A Moment Like This#Leona Lewis version

The song was co-written by Jörgen Elofsson and John Reid (of dance act Nightcrawlers), produced by Stephen Ferrera and Steve Mac, and mixed by Andy Zulla.{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/2419624-Kelly-Clarkson-Before-Your-Love|title=Kelly Clarkson – Before Your Love|access-date=July 3, 2022|website=Discogs.com}} It was written to be the first single for the winner of the first season of American Idol. As a result, the four remaining finalists, Kelly Clarkson, Justin Guarini, Nikki McKibbin, and Tamyra Gray each recorded a version of the song in case they won. The song was first revealed to the public when Guarini and Clarkson competed in a final showdown while singing this song, along with another track, "Before Your Love". After the American public had voted, Guarini performed the song (and Clarkson performed "Before Your Love") at the final show before the results were revealed. When Clarkson was announced as the winner, she became emotional, and sang the song as her final performance.

"Before Your Love", was also given to radio and had a video shot, which debuted on MTV's Total Request Live before "A Moment Like This" did; however, it failed to achieve the level of success of "A Moment Like This", but shares the Gold certification as a double-a sided single.

"A Moment Like This/Before Your Love" was certified gold by RIAA on October 18, 2002.{{cite web|url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Clarkson,%20Kelly&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25"|title=RIAA - Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - December 16, 2015|work=riaa.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924151606/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1|archive-date=September 24, 2015}} As of June 4, 2009, the single has sold approximately 1,047,000 copies.[http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2009/06/67621527/1 How the American Idol coronation singles stack up, part 1], Idol Chatter.

On March 5, 2013, Billboard ranked the song number 11 in its list of Top 100 American Idol Hits of All Time.{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/list/1550614/top-100-american-idol-hits-of-all-time?list_page=8 |title=Top 100 'American Idol' Hits of All Time |publisher=Billboard |access-date=February 11, 2014}}

The song moves at a tempo of 73 beats per minute{{Cite news|url=https://songbpm.com/moment-like-this?q=moment%20like%20this|title=BPM for 'A Moment like This; by Kelly Clarkson on songbpm|last=LLC|first=Blendist|access-date=April 15, 2018|language=en}} in common time. The first two verses are in the key of E flat minor, and the chorus after each verse transitions to A flat major. The final chorus transposes to B flat major. Clarkson's vocals span from A{{flat}}₃ to F₅.{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0042980_U1|title=Kelly Clarkson "A Moment Like This" Sheet Music in Eb Minor (transposable) - Download & Print|first=John|last=Reid|website=Musicnotes.com|date=October 18, 2002|access-date=April 15, 2018}}

This song received moderately positive reviews. Entertainment Weekly editor Henry Goldblatt wrote about Clarkson's performance of the song on American Idol: "the woman whose tears during her winning rendition of A Moment Like This were so heartfelt, grown men cried along with her."{{cite web |url=https://ew.com/article/2003/04/25/thankful/ |title=Thankful Review |publisher=EW.com |date=April 25, 2003 |access-date=February 11, 2014 |archive-date=September 8, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140908120143/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,444557,00.html |url-status=live }} David Browne, also of Entertainment Weekly, wrote: "A choir at the end of "A Moment Like This" is meant to indicate earthiness."{{cite magazine |last=Browne |first=David |url=http://ew.com/article/2002/09/27/your-lovea-moment-this/ |title=Before Your Love/A Moment Like This |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=September 27, 2002 |access-date=May 16, 2018 }} Arion Berger of Rolling Stone wrote that this song "signaled that Kelly might be headed toward the Mariah-Whitney-Celine radio-ballad sausage mill."{{cite web|author=Arion Berger |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/thankful-20030422#ixzz2aAAXfi1N |title=Thankful | Album Reviews |publisher=Rolling Stone |date=April 22, 2003 |access-date=February 11, 2014}} Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine wrote that this song is "Adult Contemporary goo.{{cite web|url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/kelly-clarkson-thankful/281 |title=Kelly Clarkson: Thankful | Music Review |publisher=Slant Magazine |date=2003-04-16 |access-date=2014-02-11}} AllMusic senior editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that the song "may have been a number one hit, but it was such a staid adult contemporary tune that it suggested that her career was over before it really began, since it was not a work that played to her age or audience, and it gave her no room to grow." He also marked this song as a standout on album Thankful.{{cite web|author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/thankful-mw0000662367 |title=Thankful - Kelly Clarkson | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |date=2003-04-15 |access-date=2014-02-11}} The Huffington Post ranked the song at number 11 on "The 33 Greatest Pop Divas' Debut Singles" list.{{cite web |last=Jacobs |first=Matthew |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ranking-pop-divas-debut-singles_us_589a4051e4b09bd304be8861 |title=A Ranking Of The 33 Greatest Pop Divas' Debut Singles |publisher=HuffPost |date=February 8, 2017 |access-date=March 31, 2018 }}

