Leona Lewis leaves 'weird' years behind her

Leona Lewis is finally comfortable with being in the spotlight and feels she has left the ''weird teenage-adult'' stage behind her.

Leona Lewis finally feels she has finally left the awkward "weird teenage-adult" stage behind her.

The 'Collide' hitmaker -who shot to fame after winning 'The X Factor' in 2007 at the age of 21 - admits she struggled in the spotlight at first but has now matured and is so comfortable with herself she doesn't even care about being labelled boring.

She told Rollacoaster magazine: "I've come a long way since ['The X Factor'] and I've grown as a performer, as a singer, everything. I was in that weird teenage-adult stage for a long time - making decisions that perhaps weren't right, but I've realised in the last couple of years that I have grown up and I know myself so much more.

"[Being called boring] doesn't bother me. I'd rather be seen like that than a harsh, brash person. If my friends said that then I'd have something to worry about!"

Leona has been championed by Simon Cowell since he mentored her on the show and the 26-year-old singer revealed she is grateful for his enduring support.

She said: "He is really good to have on side and I guess he really believed in me since the beginning and has always backed me up."