LEONA LEWIS’ SUMMER STYLELearn about This British Songbird’s Rise to Fame and Steal Her Fabulous Style!
British Songbird Leona LewisFor those of you who are not in the know (or not from the U.K.), Leona Lewis is a huge star. With a voice that resembles Whitney Houston’s powerful vocals and a stunning face, Leona won the hearts of audiences and judges when she competed on the British reality talent show, The X Factor. For non-Brits, The X Factor is the recharged, revamped version of the original Pop Idol, the American Idol counterpart overseas. Simon Cowell, the lead judge and executive producer of The X Factor, certainly saw something worthwhile in Leona Lewis, as did the audience because she won the third season in a remarkable landslide of votes. Leona Lewis’ Rise to FameSince the age of 13, when Leona won a talent show, she has dedicated herself to music; she graduated from the prestigious BRIT School for the Performing Arts and Technology. Leona auditioned for The X Factor in 2006 while she was working as a pizza waitress and continuing her musical interests by writing her own material. Bursting on to the music and TV scene, Leona won The X Factor and debuted her first single, a soulful cover of Kelly Clarkson’s “A Moment like This,” which her fans know as Clarkson’s own debut American Idol single. Leona’s cover was the number one single in the U.K. at the turn of the year, including the honored “Christmas Number One.” Her success propelled her on to sign an American recording deal with Clive Davis’ J Records in February 2007. Her debut album, Spirit, launched in England at the end of 2007 and it soared to the top of the charts. Along with her hit single, “Bleeding Love,” the April 2008 American release of her album was received with great success and is still going strong. Leona Lewis Gets Star StruckLeona’s amazing rise to fame hasn’t gone to her head; she still gets star-struck. As she told US Weekly, “I went to Clive Davis’ Grammy party, and I nearly spontaneously combusted because everyone on my iPod was there! Carrie Underwood, Alicia Keys, and I met Whitney Houston – that was crazy.” She’s “taking the whole experience in slowly and really focusing on the career aspects,” she commented, and even though she has been with her boyfriend since age 9 (they’re both currently 23), she has no plans to settle down. She does, however, have an American crush. “I love Shia LaBeouf. He is such a great actor, so I definitely want to ask for his autograph,” she told Us Weekly. Steal Leona Lewis’ Summer StyleSteal the Look: DaytimeLeona’s summer style really focuses on the amazing shape of her body. She embraces her hourglass figure and plays that up by accenting the smallest part of her waist with belts and high-waisted denim trousers. To steal her look, try Baby Phat’s Silicone Rinse Self Belt Trousers. A brilliant blue short top like Forever 21’s Flutter Top will compliment those high-waisted jeans to the fullest extent, and the whole look can be finished off with gold ankle strap heels and a long necklace. Steal the Look: EveningWarm summer nights call for a soft and romantic style. Leona Lewis shows off her girly side with a creamy ruffled ensemble. To get the same effect, try this flirty Ruffle Hem Dress from TopShop and belt it. We like this white City Style Belt, or for a softer touch, you can try using a white or cream colored scarf as a belt. The key to Leona’s romantic look is a neutral color palette. Complete the look with a pair of light gold peep toe pumps, a beaded bangle, and a large oval ring.
Article Written By: Dayle Zimmer; Dayle is a graduate of FIDM in Los Angeles, CA and enjoys the creative aspects of life and shopping for shoes. Photos: WireImage | |||||||||||||||||
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