“Bleeding Love” is Leona Lewis' first official single after winning the third season of The X Factor UK. It debuted at #1 on the UK Singles Chart and became the best-selling single of 2008 worldwide. It has reached #1 in 35 countries, making it the second song in history to do so after Elton John’s “Candle In The Wind 1997.”

The song is a mid-tempo ballad about opening oneself up to love after being jilted. Leona’s powerful and impressive vocals set it apart from being just another love song. “Bleeding Love” was critically acclaimed by most—others didn’t see what all the fuss was about. BBC America dubbed the single “dated,” comparing it to a “filler on some long-lost, late ‘90s Mariah Carey album.”

The song was nominated for two Grammys—one for Record of the Year and one for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. She lost the latter to fellow newcomer Adele, who won for her breakout hit “Chasing Pavements.”