On June 29, 2015, Leona Lewis revealed on Twitter the track listing for "I Am," her fifth U.K. album. "I Am" is set for release on Sept. 11, 2015.
Here is the track listing:
1. Thunder
2. Fire Under My Feet
3. You Knew Me When
4. I Am
5. Ladders
6. The Essence of Me
7. I Got You
8. Power
9. Another Love Song
10. Thank You
11. Thick Skin
12. The Best and the Worst
13. I Am (Acoustic)
14. Thunder (Acoustic)
15. Fire Under My Feet (United Studios Session)
As previously reported, the music video for "Fire Under My Feet" (the first single from "I Am") premiered on May 11, 2015, the same day that the single was released to radio in the United Kingdom. "Fire Under My Feet" went on sale on June 6, 2015. "I Am" is Lewis' first album on Island Records. Her previous albums were released by Syco Music/Sony Music.
On April 14, 2015, previe...erformance in London, according to the Daily Mirror. Lewis reportedly performed five songs (including "Fire Under My Feet") from her fifth album. In December 2014, Lewis posted a 38-second acoustic video of herself performing "Fire Under My Feet" on a piano and accompanied by a drummer.
In September 2014, Lewis revealed in a hand-...o her fans why she parted ways with Syco Music, the record company co-owned by Simon Cowell and Sony Music. Lewis posted the two-page letter on her Twitter account on Sept. 5, 2014. In the letter, she has admitted that this new chapter in her career has been an emotional roller coaster for her, with more lows than highs, and she's been battling depression.
She also revealed that one of the reasons for her split from Syco is because the company was pressuring her to do an album that she felt was not true to herself. She also says that things got so ugly that a person or persons (whom she does not name in the letter) "threatened" her to not leave Syco or else they would make it look like she was dropped from the company. Representatives for Syco have not commented on Lewis' allegations.
Lewis was the winner of "The X Factor" U.K. in 2006. Cowell was her mentor on the show, and he signed her to Syco Music, which released four of Lewis' albums in the U.K. and other countries and three of her albums in the U.S.
In June 2014, Lewis annou...rsal Music. Cowell tweeted this statement at the time: "Congratulations Leona. We had seven great years together and now wish you all the best for the future. You put X Factor on the map."
In a press release, Lewis commented: "After seven incredible years at Sony, I feel honored to be given the opportunity to sign to perhaps the most iconic label of all, Island Records. To me Island has always been a label where artists can really flourish and are encouraged to express themselves. Island stands for quality music and signing with such a legendary label is really like a dream come true for me. I can't wait to start making music with my new team."
Details have not yet been announced about Lewis' first album with Island Records.
In her open letter, Lewis stated:
"It has been quite the rollercoaster year. The emotions I have felt have been more powerful, in both a positive and negative way, than any other time... in my life. At some points I felt extremely depressed and other times experiences amazing highs, but it got to a place where the downs were outweighing the ups. So I am writing this letter to anyone who has ever felt the same way.
"Someone told me that worrying is like always standing under an umbrella in case it rains. You never get to stand in the sun. I worry too much. I worry about friends and family, I worry about being far away most of the time and missing out on life with them. I worry about the future, work, how I look, the images of horror on the news, the way humans treat other humans, animals, the environment. At times it seems absolutely overwhelming and I spiral to a dark place. But then I see images of a man saving a dog from a flood or a peaceful protest standing in love against big army tanks. I began to find that sitting quietly and meditating helped still the madness.
"One of the major changes was taking the high step away from Syco and Sony. Like most relationships we had our good times and our bad. I will always be grateful for what we shared and for the lessons I learned.
"After several years, I thought about leaving over and over again. I was terrified of walking away from a somewhat secure relationship, even though I know that we were no longer right for each other and at times even bad for each other. However, I clung to the safety net I had grown so attached to.
"One day, everything changed. For my fifth album, I was asked to make a record that would not have been true to myself. By all means as an artist in this climate, I was thankful to get the chance to even make another record. But I cannot make music that does not speak to my soul, as scary as it seemed. I could no longer compromise myself, and so I decided to leave.
"I was threatened with the fact that if I left, it would come out that I had been dropped. That cut deep, but by this time, nothing could stop me from walking away. The end of a relationship can really burn, but underneath it all, there is still love there.
