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Leona Lewis was born on April 3, 1985, in Islington, London, England, to Aural Josiah, of Caribbean descent, and Maria Lewis, of Anglo-Saxon descent. Showing signs of talent from a very young age with her theatrical style and beautiful voice, Lewis began training at the Sylvia Young Theatre School at the age of five. This was followed by studies at the Italia Conti Academy and BRIT School. She composed her first song at age 12 and won every talent competition she entered. After leaving school, she worked various jobs, from waitress to receptionist, to support herself and pay for studio time. She created a demo album, Twilight, with all songs written and composed by herself, but it was never released. At 15, with the support of producer Marley J. Wills, she covered Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You," leading to an invitation to the US from Sony. At her boyfriend's urging, she auditioned for The X Factor, singing "Over the Rainbow" in the first audition. She won the competition on December 16, 2006, mentored by Simon Cowell. Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne were early supporters, comparing her to soul divas Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Celine Dion. Her performance of "A Million Love Songs" with Take That on the final night was highly praised; Take That's Gary Barlow told Cowell: "This girl is 50 times better than anyone who's ever been on your show, and it's your responsibility to make her a proper album." On March 17, 2008, Simon Cowell, on the Oprah Winfrey Show, stated that Lewis had transitioned from a good singer to a superstar very quickly. Her cover of Kelly Clarkson's "A Moment Like This" sold millions and was downloaded 5,000 times online in half an hour, setting a record. Her single was the UK's best-selling Christmas song in 2006, outselling Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy." Her debut album, produced by Simon Cowell and Clive Davis, was released on April 25, 2007, becoming one of the fastest-selling albums of all time. The album, Spirited Away, featured the hit single "Bleeding Love," which topped the UK charts for weeks and was hailed as one of the best albums of the year in America. Lewis has been in a relationship with electrician Lou Al-Chamaa, whom she has known since she was 9. She is a vegetarian.