The X Factor

We’re thrilled to have the beautiful and talented Leona Lewis make her American performance debut of “Run” this Thursday night, and we’re even more excited to welcome her back to THE X FACTOR stage!

For those of you not in the know, Leona got her big break in 2006 when she won the third season of THE X FACTOR U.K. Her most successful single “Bleeding Love” was released in 2007 and reached No. 1 in over 30 countries. Like that’s not enough, her cover version of the Snow Patrol song “Run” set a record in the U.K. for the fastest selling download-only release in 2008.

Leona tells us she’s excited to be back on THE X FACTOR and of course, to perform in front of her former mentor Simon Cowell. “I’ve performed for him so many times, it’s like normal now,” she says.

And as for her performance of “Run,” she’s psyched to finally perform it in the U.S. “I did a live version of it on the radio station one time and a lot of my fans were like, 'record it, record it,'” she tells us. “So I ended up recording it and it did really, really well in the U.K. and here. But I had never been able to perform it here,” she says. “It’s a really touching song. I think people will get a lot from it." And the good news is that "Run" is available now on iTunes!

Of course, we had to know what she thought of Simon as a mentor. Besides the fact that Simon has such a great ability to spot raw talent, what makes Simon such an effective mentor? “I feel like he’s very honest,” she answers. “He’s very knowledgeable and he really helped me with song choices. He kind of supports you to do your own thing and bring the best of you out. He really encouraged me to follow my own instinct."

Leona has been in the finalists’ shoes before, so we asked whether she has any advice for them. “I would say, just work it,” she answers. “Like you should just go for it. You literally have two minutes to show everything you’ve got, so just enjoy it and work hard." Well said, Leona!

For all you Leona fans out there, keep an eye out for her upcoming album Glassheart, which is due for release next year. “I’m aiming to make an album that’s timeless,” she says. “An album that is full of quality and full of amazing songs. And I hope that’s what they take from it,” she adds. Meanwhile, her new release, Hurt: The EP, featuring covers by Nine Inch Nails, the Goo Goo Dolls, and Counting Crows, has just been released for digital download.

Be sure to tune in this Thursday, Dec. 22 for performances by Leona, Justin Bieber, Pitbull, Ne-Yo, and more.

Let us know what you thought of Season 1 by filling out our online fan survey!

What do you think of Leona Lewis? Are you excited for her performance? Show her some love and hit the comments below!