Leona's Rainbow

It's really unlike me to endorse an artist who I don't know a ton about, but I feel compelled to expose you all to this British artist, Leona, who is currently tearing it up on Idol creator Simon Cowell's show in England, X Factor.

I originally heard of her from the Perez Hilton blog (one of the funnier blogs devoted to celebrity trashing) since the Perezers are in love with her, too.

She apparently does a lot of writing of her own stuff, and is an all-around talent (not to mention multiethnic, gorgeous, well-spoken, etc. -- she's even wearing a print dress that I actually like!). It will be interesting to see where she takes everything in her career.

Anyway, the reason I'm blogging about her is that I *love* seeing an artist take a song that has been done millions of times and TOTALLY make it their own, especially when it works. It requires such talent (and courage). Anyway, I was reluctant to watch her version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," because it's such a special song for my mother and I, and Rufus does a version, and it's just not something to be messed with. Although her vibrato is a bit slow for my taste, I have to say that the choices she makes are just incredible. So unpredictable and yet it works so well. I also think it's nice to see an artist demonstrate not just range in pitch but range in dynamics as well -- she really can build the song, contract it, move it along...it's fantastic. Here it is :)

VC