As the first single ever from American Idol, much pressure was put on "A Moment Like This" to perform well. The debut single from Will Young, the winner of the United Kingdom's Pop Idol (the forerunner to American Idol), sold 1.2 million copies in its first week, becoming the fastest-selling British debut single of all time; however, critics argued that the American singles market was different from the British market. The single became a hit in the U.S., debuting at number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 21, 2002, and reaching number one on its third week on the chart. It sold 236,000 in its first week.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/74080/idol-clarksons-single-sets-billboard-record|title='Idol' Clarkson's Single Sets Billboard Record|magazine=Billboard|date=September 25, 2002}} It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two consecutive weeks and remained on the chart for 20 consecutive weeks. Sales of the commercial single also helped the song (as evidenced by its number-one peak on the Hot 100 Singles Sales) break records.

On the Billboard issue dated October 5, 2002, the song topped the Hot 100 chart with a single-week jump of 51 positions, the largest single-week jump to number one on the Hot 100. She held that record until Maroon 5's "Makes Me Wonder" single-week jump 63 positions to number one, on May 12, 2007.Jonathan Cohen, [http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1052374/maroon-5-makes-wondrous-jump-to-lead-hot-100 "Maroon 5 Makes 'Wondrous' Jump To Lead Hot 100"], Billboard.com, May 3, 2007. Clarkson would break the record again when her song "My Life Would Suck Without You" jumped 96 spots from 97 to 1 on February 7, 2009.

The music video for "A Moment Like This" was directed by Antti J.{{cite web |url=http://www.mvdbase.com/person.php?id=C450 |title=Antti J |website=mvdbase.com |access-date=September 27, 2018 }} It has Clarkson exploring a vacant theatre, where she takes the stage to sing and perform the song.

Clips of her singing on American Idol and getting emotional when she won the competition are also shown.

{{Track listing

| headline = CD single

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Before Your Love

| writer1 = {{hlist|Desmond Child|Cathy Dennis|Gary Burr}}

| extra1 = {{hlist|Child|Dennis}}

| length1 = 4:00

| title2 = A Moment Like This

| writer2 = {{hlist|Jörgen Elofsson|John Reid}}

| extra2 = {{hlist|Stephen Ferrera|Steve Mac}}

| length2 = 3:50

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = DVD single

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Before Your Love

| note1 = Music video

| length1 = 3:52

| title2 = A Moment Like This

| note2 = Music video

| length2 = 3:47

}}

{{col-start}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "A Moment Like This"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Kelly Clarkson|title=Before Your Love/A Moment Like This|type=single|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2003|certyear=2003}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Clarkson, Kelly|title=Before Your Love / A Moment Like This|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=2002|certyear=2002|salesamount=738,000 (Digital){{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7957889/ask-billboard-kelly-clarksons-career-sales-wild-thoughts-about |title=Ask Billboard: Kelly Clarkson's Career Sales & 'Wild Thoughts' About Rihanna |first=Gary |last=Trust |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |date=September 10, 2017 |access-date=September 10, 2017}}
627,000 (Physical)|salesref={{Cite web|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2009/06/67621527/1|title=How the American Idol coronation singles stack up, part 1|website=USATODAY.COM}}}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

{{Infobox song

| name = A Moment Like This

| cover = A Moment Like This (Leona).jpg

| border = yes

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Leona Lewis

| album = Spirit

| B-side =

| released = {{Start date|2006|12|17}}

| recorded = 2006

| studio =

• Angel Studios (London, England){{cite AV media notes |title=Spirit|others=Leona Lewis |date=2007|type=liner notes |publisher=Syco Music, J Records, Sony Music}}
• Rokstone Studios (London, England){{cite AV media notes |title=Spirit|others=Leona Lewis |date=2007|type=liner notes |publisher=Syco Music, J Records, Sony Music}}
• Sphere Studios (London, England){{cite AV media notes |title=Spirit|others=Leona Lewis |date=2007|type=liner notes |publisher=Syco Music, J Records, Sony Music}}

| venue =

| genre =

| length = 4:17

| label = Syco

| writer =

• Jörgen Elofsson
• John Reid

| producer = Steve Mac

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title = Bleeding Love

| next_year = 2007

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|sxbX-z5-QHs|"Leona Lewis - A Moment Like This (Official Video)"}}}}

}}

In December 2006, British singer Leona Lewis, who went on to win the third series of The X Factor, covered "A Moment Like This" as her debut single. Lewis was chosen as the winner on the night of December 16, when the live finale aired. The cover was made available for digital download the following day. The physical single was rush-released on Wednesday, December 20–which was unusual as most new singles were released on Mondays to gain maximum amount of sales for the UK Singles Chart the following Sunday–due to Lewis being crowned only four days prior.