"Change is uncomfortable. It's sticky, and churning, and can be painful. It can turn your world upside down, and you either sink or swim. I chose to swim, I chose to go through it, and honestly, I'm not sure where I'll end up, but one thing I am certain of is that I've stayed true to myself and I've followed what my heart says is right.
"So whatever the future may bring, I am ready. To know you are on this journey with me is so comforting. Thank you for being right here with me."
Until the boy band One Direction came along, Lewis was the world's biggest-selling act to emerge from "The X Factor." She is best known for her international smash hit single "Bleeding Love." However, her music sales have declined with each subsequent album.
As part of her "X Factor" grand prize, Lewis won a record deal with Syco/Sony Music. (In the U.S., her music was released under the Syco/J Records and later under Syco/RCA Records, which are all owned by Sony Music.)
Lewis' last album released by Sony Music was also her first Christmas album — "Christmas, With Love," which was released in the U.S. and Canada on Dec. 3, 2013. The album's release in Europe was on Dec. 2, 2013.
According to chart rankings announced by the Official Charts Company, "One More Sleep" (the first single from "Christmas, With Love") was a No. 3 hit in the U.K., while "Christmas, With Love" reached No. 13 on the album chart in the U.K.
In the U.S., sales for "One More Sleep" and "Christmas, With Love" have been dismal. "One More Sleep" failed to make it on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, while "Christmas, With Love" debuted at a lowly No. 113 on the Billboard 200 chart.
"Glassheart," her third studio album of new material, failed to go gold in the U.K., where it was released in 2012. Her first album, 2007's "Spirit" (featuring her biggest hit, "Bleeding Love") went 10 times platinum in the U.K., while her second album, 2009's "Echo" went double-platinum in the U.K.
"Glassheart" sold only about 70,000 copies in the U.K., which was enough for it to reach silver certification, but it is far below the sales that Lewis used to have. "Lovebird," the second single from "Glassheart," flopped in the U.K. and didn't make it onto the Top 100 singles chart.
There are no plans to release "Glassheart" in the United States. Lewis' previous single released in the U.S. was 2011's "Collide," which failed to make it onto the Billboard Hot 100 chart. "Collide" (a collaboration between Lewis and Avicii) was a No. 7 hit in the U.K.
In 2013, Lewis parted ways with Modest! Management, which represents several "X Factor" U.K. alumni, including One Direction, Olly Murs and Little Mix.
Lewis is the latest of several former "X Factor" U.K. winners who are no longer with Syco Music/Sony Music. Here's an update on where these winners are at, in terms of their signing status:
Steve Brookstein ("The X Factor" U.K. winner in 2004): Dropped by Syco/Sony Music in 2005, after one album. He is still unsigned.
Shayne Ward ("The X Factor" U.K. winner in 2005): Dropped by Syco/Sony Music in 2011, after three albums. He is still unsigned.
Leona Lewis ("The X Factor" U.K. winner in 2006): Parted ways with Syco/Sony Music in 2014, after three albums released in the U.S. and Canada and four albums released in Europe. She is currently signed to Island Records, one of Universal Music's labels.
Leon Jackson ("The X Factor" U.K. winner in 2007): Dropped by Syco/Sony Music after one album. He is still unsigned.
Alexandra Burke ("The X Factor" U.K. winner in 2008): Parted ways with Sony Music in 2013, after two albums. She is still unsigned.
Joe McElderry ("The X Factor" U.K. winner in 2009): Dropped by Syco/Sony Music in 2011, after one album. He is currently signed to Decca Records, one of Universal Music's labels.
Matt Cardle ("The X Factor" U.K. winner in 2010): Parted ways with Syco/Columbia Records/Sony Music after one album. He now self-releases his own music.
Little Mix ("The X Factor" U.K. winner in 2011): Still signed to Syco/Sony Music.
James Arthur ("The X Factor" U.K. winner in 2012): Dropped by Syco/Sony Music in 2014, after one album. He is currently unsigned.
Sam Bailey ("The X Factor" U.K. winner in 2013): Dropped by Syco/Sony Music in 2015, after one album. She is currently unsigned.
Ben Haenow ("The X Factor" U.K. winner in 2014): Still signed to Syco/Sony Music.
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