Final 10 - X Factor 3 - Leona Lewis - Summertime

Leona Lewis
Song: Summertime Download 'Summertime' at iTunes Check out 'Summertime' at Amazon.co.uk (Fantasia Download 'Fantasia' tracks at iTunes Check out 'Fantasia' at Amazon.co.uk, Ella Fitzgerald Download 'Ella Fitzgerald' tracks at iTunes Check out 'Ella Fitzgerald' at Amazon.co.uk, Billie Holiday Download 'Billie Holiday' tracks at iTunes Check out 'Billie Holiday' at Amazon.co.uk)

Simon Cowell on Leona Lewis: You are absolutely the best contestant I have ever had across any of these shows and that was an amazing performance.
As always, Leona Lewis takes the stage looking beautiful and every inch a pop-star.
We kind of like her performance tonight, but unlike the panel, in another way we kind of don't. Okay, now this may sound nit-picky, but we feel that Leona sings way too many big notes during the song, and instead of ending on a big note she ends on a gigantic note. It's all very impressive technically but what is lost from this beautiful song is the emotion. Everything just comes over as too showy.
Still, Leona's Summertime really goes down a storm with the panel! She gets a set of comments almost as fantastic and unexpected as the smacker Simon Cowell plants on Sharon Osbourne's lips.
The biggest accolade comes from Simon, "across this show, across Idol, across all the other shows, let's be honest, all the girl singers we've had up-to-date haven't been very good. We've had a lot of dross until now. You are absolutely the best contestant I have ever had across any of these shows and that was an amazing performance." Of course Simon is also mentoring young Nikitta Angus. How this makes Nikitta feel we can only imagine, and we imagine not very good.
Although we rate Leona highly, we're not ready to jump on the Cowell caravan of Leona love just yet. We'll wait and see more.
Interestingly, later, during one of the Xtra Factor shows, Simon excludes the American Idol show from his "across all the other shows" reference. Coincidentally American Idol 3 winner "Fantasia" (Barrino), who Simon has reportedly called "the best ever" is strongly associated with one particular Gershwin song called... you guessed it... "Summertime". When Fantasia sang it on American Idol, judge Randy Jackson proclaimed it the best idol performance ever! Fantasia's rendition had sincerity and simplicity and we'll never forget it.

Panel-Bites:

Introductions...

Kate Thornton:  Okay, Simon we're back with you and the '16 to 24s'.

Simon Cowell:  Yes, I'm gonna take us back to the real world and introduce... (Sharon groans) ...Who have I got next? Leona!

Intro clip...

Leona: Last Saturday was amazing, just got such an adrenalin rush when I went out there. I'm always worried just before I get the judges comments because you never know what they're going to say.

Sharon Osbourne:  (Flashback) You have such an amazing vocal range.

Simon Cowell:  This girl's a potential star. It's very exciting to have somebody like Leona on the 'X Factor', I've got to tell you.

Leona: I would love to be the first female to win the 'X Factor'. I'm doing it for everyone, not just myself and my family, everyone who's ever had a dream.

Louis Walsh:  Leona is a star in the making but only time will tell if she is diverse enough to go all the way.

(Clip of Leona rehearsing 'Summertime')

Simon Cowell:  She probably never thought she would sing a song from this era but the song I'd selected for her I think is gonna be on the money for her. I really, really do.

Tony Bennett: (Coaching Leona during rehearsals) Keep it simple, but then every once and a while if there's a key change like you did, then yeah then... then take off a little.

Leona: (To Tony)

Leona: (To camera) I've been given a really big song and Simon says I need to be more confident, so tonight I'm just gonna go for it and nail it... I think! (Laughs)

Back live...

Kate Thornton:  Ladies and gentlemen, Leona!

(Cheering And Applause.)

Leona sings...

Whoo-ooo-ooooo Ooo-oooooooh ¯ Summertime ¯ And the livin' is easy ¯ Fish are jumpin' ¯ And the cotton is high ¯ Your daddy's rich ¯ And your mamma's good lookin' ¯ So hush little baby ¯ Don't you cry ¯ One of these mornings ¯ You're gonna rise ¯ You're gonna rise up singi-i-i-i-in' ¯ Then you'll spread your wings ¯ And you'll take to the sky-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y ¯ But ti-ill that morni-i-i-i-in' ¯ There's a nothing can harm you-ouuu ¯ With mummy and daddy standin' by-y-y-y-y-y ¯ Oh-oooh-oh-oh But till that morni-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-n' ¯ nothing can harm you-ou # With momma and daddy standii-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-in' by-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y ¯

(Cheering And Applause.)

Leona: Thank you.

Louis Walsh:  Leona, you're a beautiful girl, you sang a beautiful song, it was an amazing performance, it was a very heart rending performance. I think it's probably the best performance of the night, you know. (Cheering And Applause.)

Leona: Oh, thank you.

Louis Walsh:  And you know, Big band is all about class and classy songs and you've got a lot of class, girl.

Leona: Thank you Louis, thank you so much.

Sharon Osbourne:  Leona, one of the things that I like very much about you is... is that you don't know how good you are. And you come on and are you're very vulnerable with your approach and it is so endearing to find somebody who has such a huge voice as you.

(Simon suddenly grabs Sharon's head and forces a kiss on her! The audience scream in shock and Louis does a double-take.

A moment later Sharon repays the compliment to Simon by snogging him. Leona laughs.)

Simon Cowell:  Wow! A-hum... a-hum... a-hum.

(Louis fans himself.)

Sharon Osbourne:  (Pretends to be flustered. Fans herself with her notesheet.) Anyway, as I was saying, it's very endearing to find somebody...

Simon Cowell:  (Grinning) Good kisser!

Sharon Osbourne:  ...that is as good as you. (Laughs)

Simon Cowell:  Wow!

Sharon Osbourne:  Seriously,

Simon Cowell:  Good kisser. Good kisser. Good lips. Leona... (Audience continue laughing) We... ah, look, across this show, across Idol, across all the other shows, let's be honest, all the girl singers we've had up-to-date haven't been very good. We've had a lot of dross until now. You are absolutely the best contestant I have ever had across any of these shows and that was an amazing performance.

(Cheering And Applause. Leona covers her face, delighted and almost embarrassed.)

Kate Thornton:  (To Leona) What does that mean to you, to hear praise like that tonight?

Leona: That just means everything to me because when I do come out I'm always so nervous and... ah, I'm just, you know I'm here, and I'm just ah, sorry I'm really kind of speechless but just thank you, thank you so much and I want to take this opportunity to thank my mum and dad as well who are always here for me. Thank you so much and I love you.

(Cheering And Applause.)

Kate Thornton:  Simon Cowell loves her. Do you love her? Is she the best yet? Vote for Leona tonight... (Kate gives out the voting details) Ladies and gentlemen, outstanding tonight...Leona!

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