*Leona Lewis, best known in the states for her 2007 hit “Bleeding Love,” has revealed via Instagram that has signed with Def Jam.
The 30-year-old British singer posed in a Def Jam vest to break the news.
Darcus Beese – the president of Island Records, who signed her in the UK and which Def Jam owns – confirmed the news: “(Leona’s) voice was enough reason to do the deal. We’re going to be as ambitious as we can (with her). She’s on Def Jam in America and they are very passionate about the record as well. We are internationally ambitious for the record, but I know that very much starts here in our own back garden.”
Lewis won the third series of “The X Factor – UK” in 2006, earning a £1 million recording contract with Simon Cowell’s, Syco Music. She left the label in June last year, following an apparent dispute over the musical direction of her new material.
Darcus insists Leona has ”matured as an artist” and needed to break away from her former “X Factor” mentor.
Speaking to Music Week magazine, he said: ”If the US has some semblance of success, then we can start joining the dots globally. It’s important that people feel that Leona has moved on and matured as an artist with something to say. Now it’s about making sure that what we have is relevant and exciting to people. That’s the foundations of our success going forward.”
Lewis will release her fifth studio album “I Am” later this year, and the first single taken from the album, “Fire (Under My Feet),” is due next month.
