“I believe I could have had a career in the music industry without 'X Factor,' but it was an amazing platform that propelled me to where I am now.”

British singer, songwriter, and actress

Leona Lewis is a British singer, songwriter, and actress from London. Born and raised in the city, she came to national attention after winning the third series of ITV’s The X Factor in 2006. Her victory brought a £1 million recording contract with Syco Music, and her winner’s single, a cover of Kelly Clarkson’s "A Moment Like This", spent four weeks at the top of the UK Singles Chart. It also set a world record by reaching 50,000 digital downloads in 30 minutes. In 2007, she signed a five-album US deal with Clive Davis’s J Records.