Album Review: Leona Lewis Christmas with love, always

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year despite the obvious grabs for cash this season. 

Leona Lewis is no exception as she rerecords her album Christmas, With Love eight years later, naming it Christmas, With Love Always.  

I was expecting a new track list of redone Christmas classics when I went to listen but it is in fact the same album, just redone with an extra two tracks. 

She pulled a Taylor Swift it seems, without the same publicity.  

Of course, it seems like a grab for money and more relevancy but it is definitely an improvement from her 2013 Christmas album. 

The album starts with what is one of people’s favourite tracks (shown in the sheer number of streams it’s gotten), One More Sleep. 

Immediately you hear the difference in vocals, her voice has strengthened over the last eight years. 

The album starts off strong with the first two tracks but her take on White Christmas seems to the albums first downfall.  

You have the typical lack of instruments with her vocals before they all sound at once towards the end of the song, and other cliché’s dotted about the album. 

But what is Christmas without clichés?  

Your Hallelujah was not a song I was expecting to like on this album with the slow beginning that featured nothing but her vocals and a piano.  

However, when she brought in what sounded like a gospel choir, I was sold.  

The backing vocals bring a beauty to the slow, ballad-like song that brings tears to your eyes. 

Ave Maria was the track that stood out the most, mainly due to the surprising choice it seemed to be. 

Despite the surprise, it was an amazing choice on Leona Lewis’ part as her higher range vocals shone through throughout the song and showed us just how talented and underrated, she is. 

She definitely has range, that’s for sure.  

The additional two tracks on this album were, unfortunately, not the strongest on the album, which is a shame as it followed two songs that showcased her talent beautifully.  

Kiss Me, It’s Christmas featured Ne-Yo, did not seem to fit the rest of the album very well.  

The last tracks are the least streamed of the entire album, which makes sense as neither quite reached the same level as One More Sleep. 

If I Can’t Have You was a step up to the previous track, however, especially towards the end of it when she added a choir as backing vocals. 

Sure, the album has its weaker tracks, but most albums do, and a Christmas album is going to be no exception.  

The entire album isn’t going to make it to your Christmas playlist but that doesn’t take away from Leona Lewis’ vocal talent.  

No, she hasn’t written most of the songs on the album, but the three she is credited to have cowritten are brilliant (One More Sleep, Your Hallelujah, and Mr Right).  

Overall, it’s what you can ask of a Christmas album, it’s full of classics everyone knows and newer ones she added. 

It’s a feel-good album sure to get you in the spirit this season, for the most part.  

Rating: 7/10