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Leona said: “Last Saturday was incredible. There is a bit of pressure there, but I will keep pushing myself every week. I miss my family so much. Its amazing that I have made my parents so proud of me. I went back to my old work place where I was a receptionist. My luck has changed but it could be gone tomorrow and I really don’t want that to be taken away from me.” Leona received amazing comments from all three judges…
Sharon: “Leona, a very emotional performance. Yes Leona, it was very emotional, you really told the story of the song so well, it was beautifully sung, well done Leona”
Louis: Leona, every week you come out here and deliver, with no gimmicks, no sax playing, no silly dancers, it’s just you and your voice. amazing emotion, you’re a class act, I think you could be the first female winner of The X Factor.”
Simon: “Leona, honestly Leona, that was world class. Leona, you were a very shy girl who came to this competition and week by week the whole of this country is seeing a real artist emerging here. and we’ve never had a girl win this competition and for every little girl who dreams about being a pop star when they are working in the office, you are a role model for these people. You are special.”
Post performance, Leona said: “Thank you so much. I am always so nervous and getting those comments just inspires me to do better. I wouldn’t be here without everyone who has supported me”
hey, i just saw extra factor, and the other contestants were being so spiteful with their half hearted applause for Leona! my god they are jealous! and sharon couldn’t be anymore transparent! i agree with simon for once, world class!
keep it up Leona, and i also love eton road, however, is anthony a girl? if he is then wow, you look really good!
from shari may
xx
Comment by shari may — Saturday, 11 November, 2006 @ 20:41
louis says ray does swing too often, has ben done anything else other than rock now he is boring!!!!
Comment by jane aston — Saturday, 11 November, 2006 @ 22:10
i would definitely go to see ray or robert they are fab as for ben he is drab and the mcdonald bros are really really bad.
Comment by beth — Saturday, 11 November, 2006 @ 22:18
keep swinging ray you are a gem. if you are voting for boring then his name is ben.
Comment by jane — Saturday, 11 November, 2006 @ 22:21
Leona’s performance last night of Elton John’s ‘sorry seems to be the hardest word’ was absolutely brilliant and I would go even further to say that even if she doesn’t ‘win’ the X Factor, her performance last night has secured a place for her in the music industry without a shadow of a doubt.
She hasn’t reached that certain level of cockiness (and I hope she never does) that holds the hand of a lot of performers and she is new enough in the music game to still have an awkwardness and self-consciousness that is really charming and endearing and makes her singing all the more heartfelt and sincere.
Apart from Leona and Robert, (who have real talent) the rest of the contestants in the X Factor this year are TERRIBLE! I’m really disappointed with the X Factor this time around and so when Rod Stewart made the comment that the contestants were ‘rubbish’, I had to agree with him! (he apparently didn’t realize his microphone was still on when he made that comment!)
Comment by Tanya Scott — Sunday, 12 November, 2006 @ 05:18
I think Leona’s mum may have damaged her chances with her pitiful attention seeking disguised as “racial awareness”. What a terrible shame…..I never even considered the contestants skin colour – never even thought about it at all until Leona’s mum said what she did in the newspapers. The shame is, many people will see this as “jumping on the race bandwagon” when it was not a necessary thing to bring up!
Well I am a member of the voting public & will still call up & vote for her – however I know that many will blame her for her mums stupid comments! What a crying shame!
Comment by Karin — Sunday, 12 November, 2006 @ 09:34
LEONA TO WIN!! How great is this girl?? Time for a girl to win the X Factor for us and i think Leona can definately go all the way! Her voice is just amazing and she is definately the best contestant they have had on the show over 3 years! She doesn’t even realise how great she is and that’s why i think she comes across really well on the Xtra Factor. Do it for the girls Leona- you’re brilliant!!!! xXx
Comment by Laura — Sunday, 12 November, 2006 @ 11:03
I don’t think Leona should win the X factor, she’ll only get a one million pound contract. Not nearly enough, she is worth far much more than that. Simon Cowell will be rubbing his hands with glee ‘cos he’s going to make an absolute fortune out of her. So, I hope she doesn’t win, purely because she is a world class act and she should get world class money.
Comment by Nick South — Sunday, 12 November, 2006 @ 14:53
where can we get a copy of the performance she did last night?
Comment by Nick South — Sunday, 12 November, 2006 @ 14:56
Leona is a star.
