IT’S been three years since her last UK tour but Leona Lewis was back to wow a sell-out crowd at Ipswich’s Regent Theatre last night.

East Anglian Daily Times: Leona Lewis plays The Regent Theatre, Ipswich, to promote her third album Glassheart.Leona Lewis plays The Regent Theatre, Ipswich, to promote her third album Glassheart. (Image: Stuart Hogben)

The Islington songstress was in town as part of her Glassheart 2013 tour, which includes two nights at the Royal Albert hall next month.

With a string of eight top 10 singles under her belt and three hit albums, Leona has a back catalogue to top any of her fellow X-Factor alumni.

She found fame as the third winner of ITV’s top talent show back in 2006 and went on to sell eight million copies of her debut album Spirit, which featured worldwide hit Bleeding Love, which was given a rapturous reception at last night’s show.

After a slow-burning opening she had the crowd up on their feet during a pounding Collide and a rather odd reggae rendition of Better in Time, which followed a stripped-back Moment Like This and a haunting acoustic take on Happy.

It’s never really been in doubt that Leona seems like a nice girl with a great voice, but on last night’s evidence she has fully transcended her talent show roots and is a true British pop star who should be making records for many years.

She was supported on the night by Ed Sheeran-esque acoustic artist Ryan Keen, whose debut single Old Scars is due out in June.