Leona sparks US record label war

 

Last updated at 14:31pm on 19th December 2006

Let the games begin: America record labels are scrapping over the right to sign X Factor winner Leona Lewis

 

 

 

Last night’s X Factor wrap party had hardly begun — and contestants were still coming down from weeks of intense competition — but winner Leona Lewis was already at the centre of a multi-million dollar bidding war.

America’s biggest record companies, Sony and J Records, have been bombarding the London singer’s mentor Simon Cowell with phonecalls, begging him to let them represent Leona Stateside — which is unprecedented for a UK singer.

 

America yet, but we’re told Simon has more or less guaranteed J Records mogul Clive Davis the deal.

Simon has revealed: “Clive called me up and told me he was having a massive fight with Sony in America over who was going to get to sign Leona.

"They were at each other’s throats which I’ve never seen before over an artist from the UK and especially someone from a reality show.

“Eventually I decided to go with Clive because he said to me, ‘Win or lose, I’m in’ and that sealed it for me. He is so confident he can make Leona a big star in America and I believe and trust him 100 per cent.”

Simon kept news of the bidding war from Leona while she battled it out with Ray Quinn on the final night. He didn’t want to heap the pressure on his act, who already suffers from nerves and lack of confidence.

However, he broke the exciting news to a bewildered Leona immediately after the show, and she burst into tears for the millionth time that night.

Clive Davis has been credited with getting Whitney Houston into rehab and helping her release her comeback album next year.

Leona’s label in the UK Sony/BMG is so confident her Christmas single, a cover of Kelly Clarkson’s A Moment Like This, will get to number one they’re not even releasing it in the shops until Wednesday — a full two days after every other single is released this week.

The song has already smashed the world record for the fastest selling download single, shifting 50,000 copies just half an hour after it’s release at midnight on Saturday.

Sales are expected to hit a million, which will ensure her the coveted Christmas number one spot.

Leona who?

 

She will join the pile of other reality music tv 'stars' which will fade away, most of them have no say in what they do, as they are puppets on strings for the record companies.