Leona Lewis defends 'nice' image

Leona Lewis has admitted that she is baffled by criticism of her "nice girl" image.

In an interview with Cosmopolitan, the 24-year-old singer insisted that she is proud of the way she has behaved since finding fame on The X Factor in 2006.

She commented: "People are always saying, 'She's really sweet', and it's like, 'I've been brought up properly by my parents and I'm respectful to people'.

"So I think, 'What, is it bad to be a good person?' I don't think so."

The chart-topper also suggested that the public may only see one side of her personality, insisting that she does stand up for herself when she needs to.

"I'm quite quiet and it takes me a while to come out of myself and be
comfortable," she conceded. "But just because I'm polite and nice doesn't mean I can be pushed over. I'm not confrontational, but I will speak my mind."

Lewis's new album Echo will be released in November.