In January 2007, "A Moment Like This" was shortlisted for the British Single award at the 2007 Brit Awards. It made it to the second round but was eliminated and did not make it to the final selection. In May, it won the Ivor Novello Award for Best-Selling British Single.

Lewis' version of "A Moment Like This" broke a world record after it was downloaded 50,000 times within just 30 minutes of release.{{cite news|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/LEONA%27S+THE+DIVA+OF+DOWNLOADS%3B+X+Factor+winner+is+record-breaker.-a0155990901|title=LEONA'S THE DIVA OF DOWNLOADS|last=Bale|first=Karen|date=December 18, 2006|work=Daily Record|access-date=September 11, 2013}} It sold over 101,000 copies on its first day on sale, setting the record for the fastest-selling The X Factor winner's single.{{efn|The record would later be beaten by Alexandra Burke in 2008, and then again by James Arthur in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/s103/the-x-factor/news/a444440/x-factor-james-arthur-beats-little-mix-leona-lewis-to-become-fastest-seller.html|title=X Factor James Arthur beats Little Mix, Leona Lewis to become fastest seller|last=Corner|first=Lewis|date=December 11, 2012|work=Digital Spy|publisher=Hearst Magazines UK|access-date=February 11, 2014}}}} The song debuted atop the UK Singles Chart dated December 30, thus becoming the Christmas number one for 2006, and spent three additional weeks at the summit. It went on to become the most downloaded song and the second best-selling single of 2006 in the United Kingdom.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/top40_2006.shtml|title= Top 40 Singles of 2006|publisher=BBC Radio 1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081228025010/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/top40_2006.shtml|archive-date=December 28, 2008}}

"A Moment Like This" peaked atop the Irish Singles Chart, staying at the summit for six weeks.{{cite web|url=http://acharts.us/song/11746|title=Leona Lewis – A Moment Like This|publisher=acharts.us|access-date=August 21, 2007}} On January 4, 2007, it peaked at number three on the European Hot 100 Singles. The single was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on January 5.{{cite web|title=LEWIS LEONA, A MOMENT LIKE THIS, Platinum, Fri Jan 5 2007 |url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=32826 |publisher=British Phonographic Industry |date=January 5, 2007 |access-date=October 29, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113133502/http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=32826 |archive-date=November 13, 2007 |url-status=dead }} After the release of Lewis's second single "Bleeding Love", "A Moment Like This" re-entered the UK Singles Chart at number 55 on October 28. According to the Official Charts Company (OCC), the single has sold 943,000 copies in the UK as of December 2015.

The accompanying music video for "A Moment Like This" was directed by JT.{{cite AV media notes|title=Spirit – The Deluxe Edition|first=Leona|last=Lewis|year= 2008|type=CD+DVD liner notes|publisher=Syco Music|id=88697359692}} Like Clarkson's, it's simple, featuring Lewis singing the song on a stage. It also features several clips from Lewis' time on The X Factor, from her first audition to the moment she was announced as the winner. Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne, Louis Walsh, Kate Thornton and Ray Quinn are all featured within The X Factor clips.

{{Track listing

| headline = UK digital download

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = A Moment Like This

| writer1 = {{hlist|Jörgen Elofsson|John Reid}}

| extra1 = Steve Mac

| length1 = 4:17

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = UK maxi CD single and digital EP

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = A Moment Like This

| writer1 = {{hlist|Elofsson|Reid}}

| extra1 = Mac

| length1 = 4:17

| title2 = Summertime

| writer2 = {{hlist|DuBose Heyward|George Gershwin}}

| extra2 = Nigel Wright

| length2 = 2:27

| title3 = Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word

| writer3 = {{hlist|Elton John|Bernie Taupin}}

| extra3 = Wright

| length3 = 2:52

}}

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{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for "A Moment Like This"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Leona Lewis|title=A Moment Like This|award=Platinum|salesamount=943,000|salesref={{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-winner-takes-it-all-the-biggest-selling-x-factor-winners-singles-revealed__7770/|title=The biggest selling X Factor winner's singles revealed|last=Myers|first=Justin|date=December 9, 2015|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=December 9, 2015}}|relyear=2006|certyear=2007|id=217-3336-1|access-date=July 28, 2020}}

|}

{{notelist}}

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Kelly Clarkson singles}}

{{American Idol 1}}

{{American Idol}}

{{Leona Lewis}}

{{The X Factor}}

{{UK Christmas No. 1s in the 2000s}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moment Like This, A}}

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