Sound CheckLeona Lewis claims she recorded Rihanna’s ‘We Found Love’ first — and that her version is ‘better’
In an interview with the Daily Star, "The X Factor" U.K. Season 3 winner Leona Lewis says that not only was Rihanna's 2011 smash single "We Found Love" hers to begin with, but that it was also superior to the Barbadian beauty's rendition, which also featured Calvin Harris.
"I worked with Calvin and we recorded 'We Found Love.' But he went touring with Rihanna and she ended up releasing it," 27-year-old Lewis said. "I didn't commit to it because I wanted 'Trouble' to be my first single so I think that was another reason they went with Rihanna. It was the same version and production but mine's better."
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She added, "I still have the recording but I'd never leak it. That's so unprofessional. There are so many songs I've recorded, only to hear other people singing them. It happens all the time. It was a bit annoying to see how big a hit it was around the world, but if I'd released it maybe it wouldn't have done as well."
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It's true that in the music industry, songs will pass through the hands of multiple artists before being released by one. Check out a few songs that were passed over by top artists and let us know if you think these tracks would have been more successful if they'd been released by the artist they were originally meant for.
"…Baby One More Time"
Originally written with TLC in mind, this 1998 track written and produced by Max Martin (Backstreet Boys, Celine Dion, Kelly Clarkson) served instead as the debut single for Britney Spears. The R&B girl group reportedly thought it conflicted with their more "mature" direction.
"Open Your Heart"
Before Madonna released the 1986 "True Blue" album track "Open Your Heart," the song was titled "Follow Your Heart" and meant for "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" hitmaker Cyndi Lauper.
"There You'll Be"
Featured on the 2001 soundtrack for the movie "Pearl Harbour," "There You'll Be" was performed by country sensation Faith Hill after being turned down by Canadian diva extraordinaire Celine Dion.
"Senorita" and "Rock Your Body"
Both of these "Justified" album tracks were produced by The Neptunes and were offered to Michael Jackson first before they ended up on former 'NSYNC member Justin Timberlake's 2002 debut solo record.
"Telephone"
Back in 2010, a demo featuring Britney Spears on Lady Gaga's track "Telephone" leaked onto the Internet. Later it came out that Mother Monster did in fact write the song with Spears in mind, and it could have appeared on Spears's 2008 album, "Circus."