I have seen many shows (AmIdol, Starac(france), Xfactor) and I have never heard anybody seeging and performing like that.
Brilliant !!!
Comment by David — Sunday, 12 November, 2006 @ 16:51
I grew up listening to the likes of Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Wilson Pickett etc etc, people who sung with their soul and not with their ego.
I’d kind of given up thinking I’d ever come across anything to match the old days but Leona has it… she is a stunning talent.
Amongst the 50 things I gotta do before I die is hear this girl cover the old Irma Thomas classic “I Wish Someone Would Care”.
Comment by Steve — Sunday, 12 November, 2006 @ 17:10
From her very first performance I soon realised that Leona is one of the finest female vocalist the UK has EVER produced. Her voice, pitch and attitude are indeed “world-class” and the truth be known she does not need to wear an X-Factor crown to become a mega star. However, X-Factor is what-it-is and I don’t feel the right platform for her to launch a successful career. To do that Simon needs to do what he does best and let her cover at least 5 really good songs back-to-back and then hit the public with an original track to truly make her own. I firmly believe that Leona in the right arena could out sing both Beyoncee and Christina and I just hope she doesn’t got the route as all the other winners have (Will Young excluded).
Leona, if you do read this, don’t get compliance and just do what you do naturally so well, sing.
Much love and respect. x
Comment by DJ London — Sunday, 12 November, 2006 @ 17:24
Leona is the best thing on x factor since Will young. Her vesion of Summertime was fantastic as was Elton John’s Sorry, she should release them both.
Dont change, stay focused and take a leave out of Will’s book.
You will be getting my vote.
Comment by Shirley — Sunday, 12 November, 2006 @ 22:17
I can’t understand the fascination. She has a technically good voice, but her technique in no way makes up for her complete lack of emotional understanding. I can’t make myself continue to pay attention to her for the two and a half minutes they get for each performance.
She’s pretty and seems quite nice. She wants to be a role model for little girls. Beh! She’s just not that someone I want to hear singing. What was she before, a secretary? That’s a good job.
She’s certainly not world class!! What will Simon say next week when she turns in another facsimile performance?
‘You were galactic, truly cosmic, a role model for baby Martians.’
This is not music as I know it.
Dan (Aggie’s bloke)
Comment by Aggie's mate — Monday, 13 November, 2006 @ 00:36
Wow!!!
Leona is blessed with the magic of making us love the songs she has sang in the contest with much more passion, rather than ‘killing the songs off’ like some of the other performers have done in the past, seeing her perform is so pleasurable and soothing.
Comment by Mari — Monday, 13 November, 2006 @ 11:51
Leona’s voice/musical style are not to my taste but she’s incredibly talented – she’s the equal of anyone currently doing that sort of thing in the pop charts. And unlike just about every other contestant this year she consistently nails her tuning. There’s been barely a note out of place in all five weeks, and she takes plenty of chances with the phrasing and intonation as well. Plus, she sems like a genuinely modest and good-hearted person, not some stroppy so-and-so who thinks you have to be a prize prat to be a soul diva. She deserves to win.
Comment by Steve — Monday, 13 November, 2006 @ 12:30
Wow. Haven’t really kept up with the X-Factor this year, having missed now a few weeks, but I did watch the Saturday 11 Nov show, & all I can say about Leona is wow.
Usually when someone attempts to perform as melismatically as Mariah Carey, let’s face it, you wish they hadn’t bothered & had stuck to kareoke, but not Leona – boy this girl can sing! I’ve listened to the song (what a beautiful song – just wish all the kids would stop calling it a Blue song!) around ten times since Saturday night, & the hairs still stand up on the back of my neck every single time. And even after hearing it over & over, it still sounds like a polished recording, not a live performance! She makes you proud to be British!
And finally, what the hell is Dan (Aggie’s bloke) harping on about? Reckon there’s something wrong with his telly!
Comment by Paul Cutcliffe — Monday, 13 November, 2006 @ 15:52
My mate found the live recording on shareaza under leona X factor
Comment by Nick South — Monday, 13 November, 2006 @ 22:39
come on leona u r really really good but RAY TO WIN
Comment by teresa — Tuesday, 14 November, 2006 @ 20:39
HIya i really loved leona dress last weeek really want 2 know where she got it from please writre back asap x.x.x.x.x
Comment by Laura — Friday, 17 November, 2006 @ 11:26