X FACTOR favourite Leona Lewis will tonight give the most emotional performance of her life … singing a song she sang at her cousin’s funeral.

Leona, 21, was devastated when her cousin — who Leona does not want to name — lost her long battle with leukemia.

She sang Eva Cassidy’s version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow at the funeral service.

And she will repeat her performance in the semi-final as she attempts to make it to next Saturday’s final.

A source close to Leona said: “Leona and her cousin were as close as sisters. Her cousin was only in her early teens when she died after battling cancer. It has taken Leona a long time to come to terms with it, so it will definitely be an emotional night.”

Leona will also perform Whitney Houston’s hit I Have Nothing.

She is the bookies 1/4 favourite to win the ITV1 telly talent show against Ben Mills at 5/1 and Ray Quinn at 6/1.

Judge Sharon Osbourne admitted: “Leona is very special, very very special.” Louis Walsh said: “If Leona has one weakness it is that she doesn’t realise just how good she is.”

And Leona’s mentor Simon Cowell said: “She has consistently for me been the best vocalist across the live shows.

“It is very easy to assume her place in the final was a certainty, but it hasn’t because she hasn’t had the confidence. This is the week when she has to give a performance of a lifetime.”

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