[Vivienne]

What are your opinions on Leona Lewis? Is it just hype, as Chris was saying during the week, which has put her "up there", or is there any kind of long-term durability?

I think her current song is listenable personally, but this is all I could say about it. I did, however, think her recent performance in Jo Whiley's Live Lounge of Snow Patrol's "Run" was beautiful.

What do you say?

[MK Chris]

She clearly has a very good voice, but then so have the others who have won the show. She probably has a better voice than the other winners, but it's not my type of music.

It will be interesting to see if the tactic of staying out of the limelight for a year to record some decent material pays off. The only other winner who has done anything significant is Will Young (and he's gone quiet lately.) I think winners need to be prepared to make as much money as they can in as short a time as possible, because, as with any reality TV show, the fame doesn't last long.

[Vivienne]

Good points in there!

Will Young was always someone I couldn't stand.

[Yudster]

The song has grown on me. She clearly has a superb voice, but I don't like the little vocal tricks she does, for me it spoils her performance to an extent. That said, I can't stand Snow Patrol, and I don't like the song Run, but her performance in the Live Lounge had me in tears, it was stupendous. One of the most lovely things I've heard in a long while.

She could be a massive artist for a long time, but a lot depends on her management - even more depends on her songwriters. Poor material is the reason most of the people in her position fade away. Quality songwriting is the key.

[Vivienne]

I thought the same thing about The Live Lounge performance, yuds. The voice, I think, in a lot of ways is too similar to that of Mariah Carey.

[Console]

Which song is the Leona song?

[SAV1OUR]

They've got the fundamentals right, I like that song by Snow Patrol. Now they still have to make her interesting, only she can do that, though. I iwsh her luck because I saw the header of an interview with Shayne Ward a couple of weeks ago, he was saying he likes the older woman - perhaps the housewife audience is lucrative as it ever was back in the days of Wet Wet Wet - those old videos still circulate on 'music' channels, top 100 this, that, etc. The wider the demographic for Leona the better, she deserves it.

[Yudster]

I thought the same thing about The Live Lounge performance, yuds. The voice, I think, in a lot of ways is too similar to that of Mariah Carey.

It only seems similar because of the vocal tricks I was talking about - and those are what she should lose in order to really concentrate on the fact that her voice is her own, and unique.

[markool89]

Which song is the Leona song?

it cant be that good if you dont know it!

[Boboff]

Which song is the Leona song?

The track is called Bleeding love, and its ok.

The Snow Patrol also had me blubbing when I first heard it. It's a number one, as good a cover as Amy Winehouse Valerie.

[Console]

Which song is the Leona song?

The track is called Bleeding love, and its ok.

That's No. 1, really? It's an ok song, but a bit dull, and certainly not No. 1 material; saying that though, pretty much anything can get to No. 1 if it's marketed right now-a-days.

[Boboff]

I think that the marketing is important, but so is getting the act to buy into what they are singing.

I really like Alex Parks, and thought she had a true pure and frankly very emotional voice, but her management forced her to take a Pop route and that was that, nothing.

So as long as they give Leona time, and input I think she will become a great act. Lets hope so, she is very pretty.

[Andy B]

Nope she's rubbish. Anyone who wants reasons can bite my shiny....well you get the picture, she's rubbish 'cos I say so.

[Boboff]

good point well made

[Yudster]

The Snow Patrol also had me blubbing when I first heard it. It's a number one, as good a cover as Amy Winehouse Valerie.

I HATE that bloody Ronson/Winehouse cover.

she is very pretty.

She looks like an Afghan hound. But who cares, she has an amazing voice.

[Bonanzoid]

It sounds a bit 80s to me. Amazing voice, but not really my cuppa. Take That ftw rofl.

[Vivienne]

I totally agree, Charla.

[Yudster]

She does seem a bit personality - free, I have to agree.

[claradooblue]

That works in her favour though, because people are more likely to concentrate on her voice.

[Yudster]

True enough, but it is going to narrow her potential audience perhaps? But whatever, I can't believe that someone with her ability isn't going to be extremely successful, however she ends up being targeted.

[ladbroke]

The most important point for me is that she can sing, and really sing. You're born with true ability or you're manufactured, and for me she is a total natural. I have become so fed up over the years with utter talentless idiots making a living by not writing or singing 'their' material. The track is very weak I think, but lets just hope there are some more tracks with a bit of substance to them. Not my style of music at all, but you can't argue with talent, whether it's your cup of tea or not.

[Yudster]

Spot on.

[NightyNight]

I think she is an amazing singer, and while I am not a fan of the whole Carey Huston sort of style of singing i really do like Leona Lewis, and I think Bleedin Love is a wiked song.

And my favourite song of all time is snow patrol Run and i think she has made a brilliant song even better, I really do wish her all the luck i think i will pop on down to morrisons or asda and pick up a copy of her album