Leona is proud to a a hackney girl, leona has spoken to the Hackney Gazette about hackney and X Factor, this is what they say.

Stamford Hill’s Leona Lewis said she was “proud to be a Hackney girl” the week she became a superstar by winning The X Factor final.

The stunning 21-year-old star clinched a sensational victory over student Ray Quinn in the final of the TV talent show on Saturday night.

She pledged not to forget the millions of fans who tuned into watch her become crowned the first female X Factor winner.

She told the Gazette: “Thanks so much to my fans from Hackney. I am really proud to be a Hackney girl and appreciate all the support you have given me.”

The former Pizza Hut waitress is set to become a huge star after beating 100,000 hopefuls to land a £1million record deal.

She is now hot favourite to clinch the Christmas number one spot with the cover of the ballad, A Moment Like This, which was previoulsy a hit in the US for the first American Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson.

More than 50,000 people had downloaded the track within 30 minutes of its release on the web on Saturday night.

Music mogul Simon Cowell believes Leona can go on to be a global superstar to rival Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.

Born in Islington, Leona grew up with dad, Joe, 46, a youth offending officer and mum, Marie, 42, a social worker.

She went to Amber Primary School in Blackstock Road, Finsbury Park, and studied at the performing arts academy, Italia Conti, in Goswell Road, Islington.

After leaving school, Leona took a number of jobs to make ends meet while pursuing her singing dream.

When she auditioned for the third series of The X Factor, she was working as a receptionist in a mortgage brokers in Lower Clapton.

Her former colleagues at Metropolitan Mortgages in Median Road were stunned to see her walk through the door on Monday.

Her former boss, Michael Marks, 57, said: “I feel thrilled to bits for her and I think she deserves everything because she is an amazing talent.

“But the door is finally shut on her job,” he joked. “I think I would have to throw her out the door if she tried to come back.”

Leona has brought a £120,000 home in Stamford Hill with her boyfriend, Lou Al-Chamaa, a 23-year-old electrician.

Just days before the final Leona gave her fans a treat with a homecoming gig at Hackney Empire on Monday night last week.

Hundreds of fans lined Mare Street for a chance to glimpse their new singing hero.
Source: Hackney Gazette