Well Victoria is presumably eating her words now - amazing how critics cannot percieve greatness when it is staring them in the face. Probably due to the review being rushed - many songs cannot be properly appreciated on being heard for the first time.

George, Glouester, UK

She is amazing! Okay so her debut album may not be exactly just right and a few tracks let her down! But having said that considering she went from a receptionist to this instant pop singer shows that she must have been very nervous and willing to take advice from Cowell and other producers. However, as time goes on Leona will definetely break out into her own style but for a debut album it is fantastic. Where do you get tracks such as take a Bow or Bleeding Love? They are completely different to tracks released these days and Leona sums the album up nicely with fres edgy tracks like Take a Bow and also soft more smooth hits such as yesterday. Leona Lewis's time will come, and when it does all them critics will be eating their words.

Joe, newcastle, Uk

I've been loyally keeping up with Leona's progress since I first watched her X Factor audition clip about a year and a half ago. It was quite clear even then that she would become an international superstar based upon her talent alone. I've been anticipating her US debut and am hoping even though the album itself is not necessarily masterpiece material, that her popularity continues to rise. I have high hopes that after this first album she is given a little more independence with what she releases and records, although no studio release will ever compare to her amazing live performances.

Jeffrey, Columbus, Ohio

Wow. Well it's April 1, 2008. I find all these comments back when her album first came out to be amazing in their eagerness to put Leona down. She must have done something right, considering her single has gone on to be #1 in over 20 countries to include the US and she's already on her way to being one of the biggest music stars of our time.

Steven, Raleigh,

She is good, nothing more. Good voice, very attractive but awful, bland material. Amy, despite her problems is a genuine talent and far better than Leona.

However, neither compare to the truly great Dusty Springfield.

Peter, St Helens,

Leona has an incredible voice. But she adds so many "extra" notes into a song, it becomes irritating. It would be nice just to hear the lyrics without all the fancy bits thrown in by the bucketful.
Y
I expect I will be linched now.

Barb, Oxford, UK

I think everyone on this site must be tone deaf. Leona is by far one of the best singers to come from uk. i think i album is great that is pop dont forget. i think leona is great and cant wait to hear new material keep going gril

stewart watson, hartlepool united kingdom,

I agree with the latter comments Leona as good as she is is nowhere near celine, Whitney or Mariah carey and even christina aguilera she is very over-rated to the point where its getting irritating Ive even heard such ludicrous statements saying that she is better than these artists. However I do agree that the album does not do her any justice either. I wouldnt call myself a fan but I expected a bit more than this based on her performances on the show not the hype. The songs are not memorable If she is to have any chance of becoming a star she needs songs which will stand the test of time which these certianly will not. She also needs to showcase her voice more. Personally I dont think she is anything special however the album should make an attempt to leave a lasting impression to show she has something different. She seems a nice enough girl but they need to think of something better than this.

Mya, London,

Just been listening to this in tenerife ,great to hear by the pool superb vocals. This gril will be around for a long time to come .

Alec, Coventry, England

Good News the Best Kept Secret Album may be coming out on Monday 26th.
Cowell will try and stop it, I hope he doesn't cause the album is pretty good.
found this link
http://www.myspace.com/leonalewisbestkeptsecret

kirsty graham, brighton, united kingdom

The more I listen to this album - the more I love it. Fabulous - FABULOUS voice!! Leona is the best British female singer in decades. Right up there with Whitney. Better than Mariah Carey. In the same league as Striesand. Go on - deny it. She is a STAR.

Marie, Gosport, UK

get a life

joe, bath,

Yes I agree the Spirit album was very disappointing but I've heard her first album Best Kept Secret album from before Leona won X Factor, it is superb! Uncontrived & natural, a pleasant surprise after the disastrous Spirit release. I highly recommend hearing the first album and then passing judgement, it's re-released on the 26th November.

James Turner, London, England

quivering,boring crap! the sort of trash they used to belt out over the tannoy in kwik save. I hope she goes the same way as that supermarket, a total assault on the ears!!

geoff wilson, birmingham, england

Im Sorry to say that the song "Bleeding Love" is so repetitive that it reminds me of the Crazy Frog. At least the Crazy from had more emotion. Her rendition is as bland as the labour party's policies. Leona needs better songs and a better producers. If this is the best Pop/ RnB that we can produce. Let the states have the lot. Im sure she could do better if she sung more than three notes. Another one hit wonder soon to be no more.

