Leon Jackson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Leon Jackson
Jackson attending the premiere of The Golden Compass in London, November 2007
Background information
Birth name	Leon Jackson
Born	(1988-12-30) 30 December 1988 (age 36)
Origin	Whitburn, West Lothian, Scotland
Genres	Pop, jazz, acoustic alternative music
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Sony BMG, Syco, RCA Records
Associated acts	Michael Bublé, Kylie Minogue, Vince Kidd

Leon Jackson (born 30 December 1988) is a singer from Scotland. He became famous after winning the fourth season of the British TV talent show The X Factor in 2007. After his big win, Leon starred in his own online series called Leon's Life, which ran from 2007 to 2008.

His first album, Right Now, came out in 2008. It was one of the best-selling albums in the UK that year. The album included popular songs like "Don't Call This Love", "Creative", and "Stargazing".

Leon's first song, "When You Believe", was a cover of a famous song by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. It sold over 400,000 copies and was one of the top-selling songs of 2007 in the UK. It was also the best-selling song by a British male artist that year.

By 2016, Leon Jackson had one number one song in the UK. He also had two songs in the top ten and one album in the top five. His winning song, "When You Believe", is still one of the best-selling X Factor winner's songs ever. His first album is also one of the top-selling debut albums from an X Factor winner.

Life and Music Career

Early Life (1988–2007)

Leon Jackson was born in Whitburn, West Lothian, Scotland. Before he became a singer, he worked in a clothing store called Gap. He is a big fan of the football team Rangers.

Leon loved contemporary jazz music, and his hero was Michael Bublé. He has said that when he was younger, singing and karate were the things that made him happiest. He even earned a black belt in karate when he was 10 years old. Before joining The X Factor, Leon planned to study architectural technology at Edinburgh Napier University.

Leon started singing for the public in January 2007. He wanted to have a music career, so he tried out for The X Factor. After doing well in the show, he decided to put his university plans on hold.

Winning The X Factor (2007–2008)

Jackson in 2007 during his time on The X Factor

In 2007, Leon Jackson auditioned for the fourth season of The X Factor in Glasgow. During the show, the judge Dannii Minogue was his mentor. He made it all the way to the final on 15 December 2007. In the final, he sang a duet with Kylie Minogue called "Better the Devil You Know", along with three other songs.

After the public voted, Leon was announced as the winner! He won a recording contract with Simon Cowell's company, Syco. Many people were surprised by his win, as he was not expected to win. More than 12 million people watched Leon win the final. Leon said winning felt "not real."

In December 2007, the famous singer Michael Bublé invited Leon to sing with him at Wembley Arena. They sang Bublé's song "Home". Bublé was very impressed with Leon's singing. Leon later said this was the best moment of his life because Bublé was his idol. Leon was the first X Factor contestant to perform at Wembley while still on the show.

Leon's prize for winning was a recording contract. His first song was "When You Believe", which was arranged for the finalists. It was released for download on 16 December 2007 and as a CD on 19 December. This song became the Christmas Number One in the UK Singles Chart that year.

On 11 February 2008, Leon began the "X Factor Live" tour. He performed with other finalists from the 2007 show, including Rhydian Roberts and Same Difference. The tour traveled around the UK and ended on 21 March at London's Wembley Arena.

Debut Album Right Now (2008–2009)

Jackson performing live during the Right Now UK Tour (2009)

Leon's first song, "When You Believe", became a huge hit. It was released for download on 16 December 2007 and as a CD on 19 December. The song quickly became the fastest-selling single of 2007. It reached number one in the UK on 23 December 2007, making Leon the first Scottish artist to have a Christmas number one song.

On 11 October 2008, Leon appeared on series five of The X Factor to perform "Don't Call This Love". This was the first song from his upcoming album, Right Now. The song was released the next day and reached number 3 on the UK singles chart.

His album, Right Now, was released on 20 October 2008. It reached number 4 on the UK Top 40 Albums chart. The album stayed in the Top 40 for three weeks. To help promote Right Now, Leon performed on many UK TV shows.

Jackson performing during his 2009 Right Now tour

In July 2008, Michael Bublé invited Leon to sing with him again. They performed "Lost" at the Glasgow SECC. In December 2008, Leon performed at the Hogmanay event in Edinburgh.

The album sold 130,000 copies. After this, Leon was no longer with his record label, Sony BMG. Leon then started working with new songwriters. He said he was getting ready for a concert tour in the UK in May and June 2009.

Some of Leon's concert dates were canceled in April 2009. Leon said he was "gutted" about the cancellations and that it was not his fault.

New Music and Tours (2010–2011)

Jackson confirmed that he was "not in contact" with Dannii Minogue (pictured) or Simon Cowell by 2010

In 2009, Leon Jackson shared that he was working on a new album. He said it would have a more acoustic sound, different from the jazz and soul style of his first album. Even though he didn't have a record deal, he hoped to release the album on his own.

Leon traveled to Los Angeles in May 2010 to write songs. He worked with artists like Ernie Halter to create songs with piano and guitar. He also wrote some songs himself. While in Los Angeles, he performed at 'The Gypsy Lounge' with American artists.

Leon announced a summer tour in 2010 to perform his new acoustic songs. He played shows in London, Glasgow, and Birmingham. He sold out his show in Glasgow, and more tickets were added because of high demand.

On 16 February 2011, Leon attended the 2011 BRIT Awards. He had been writing new music and taught himself to play the guitar and piano. Some of his new songs included 'Never Left The Ground' and 'Ode to Isabel'.

Songwriting and Recent Years (2012–Present)

Leon Jackson helped write the first song for Vince Kidd, a contestant from The Voice UK. The song was called "Sick Love".

Since 2016, Leon Jackson has been living in Los Angeles, California, in the United States. He is writing and recording new music for a second album. As of 2021, no release date or more information about the album had been announced. In 2016, Leon told fans on his website that he needed time to "evaluate everything that happened" and "fall in love with music again."

Leon has also used his influence to help charities. He has raised money for the Glasgow Children's Hospital. In January 2024, Leon posted on his official Instagram account that new music would be released in 2024.

Other Activities

Leon supports the Children's Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS). This charity helps children and young people in Scotland who have serious health conditions. Leon believes that music is about bringing joy to people.

After winning The X Factor in 2007, Leon had his own online series called Leon's Life. It was shown on the social media site Bebo.

Awards and Appearances

In April 2008, Leon Jackson received the Sunday Mail Young Scot Award. He won this award for being a good role model for young people. In 2011, Leon hosted the Sunday Mail 2011 Young Scot Awards in Glasgow.

In May 2011, he was nominated for a Johnnie Walker Blue Label "Great" Award.

Concert Tours

Headlining Tours

• The X Factor Tour (2008)
• Right Now: UK & Ireland Tour (2009)
• Live & Acoustic Summer Tour (2010)

Supporting Tours

• Sandi Thom – 2009 Homecoming Scotland Tour (Support act in Glasgow)

Music Releases

Studio albums

• Right Now (2008)

Filmography

• Leon's Life (2007–2008): Himself

See also

In Spanish: Leon Jackson para niños

• List of artists who reached number one in Ireland
• List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart