Leona Lewis: No song is sacred for a cover version

Interview by Natalie Jamieson, words by Greg Cochrane
Newsbeat reporters Leona Lewis will release her third album Glassheart next year

Leona Lewis says she thinks that no songs are sacred and that all artists should expect their tracks to be covered.

It's after she released her cover of Nine Inch Nails' Hurt, which she performed at The X Factor final.

She's also released versions of songs by Snow Patrol and Oasis in the past.

"People write music and the music is out there for people to interpret it how they want to," she said. "As long as it's coming from a genuine place."

Speaking about Hurt, a track taken from Nine Inch Nails' 1994 album The Downward Spiral, Lewis added: "I actually am a big fan of that song and a big fan of the Johnny Cash cover."

Asked if she was a fan of Trent Reznor's US rock outfit she joked: "Ah yeah, I'm just always rocking out.

"But that song in particular really speaks to me. Lyrically it's a song that is very intense and has a painful lyrics.

"It's reflective of a place where I was at. When I recorded it it was healing to get it out."

'Olympic dream'

The most successful X Factor contestant to date, Leona Lewis has sold more than three million albums in the UK and enjoyed success in America.

Raised in Hackney, east London, she also said she would like to perform at the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics, were she to be asked.

She said: "Yeah, I think it'd be cool. We haven't discussed anything.

"Obviously everything that happened with the summer riots put a bit of a downer on things but I think when it gets here, there will be a real lift in the area."

Lewis sang at the Olympics closing ceremony in Beijing in 2008 and described the experience as "amazing".

The singer also explained that she'd turned down a number of opportunities to act in films but said they hadn't been right for her.

Lewis says she wasn't disappointed about delaying her new album

"Cameos and things like that, it has to be the right thing and come at the right time.

"I haven't had time to delve into that. If I did I would want to do it properly.

"I'd love to do a film like Chicago. Something musical because I've obviously come from that background."

Glassheart album

Next up for Leona though is the release of her third album Glassheart - it was scheduled to come out in November but now won't hit shelves until spring 2012.

She denied that a recorded album was scrapped but said her introduction to producer Fraser T Smith meant she wanted to might some more music with him for the release.

Recorded in Sweden, L.A and New York she said she "wasn't disappointed" that the album's release got pushed back.

Lewis also confirmed that her dispute with Sweden producer DJ Aviici is now over.

In August, Aviici contested the use of a sample on her track Collide, saying Syco (Lewis' label) had used it without permission. They settled upon it being released as a collaboration.

"It wasn't a row at all," she said. "It was weird. Things get so confused sometimes. I'm just hear to do what I love."

Gaming fan

Lewis has spoken in the past about her passion for playing video games.

In between recording new material she said this year she's become obsessed with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - a fantasy role-playing game.

"I think it's really good. It's a bit violent but I really like it," she explained.

"I'm not very far into it. The thing I like about it is that you can ride horses on it."

Leona Lewis' Hurt: The EP is out now