Leona Lewis refuses to say more than a few words to people because she wants to protect her voice.

The "X Factor" winner is so terrified of losing her voice she never shouts and keeps small talk to a minimum.

She said: "I get scared of things not panning out the way I want them to. I wonder what I'd do if anything happened to my voice. That's why I look after myself so much. "I'll say, 'I can't talk to you for too long', and 'I can't do this or that because I'm doing a show'. I'll miss nights out because I can't be talking over loud music. I get panicked in case something happens."

But the 24-year-old star is not worried about losing her fame and fortune - she just loves singing, and would be devastated if she couldn't do it anymore.

She said: "Singing is an escape. When I sing, I go somewhere else, out of this world. It's another place where I'm free to do whatever I want. It's like a dream. It's my favourite colour, pastel pink, and there's just me there."

Leona isn't the only singer who goes to extremes to protect her voice - Mariah Carey doesn't say a word for two days before a concert.

The "Touch My Body" star previously said: "Before a big show I have to do 'vocal rest' where I'm not allowed to speak for two days. It's so boring having to write notes to everyone! I need Stephen Hawking's voice machine for when I'm on vocal rest. I'd like a machine where I can just think and it comes out in a robot voice - that would be amazing!"

(China Daily/Agencies, April 13, 2009)