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Syco are destroying Leona's career.
Harry Redknapp
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I'm sorry but I think it's time for her to leave before she rots anymore under them.
First of all, where the hell is she? Has she even released any music in the last few years?
Second of all, I hope they aren't concentrating on the states, that ship has long sailed and Leona has been forgotten.
First of all, where the hell is she? Has she even released any music in the last few years?
Second of all, I hope they aren't concentrating on the states, that ship has long sailed and Leona has been forgotten.
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She released a new album called 'Glassheart' last October - charted at number 3, then bombed out of the chart - its probably her best album though.
Her first single from Glassheart (Trouble) came out last year October and charted at number 7, then bombed. Her latest single Lovebird didn't make the top 200.
Its sad to watch cause the album is fantastic!
She did the Hackney project in the summer with Radio 1 and followed that up with various radio promotion around the time of Trouble's release. Unfortunately radio remained very cool on the song.
She did a little show called X Factor as well as performing on Xtra Factor, Stand Up To Cancer, This Morning and Alan Carr: Chatty Man to promote the single and album releases.
Online they ran some competitions and produced some exclusive VEVO content relating to the lead single.
She either needed better radio support or for The X Factor performance to slay like Labrinth/Emeli Sande's did. And it didn't.
More focus required on the music side of things than the promotion.
Oh and RCA need to step in aswell. They need to push to get worldwide superstar Leona back.
I'm not sure that RCA care. The team that signed her, that enjoyed success with her on Spirit, is pretty much gone. Clive got moved aside and has little A&R involvement these days. Stephen Ferrera was a key component in the whole thing due to links with Cowell going back years and his very senior position at the company, but he left Sony after Spirit. Then Larry Jackson left after Echo. Now they've thrown all J/Arista and RCA together so certain priority projects will get the attention - hit artists and new signings made by the existing team.
She had better promotion than that mess. She performed Trouble on X Factor, as well as some other shows, and she took part in Stand Up To Cancer where she performed Run and Fingerprint (from the album)...
The album did well off the back of that promotion charting at #3, but it didn't stay up the charts very long. Her 2nd single Lovebird was a failure, it completely missed the top 200, probably because Syco changed the single from Fireflies, and only had her promote on Loose Women and Daybreak. I think she was also ill during that single which affected the performances.
A lot of money was spent on recording Glassheart, a bit too much I think, she took around 2 years to record it with the delays. Syco have definitely made some mistakes, but I think Leona's decision to give up We Found Love in favour of Trouble will be something that will be looked back on as a key moment. The album was delayed by a year by Leona so that she could rework the album (having lost some songs due to the delay), I think that ultimately seriously affected the album as a whole. Syco isn't totally to blame for that.
It's definitely one of her best albums, but I think too many delays plus lacklustre promotion led to the under-performance imo. She could be doing so much better under a different label that planned things better. Syco should not have let her delay the album as it looks as though recording the newer tracks ate into the budget that she should have had for her promotion. As a result she had cheaper videos which didn't look as good, especially for Lovebird.
But it's a weird sort of complain towards Syco: they should have been more controlling?
People keep on complaining that they never leave the artists make their own decisions, that syco acts are puppets (see 1D), and now people will complain that they let Leona in charge of her career and make those bad decisions (we found love + delay of the album)...
I agree that the gap between albums was too wide, but if it was Leona's decision, then Leona is the one who made a bad decision. Trying to put the mistake on the label seems like a stretch in this case.
I'm saying the opposite. If you read the post I did say that "Syco isn't totally to blame" for the campaign under-performing. Leona did make bad decisions, but so did Syco. There are several parties at fault here, not just one.
Sorry, I guess I am so used to seeing people blame the label that I misread.
The title of this thread is the usual attitude towards Syco, not that I know or love them all that much...
Six/Seven years into her career should see her have more fire. From what I can see, she just seems to plod along with managements decisions and perform what and when she is told to.
It's disappointing and as much as she might have sold more than most X Factor Alumni, there are others who outshine her with their drive. For example, look at Matt Cardle and Diana Vickers. Dropped from their labels, yet Matt managed to put together an album mostly himself, sign to an Indie label and get it out there. Diana is in the midst of doing this herself. I couldn't picture Leona doing this.
As much as Syco may be bad for her, without them she wouldn't be anywhere really.
But... even with creative control would Leona make such a hit like Bleeding Love again? or was it just a one off one hit wonder?
Syco is not to blame, Leona and her management are.
Hopefully now she dropped Modest and is in the process of securing US management she will get back on track and they will be able to help her make better decisions and line her up better promo.
I think your comment about giving up 'We Found love' is pretty irrelevant. She wouldnt have succeeded with that tune as it wouldnt have suited her style of singing. I reckon the problem with her is that her career never took off after her first album - she can sing ballads quite well, but I reckon her uptempo stuff lacks depth.
She's always seemed a gentle soul, maybe the cut throat world of the music industry isn't for her. She's worth millions, can still earn very well doing corporate gigs, perhaps that's what she's happier doing.
There's a lot in what you say. I sometimes think fans are far too ambitious for the artists they follow. "What she's on holday?? Again?? She needs to get back in the studio/go on tour/break America/work/work/work!!"
Leona pushed for Trouble though
It does seem possible that she's just not that motivated anymore. Although I think there must still be something there because by all accounts Syco should drop her just now based on her sales. And if she's not totally determined to get back on top, I find it hard to believe Cowell would be willing to go for another album and throw more money at her.
These ones? They don't look very nice to me, even though she does look happy. She needs to get her act together, and really the label are not to blame.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2287329/Leona-Lewis-resist-kissing-boyfriend-Dennis-Jauch-beach-rekindling-romance.html
I think there is a certain loyalty there for Leona although 1D have pretty much taken her role as their proof that XF can create global artists, but think you are absolutely right her motivation is part of it. She seems to have gone off the rails a bit - maybe as a reaction to how they have handled her, or maybe that she just wants to enjoy life. I can't see her being dropped but i can see them giving her other projects or putting less money into her releases, promo etc
She looks huge in those pictures so obv unhappy over her career.
Too boring and old fashioned for me.
Lovely voice thou.
That is very unfair.
What's unfair she has put tons of weight on.
Simon won't like it.
I don't make the rules the industry do not like stars getting fat.