Morris , Bir,

awful awful awful,thats all i can say about leona lewis's music, it's like some awful screech coming from the tannoy in kwik save. I hope her career goes the same way as that supermarket.

geoff wilson, birmingham, england

She is a true artist. She can play guitar & piano. However her best instrument is her voice/vocal. So she is deserved to be 'sitting at the top of all time best sellers' as well, in many years come

rob, sydney,

Just another pop album. Nothing new. Like so many of these manufactured artists, their albums disappear quickly into the bargain bins and there is generally no crawling out. The only thing she will have going for her is Cowell's obtuse observations and ignorant press statements that shes going to outsell everyone. In the end its about music, so pick up your guitars and get playing. After all, its only those artists/bands who made and played their own instruments who are sitting at the top of all time best sellers...

Jared Kirk, Newcastle, UK

well done leona, great album , loved it!!! alot of people like to moan about leona,and her, that expect better. damn them! shes good! u know she is.....!!

4everme, manchester, uk

I think the producers of spirit are used to dealing with people who cannot sing. Leona can sing but this album could ruin her. She needs new producers that can explore the range of her voice

mike, birmingham, uk

ruined by boring monotonous keyboards playing too loud. reminded me of a OAP cabaret

dave mason, Southampton, uk

leona's quality & class has been our focus since she blew us away with summertime on x factor & infact every performance since then has been world class... until now... this is a classic example of corporative and clueless hierarcy squeezing the talent out of someone purely amazing who we foresaw becoming the biggest artist in a very long time. quite frankly we don't know how to express our dissapointment on hearing the long awaited album which we feel contains a bland selection of copied and predictable sounds that have stolen her soul and passion. not one song on the album portrays the enormity of her control and flawless range of outstanding vocal ability. surely other people must feel, like us, robbed of what could have been a legendary moment in history. a voice doesn't rise from boardroom chair it speaks for itself

kitnsanch, tonbridge, kent

Umm, isn't there enough space out there for everyone? Let the girl sing, people will buy it, she'll get more confidence, relax make better the next time and so on. She definately has talent. Leave her alone.

Johnnyboy, Sunny Glasgow,

From a big Leona fan comes the sad news that the latest thing has succumbed to the mutitrack bland wand of the producers of the week in LA LA Land. Over managed, over engineered, over loveed and bereft of the magic we all fell in love with on X Factor last year. Whoever mixed this should have their fingers slapped for overloading her voice with tracks of fill...
Ironically after all the cries of 'let her have the time to come up with a great album' a record of covers would have been better. Well done America for snuffing out a bright talent!! Leona give Will Young a call...

eric, cambridge,

Leona is technically perfect vocally. I have listened to some of the new tracks and they are all so old fashioned!
Why is she being hailed as the best thing ever? Has she even written any of the tracks herself? Why does Britain always act like sheep if somone tells us often enough that someone is a Superstar? No she is not.... she is a singer who has released two singles and done a small tour with the rest of Xfactor. When Leona has earned her Superstar tag then I will give her credit.

Bob, Stafford, uk

I wasnt keen on Leona during her time in the X-Factor she won, but when she premiered her new single, she really blew me away, I think she has a superb vocal range and hit the high notes superbly, she put Celine Dion's new single to shame IMO

Im looking forward to getting her album

Alv, Gainsborough, England

I don't get it! Victoria Segal suggesting that Leona's album is "too Manafactured". What a naive thing to say. What artist's these day's are not manafactured? Only the ones that are successful enough to release material on their own record label. The reality is there are only a handful of people in the world who can sing like this - you have to respect the vocal even if you do not like the songs. My prediction is Victoria Segal will be reviewing Leona's albums for years to come. Maybe in about ten years time she will change her mind when she realise's how talented and genuine Leona really is. Leona's critics (like most music critics) are failed musicians and never respect new artists. Leona however, will still be selling millions of albums and selling out concert halls long after these critics are gone

Mark Pearce, Thornaby, Stockton On Tees

I completely agree with the Honest Truth; Leona's parents paid well for her vocal-training, so it's no surprise that she hits the high notes like the textbook says you are supossed to, but this sort of academic 'diva'-style singing is nothing different from what hundreds of other academy-whipped vocalists can do. And i will add that all of you who are making the argument that we ought to support Leona cause she is British or 'our' Whitney are kidding yourselves; her songs and her image are predominantly crafted by Americans. Besides, who needs Whitney? This side of the Atlantic gave the world The Beatles, The Stones, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, The Smiths, Blur, and Radiohead - do we look like we are stuck for talent when it comes to music?!?

