British singer Leona Lewis, who entered the scene after winning UK talent show X Factor, has a hit single called “Bleeding Love” that I couldn’t go anywhere this summer without hearing. She has great hair, a good voice, a successful record, the adoration of X Factor head judge Simon Cowell–and no personal assistant. That puts her in the ranks of actress Ellen Page, designer Anya Hindmarch, and American treasure Tim Gunn as celebrities who don’t have assistants (or didn’t, the last time I checked). Here’s what Leona has to say about how normal she is:
While Mariah uses a private jet to fly her Jack Russell terrier between her homes in New York and Los Angeles, Whitney demands pulp-free orange juice and peanut butter and jam sandwiches backstage at concerts.
Lewis, who earlier this month was named Best Pop Female and Best New Act at the World Music Awards, says she does not even have a personal assistant or any security guards travelling with her.
She tends to shun glitzy events and previously said: ‘I just like to stay at home and chill out with my friends, maybe go for a nice meal.
‘I like to relax and take it easy - I’m a low-key kind of girl.’
And rather than splashing out a small fortune on a 10-bedroom mansion, she is instead buying a flat in Hackney, close to where she grew up.
‘When you’re settled it’s hard to move,’ she said.
‘I love the flat – it’s really private and the neighbours are cool - and it’s very close to my mum and dad.’