage.

Still, as much as the 23-year-old has enjoyed her incredible year, she’s looking forward to doing even more with her next CD: “I try to mix the best of both worlds and just kind of create my own sound.”

AP: Why do you think female British singers have been so strong at the Grammys these last couple of years?

Lewis: Really I don’t know the reason. I think that they’re just so talented, like you know Amy Winehouse, Adele, Duffy, just really really talented singers, and they’ve been given opportunity. I think that’s the main thing. If you’re somewhere, the right place at the right time, and you’ve got the right attitude and talent, you can kind of get where you want to be.

AP: “Spirit” is being released again. What’s new on it?

Lewis: The latest single is called “I Will Be” and I just love that song. It’s kind of very rock-based, a big ballad. And on the new “Spirit,” there have been remixes of “Bleeding Love” done that people have been kind of like, “I need to get my hands on this” but I haven’t been able to so we’ve included that. We’ve included a song called “Run” on there, which is a cover of a Snow Patrol song. And there’s like the making of, and behind the scenes things, so it’s a whole package ad it’s really good.

AP: The new video stars Chace Crawford of “Gossip Girl.” Are you a fan of the show?

Lewis: We get it in London back home, but it’s kind of like one season back so it’s hard to catch up. But, yeah, I love it. I don’t know, I just love the fashion, and it’s just fun.

AP: How did you get him in the video?

Lewis: I asked him after I’d met him if he’d do it, and I didn’t think he’d say yes, really, but he was like “Yeah, I love that song.” It was really cool and we had fun on the shoot. It’s just a really short scene but it’s very impactful.

AP: Word has it you are writing your autobiography.

Lewis: No, I’m doing a picture book, a book in pictures. It’s kind of like, I got a photographer to kind of follow me everywhere I went, and I’ve got pictures of everything. I’ve just captured everything. I’m a big fan of photography and I think you know a picture speaks a thousand words.

AP: What’s one picture that when you’re 80, you’ll say, “Thank God I’ve got that one”?

Lewis: The one in my mind that stands out in my life and I think I’ll remember forever is when I sang at the Olympics. That’s the one moment where I think to myself that’s as many people, I think it was like billions of people, that were watching at that one moment and that will never happen again. Like so many people watching, me being able to perform and do what I love and share that with so many people will never happen again.

AP: You have a new fragrance. What does Leona smell like?

Lewis: Very kind of floral. Sweet. It’s that kind of scent. It’s been fun, actually, making it and creating it. It’s a European company that I’m working with, and I just kind of got together with them and created the Leona’s scent.

AP: If there was a battle of the scents pitting yours against Mariah Carey’s, Celine Dion’s and Sarah Jessica Parker’s, which would win?

Lewis: Mine’s kind of like, it’s very girly and very feminine, and I think people will like it.