Leona Lewis goes back to her Hackney Roots

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Leona Lewis goes back to her Hackney Roots

By Janelle Oswald

Mega star Leona Lewis made a recent appearance at the Hackney Empire to launch BBC Radio 1’s biggest ever live music event on Hackney Marshes for the opening weekend of London 2012 festival.

The reality TV star diva who grew up in Hackney and won The X-Factor talent contest was joined by Hackney-born World and European Triple Jump Champion Phillips Idowu, East London’s award winning artist and actor Plan B and Radio 1/1Xtra DJ Trevor Nelson MBE – all of whom will champion the event as Ambassadors.

The event’s ambassadors will be involved with the outreach work, linking with schools, colleges and organisations in Hackney and the surrounding boroughs in the lead-up to the event.

‘BBC Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend 2012’ will feature six BBC stages and 100,000 people will be able to attend - for free - across the weekend, with the majority of the tickets being allocated to people living in Hackney and the surrounding boroughs.

Leona and Plan B will also perform at next year’s event along with over 80 international and UK artists, bands and DJs - making it the biggest multi-artist line up ever for Radio 1.

Speaking to URBANWORLD'S OSWORLD at Hackney Empire, she said: “To be a part of this event is so important to me. I’m so excited about the opportunities and the excitement that it will bring to the area.

“Radio 1 are going to put on the biggest show in their history and it’s happening in East London - I couldn’t be happier.”

By JANELLE OSWALD