Gabriel , Belfast,

This review is by one person and is of course their personal opinion - along with everyone elses. The Times, like many other forms of media, have had access to Spirit prior to the official release next Monday however I doubt a number of the people who have left comments have heard more than a couple of the tracks from the album (Bleeding Love and The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face) - like myself. I don't recall having heard Leona compare herself to Whitney, Mariah or Celine however these are comparisons made by people who know the music industry and also fans of these other artists who have sold c.500 millions albums between them. For the UK to have found an artist like Leona who could possibly have success in the US and the rest of the world - how about giving her chance, listen to the album for yourself (if you're a fan) and pass judgement then? I say good luck to her and personally when I see her sharing a stage with artists like Celine Dion I have a sense of pride for the girl.

Ley, London,

never mind you jealous feeble critics of good singing.
perhaps if kate moss comes out with a song and attitude and showing flesh you will have something to enjoy. i still say some of your comments are so sad. listen to run and the first time and if you skin doesn't get goose bumps you have no ear for music.

dug, wolverhampton, United Kingdom

Victoria Segal, your bog standard jump on the band wagon review makes me YAWN....Leona is the best thing to come out of the U.K in a long time and judging by some of the tracks ive heard so far her album will become a classic. Music particular r&b/soul needed to take a step back and thats what they have done on this album. I can only hope more artists follow suit!

Ricky London. DedicatedR&B Fan.

Rick, London,

I've made my honest comments on other boards and have been slated in the process. Leona is pretty and has a good voice but good voices come a dime a dozen. A year spent in the studio should have had her coming out with a banging pop tune to play in the clubs.

She should have shut it down with a song to make her mark on the music scene. Think Beyonce's "Crazy in Love" think 50 cent's "In da Club" and you'll see what I mean. You only get one chance to blow, this opportunity comes once in a lifetime. Simon et al was too cocky to think that Leona can fool us with half baked ballads and convince us that she has what it takes. Strike whilst the iron is hot but sadly I'm not impressed. I would suggest that she to stay in England, don't even think about the US for at least a few more years. Craft her art, work on her stage presence and THEN come out with a hit. If she thinks she can fool people with that "Bleeding Nonsense" then she's really playing herself.

The Honest Truth, London, England

I think its so sad that times on line have joined the rest of cheap critics to make remarks about a new star, perhaps she should drink loads of booze and drugs, then you will give her reward for an autstanding voice, because that's what really sells. I feel sorry for our youth today.
Only the US make great stars because our country just try to bring them down, so sad!

dug, Wolverhampton, united kingdom

just to comment on what jacob has written, its like he is trying to say those artists mentioned have no talent there possibly the best vocal artist of the modern day and trying to say beating these would be easy he must be completely mad, leona is a talent and should get our support but maybe she should ditch the oh so common pop songs and try to become a true artist and bring out some original work that would become classics,

dusty, wirral, uk

I think you lot need your ears testing . leona has a fantastic voice and is as good as the rest of the divas. Ive seen her live and she is faultless vocally.

lisa, bradford, west yorkshire

They spent all that time is America recording this tosh.
I understand that Sony are trying to stop another album from being released, which was done here, probably because it's a better album. Simon has asked us to boycott the Secret album as its a bunch of demos...well hey bring on the demos I would rather buy a bunch of great demos than the Spirit album.
They again have used the X factor brand to try and fool us again but my patience has been exhausted and this the last straw

kirsty, brighton, united kingdom

They spent all that time is America recording this tosh.
I understand that Sony are trying to stop another album from being released, which was done here, probably because it's a better album. Simon has asked us to boycott the Secret album as its a bunch of demos...well hey bring on the demos I would rather buy a bunch of great demos than the Spirit album.
They again have used the X factor brand to try and fool us again but my patience has been exhausted and this the last straw

kirsty graham, brighton, united kingdom

I love Leona! I think she is a great talent! But great talent needs good material!

She has not delivered! My heart is bleeding from the pain! I heard on Choice that she has another album coming out! Lets hope that one is better!

Robert Edwards, Bradford,

I agree, Leona is no Whitney, Mariah or Celine.... I'm not saying she can't sing because she can and she has a beautiful voice but her skill compared to the greats it a hell of a lot weaker. To be honest i think the only things that actually make me like her is the fact that at the end of every song she goes in to her high notes.

jason, manchester,

I Agree,

But she is "our" Whitney Houston. Let's give her our own support. She is a great example to follow - no attitude, just talent. I am sure more of her personality will reveal itself.

Give her a chance!!

Kevin, London,

LOL. Leona is NOWHERE near Whitney level. You have to be kidding if she is. Leona can't even beat Mariah Carey. How can she be on Whitney level. She can't even beat Christina Aguilera. Come on Simon. I agreed that Beyonce is an overrated singer. But to say that Leona is another Whitney is LUDICROUS!!!! wow. PROPAGANDA these days. SAD!!!!

Jacob, providence,