Leona secrets revealed.

Controversy reigns over UEG's plans to release Lewis's early recordings

Leona Lewis's lawyer says that South London independent UEG has "no right" to release material by the singer, as the label prepares to digitally issue an album of her pre-fame studio recordings.

Barring a last-minute injunction or deal with Lewis's representatives, UEG, whose previous most high-profile artist was Loot, will today (Monday) digitally release The Best Kept Secret, an album of "around 10" studio recordings made by Lewis in 2004/2005.

In the run-up to the release the label is understandably cagey about details and would not say which digital stores would offer the release, nor which aggregator they are using. However, UEG is bullish about the album, describing it as "better" than the Syco/Sony BMG release Spirit, which recently became the fastest-selling debut album in history.

"It's R&B, which I think she is more suited to. And it would be so right for the US," says UEG product manager Victoria Evans. She describes the Lewis tracks, which were recorded with UEG's Barry Bee, as "very R&B and classy", comparing them to "Mariah Carey, Timbaland, Jermaine Dupri and Dallas Austin".

Lewis's lawyer Tim Smith, however, contests the legality of the release. "UEG have no right to release any of Leona's material given that, firstly, she never signed a contract with UEG and, secondly, the songs were unfinished demo recordings," he says. "We have been entirely fair and reasonable in our dealings with UEG."

The Best Kept Secret is not the first mooted unofficial Lewis release: in December 2006 Schizofrenik Records briefly released It's All For You, which it described as Lewis's unofficial second single, featuring four songs recorded by the singer pre-X Factor.