I'm not a music critic but I have an opinion!

I'm one of those people who love watching X-factor auditions. There doesn't seem to be an end to the row of deluded, untalented people who genuinely think they can sing. I, too, find the jokers a bit too much to handle but the x-factor judges handle it all a helluva lot better than the horrendous, self-absorbed and nastily rude Swedish "idol" judges - and I don't even watch the damn show. I prefer professional people like the ones on X-factor.

As we all tune in to watch a new season of the X-factor there's no doubt that it's been eerily quiet from Miss Leona Lewis, last season's winner. I, for one, thought that she would have released x number of singles/albums/videos. So, you could have knocked me over with a feather when I heard her new single as I'd almost forgotten about her.

I don't want to say that she's a bad singer 'cos she isn't. She's got an awesome voice but - and here's the thing - I found her utterly booooring! Maybe it was because she was/is so young but her personality (what she had) said nothing but "bland" and maybe even a bit "bland" diluted with water... Perhaps that's changed in the time she's been "away" from the limelight. Let's all hope so as it doesn't matter how good a singer you are - if you're boring, you're a boring singer.

Anyway, her single Bleeding Love suits her voice well and there's a heavy influence from her own idols (Celine Dion, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston) + a little bit of Shakespeare Sister's Stay - and it gets better after a few listens but that's as good as it gets (but it'll be a hit nonetheless). I very clearly remember the ballads of the likes that I mentioned above and it's like a trip down memory lane... All that's missing is a black and white video of a lonely Leona in a house with long, sheer curtains fluttering in the wind from the open windows.The house is, of course, void of furniture and there she wanders around crying out her love while looking miserable - 'Lo and behold! is that a guy on a motorcycle I see?

Hmm - could have fooled me!