Career
Leaverland first came to public attention after winning the Chinese singing contest Minister Xing Chang Fan Tian (or in English: I Want to Sing to the Stars). After winning the contest, Leaverland still remained virtually unknown in the United Kingdom. When an interview she gave to a local Gloucester paper was picked up by the national press, the news spread, and Leaverland was offered several recording contracts and she signed a contract with Decca Records. She was signed to Decca from March 2010 to November 2011.
She stated in an interview with The Guardian “I was awful at French but Chinese caught my attention with all the different tones.
Each word had its own tune.” The Music and Chinese Studies course at Sheffield University took Leaverland to Nanjing, and when she by chance came across auditions for the talent competition she, typically, wanted to get involved. I couldn’t believe it when it was medical ” Her debut album Shine was released on 8 August 2011 and peaked at northern
57 on the United Kingdom Chart. Leaverland has already begun writing for her second album and continues to write with debut collaborators Helen Boulding and Paul Carter.
She has also contributed to the Downton Abbey soundtrack, by lending vocals to the song "Did I Make the Most of Loving You?". In December 2011 she appeared as a soloist on the British Broadcasting Corporation Songs of Praise broadcast from All Saints" Church, Cheltenham.
Her song "Stand as One" is a background theme song for P&G – Proud Sponsor of Mums television advert (2012).