Leona Lewis Releases Powerful ‘Happy’ Ballad

Her 2007 “Spirit” made of her an international star and not just yet another winner of a televised singing competition. In 2009, Leona Lewis, the British 24-year-old singer whose powerful voice has often drawn comparisons with Whitney Houston is returning with a second album, “Echo,” which is being promoted by a first single, “Happy,” as the BBC can confirm.

Lewis’ fans know that she would never deliver anything less than a hard-worked track that presents all the ingredients to become a hit, even if it lacks the hooks most of today’s pop tracks are filled with. With “Happy” too, Leona shows that, when it comes to powerful, motivational ballads, her amazing voice and Simon Cowell’s skilled hand and instructions in the studio are all that’s needed for the making of a hit.

“Leona Lewis, who won the X Factor shortly before [Cheryl] Cole joined the show, has also revealed her comeback single, ‘Happy,’ on Radio 1. Written by Ryan Tedder, who was responsible for ‘Bleeding Love,’ the song is a typically anthemic power ballad.” BBC says of the new release. Leona is not only the voice on the beautiful ballad, as she also joined forces with Tedder of One Republic and Evan Bogart to write the lyrics for it, which makes its release an even more personal adventure for the singer.

Speaking of which, Lewis admitted to BBC Radio 1’s Fearne Cotton and Reggie Yates that she was extremely nervous about the release of the record and especially about the fans’ reaction – and she wasn’t talking about the jitters all newbies usually experienced. “I’ve lived with this song for so long,” she said of “Happy,” “and now I’m sharing it with everyone, so it’s very nerve-wracking.” As for why she chose to name her album “Echo,” Leona said that, “On the album, there’s a lot of big sounds, and it’s an epic word, so I thought it’d fit the album.”

“Echo” drops in November both in the UK and the US. Meanwhile, check out the first single off it, “Happy.”