Rihanna 'We Found Love': Leona Lewis Recorded Song First, Says Her Version Is 'Better'

Posted on Oct 15th 2012 5:05PM by Contessa Gayles

Rihanna We Found Love Leona Lewis Getty Images

Rihanna's 2011 chart-topper "We Found Love" was one of her biggest to date. But did you know the song, which spent 10 non-consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart, was actually originally recorded by another pop star before RiRi made it a hit? Leona Lewis has revealed she had her vocals on the Calvin Harris-produced track first, and she's not too proud to say she's green with envy about Rihanna's success with the song!

"I worked with Calvin and we recorded 'We Found Love,'" Leona told The Daily Star. "But he went touring with Rihanna and she ended up releasing it. 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," the "X Factor" U.K. champ insisted. Bold statement, LL!

So will we ever get to hear Leona's "better" original version of the tune? "I still have the recording, but I'd never leak it," she says. "That's so unprofessional."

It's not the first time the 27-year-old British beauty has recorded a song, only to have it passed out to another artist. But it seems like this one really got to her. "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," she admits. "But if I'd released it maybe it wouldn't have done as well."

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