MANILA, Philippines - From an unheard-of talent show contestant in 2006 to a global superstar in 2009, Leona Lewis has bettered every challenge put in her path yet retained her unaffected, girl-next-door qualities — something so rare in an industry that turns almost everyone into something they are not. The singing star saves her emotional changes for her music — seen on her debut, Spirit and set to be continued on her new release, Echo.
Big emotions and sweeping, widescreen melodies form her new album, which sees her re-teaming with Max Martin and John Shanks as well as working with new collaborators Xenomania, Julian Bennetta and Justin Timberlake.
It features the hit song Happy written with Leona’s old Bleeding Love compatriot Ryan Tedder and the new single I Got You.
Leona co-writes eight tracks on the album. Leona says it was hard to think of a title for the album straight away, but when it finally came it made absolute sense. Echo not only reflects the record’s epic and ethereal sound, but what’s more it appeals to Leona’s innate love of fantasy and otherworldliness — the places she would go in her head as a child: “To escape” and start creating the songs about other worlds, other lives.
“I’m actually more confident with this album than the last. I’ve taken more control this time and I feel more at ease with everything. To me, it’s all about great songs and I hope the songs move people as much as they move me. I hope so anyway,” Leona said.
To download Leona’s ring back tones, truetones, full track music from the album, text SONY to 3456.
Echo is out in CDs under Sony Music.