Leona Lewis and soccer ace David Beckham have reportedly been lined up to star in the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics in China this summer.

To mark China’s official handover of the global sporting event to Britain for the London 2012 Games, the L.A. Galaxy player will make an appearance while Bleeding Love hitmaker Lewis will sing to an estimated audience of over 150 million.

An source for the London 2012 Games says, “Leona and Beckham have accepted the invitation to sprinkle some stardust on the show.

“They epitomize what London 2012 is about. Leona is a young global star from London who has risen from nothing. Becks has glamour and a profile around the world. He was also a key figure in the bid to win the Games for London.”

Source

WENN

The songwriting superduo behind Leona Lewis’ smash hit Bleeding Love has given new American Idol winner David Cook a big boost by offering to write him a string of tunes.

Jesse McCartney and Ryan Tedder originally wrote Bleeding Love for MCCartney’s new album - but realised the song would be better sung by a woman, giving Lewis, the winner of British TV talent competition The X-Factor, a huge hit.

And now the duo hopes to do the same for another talent show victor.

McCartney says, “Ryan and I are planning to write some songs with him for his (Cook) album.”

Cook beat fellow finalist David Archuleta in the Idol finale on Wednesday.

Source

WENN

Leona Lewis was grateful for her poor eyesight when she performed at music mogul Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy Awards party in February - because she couldn’t see the heavyweights in front of her.

The Bleeding Love hitmaker admits she suffers from chronic stagefright before shows - and would have freaked out if she could actually see the big names in the audience for Davis’ annual bash.

She recalls, “I could see Rihanna and Chris Brown, because they were closest to where I was singing onstage. Luckily for me, I’m shortsighted. It’s the only time in my life where I’ve thought, ‘Yes, I can’t see!’”

Now, Lewis only has to control her pre-show nerves: “I get really shallow breath, and that’s just the worst, because I need a lot of breath to hit those high notes.”

Source

WENN

British pop star Leona Lewis is back on top of the U.S. pop charts for the third time.

Her Bleeding Love hit just won’t go away, despite twice losing the top spot to Mariah Carey’s Touch My Body and Lil Wayne’s Lollipop.

Last week’s number one, Lollipop, drops to two, while ailing Jordin Sparks’ No Air stays put at three. Madonna’s 4 Minutes collaboration with Justin Timberlake rises to four and Usher’s Love in This Club, featuring Young Jeezy, rounds out the top five.

Chris Brown’s Forever is the chart’s highest debut at nine.

Source

WENN

Mariah Carey says fellow pop star Leona Lewis doesn’t sound like her, sparking a potential feud between the two singers.

The chart-topping singer insists she “didn’t really hear any similarity” between Leona’s music and her own, and claims there will never be a “new” Mariah.

She said: “Honestly, there has been so many, ‘This is the new her,’ and I’m like, ‘Okay, show me the new her. Can she come and work for me and be my double?’

“And I’m not particular talking about this girl Leona, because I only heard her once and I didn’t really hear a true similarity, particularly in the style of music.

“It is what it is and critics have compared me to so many people who are not really singers, and they’re certainly not writers.”

Mariah says if she spent her time worrying about her chart rivals it would depress her.

She added to the Observer Music Monthly magazine: “If I was to focus on the comparisons and really dwell on that, it would bring me down so I just try to pray that I lose the sprit of jealousy, it’s not a good one - envy is a really powerful thing.”

Leona’s debut LP Spirit hit the number one spot in America last week.

Source VIA ONTD

Leona Lewis has Oprah Winfrey to thank for her recent U.S. chart success - because it was the TV titan’s overwhelming support that helped her single Bleeding Love soar to the top of the charts, according to bosse at her record label.

The former winner of British reality TV show The X Factor made history last week by securing the coveted number one slot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart - making her the first U.K. female solo artist to achieve the feat in over 20 years.

Lewis embarked on a massive promotional campaign in America prior to the single’s release, and most notably appeared on Winfrey’s show, Oprah, to rave reviews from the talk show queen. And bosses at the star’s record label Sony BMG insist winning the support of Winfrey was the key to chart dominance.

Sony BMG U.K. International Vice President Dave Shack says, “Oprah was lighting the touch paper to rocket Leona beyond the likes of Usher to number one. “It gave the platform it (the single) needed and it feels really, really good. We’re all excited about where it leads to the album.” Lewis’ debut LP Spirit is released in the U.S. on April 8th.