To all of us, Leona Lewis has been a wonderful musical revelation, living proof of the fact that the "rags to riches" fairy tales we once used to hear at bedtime do sometimes come true. A short few years ago, Lewis was working as a receptionist and part-time waitress to help pay for recording sessions in a London studio. The present, however, is an entirely different affair, as Leona is on her way to becoming America’s new sweetheart - and with Simon Cowell and RCA Records boss Clive Davis in her corner, nothing seems to be standing in the way. However, the superstar life is said to be taking its toll on the modest and soft-spoken Leona, who has been plagued by chronic tonsillitis brought on by stress and is said to be in danger of losing her voice on that account.

Already, plans for the singer’s highly anticipated world tour have been postponed for next year, due to fears that Leona’s grueling working schedule, her natural shyness and the stress of her new-found celebrity are too much for her. The singer has been suffering from chronic tonsillitis brought on by stress ever since she made her debut in the British talent show The X Factor in 2006. "She keeps getting bouts of tonsillitis that flare up every four to five weeks. It’s very worrying," the singer’s father stated. With the expectations of many upon her shoulders, the fragile singer – who is reportedly homesick after being away from her family for a whole year – is said to have become obsessed with her own voice and crumbling under the pressure.

Her condition is in fact said to be so serious, that some surgeons have advised her to go under the knife to fix it. The singer’s voice will take under even more strain as Leona is set to embark on a tour of the US to promote the release of her album ‘Spirit" - which makes some people in her management team fear her voice may simply give out. "The problem is that the whole thing is a vicious circle" a UK source has revealed. "Leona gets stressed and nervous and that’s when her voice gives out. […] To a large extent the issue has become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Everyone is hoping she can get through this period without any more crises because it is so vital to everything she has worked for."