"Don't Call This Love" is a song by Scottish singer Leon Jackson, released on 12 October 2008 as the lead single from his debut album Right Now (2008). The single is his second to be released after his Christmas number one song "When You Believe" in 2007. To promote the single release, Jackson appeared on Series 5 of The X Factor the day prior to the official release. The song was described by the BBC as being "complete with chimes and full of force".[1]
Commercially, the song reached number one on the singles charts in his native Scotland, whilst in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland it reached number three and eight respectively. Additionally, it reached number ten on the European Hot 100 Singles. "Don't Call This Love" was recorded by Swiss pop singer Stefanie Heinzmann and include on her debut album, Masterplan.
Background and release
After one year recording Right Now, Jackson debuted his new material. His first performance of this was on The X Factor, in which he sang "Don't Call This Love". "Don't Call This Love" was announced as the lead single from Leon Jackson’s debut album and was slated for digital download on 11 October 2008, with a physical release following shortly thereafter. [2] Jackson also later appeared on the first show of the fifth series as the Celebrity Guest. The song was also performed on GMTV along with another track from the album, "You Don't Know Me". "Don't Call this Love" entered the United Kingdom chart at No.3, behind Pink's "So What" and Peter Kay's "The Winners Song". In Ireland, the song debuted at No.8.[3]
The album Right Now was released 21 October 2008.[4] It debuted at number 7 on the Ireland Top 75 in the week of 23 October 2008, remaining on that chart for a total of five weeks.[5] It debuted at No. 4 on the UK Top 40 Albums chart for the week of 26 October 2008.[5][6] During the following week, it was at No. 20,[7] and the week after that No. 37.[8] During the following week, it slipped out of the Top 40[9] but remained in the UK Top 75 chart for six additional weeks.[5]
"Don't Call this Love" gave Jackson his second UK Top 5 single on the UK Singles Charts, charting at number three in the United Kingdom and also charting within the Irish Singles Charts top ten. On the European Hot 100 charts, it charted at number ten, giving Jackson his second Europe top ten single. In Jackson's native country of Scotland, "Don't Call this Love" debuted at number one on the Scottish Singles Charts, remaining on the top position for two weeks. In total, "Don't Call this Love" spent twenty-two weeks in the Scottish Top 100 Singles charts[10] and six weeks in the UK Top 100 Singles Charts.[11]
Promotion
On the week of release, “Don’t Call This Love” was featured in industry press as a "Single of the Week". [12] The song was reportedly A-listed at major UK radio stations, giving it extensive airplay in the immediate pre- and post-release period. [13] On 11 October 2008 — the night before release — Leon Jackson performed “Don’t Call This Love” live on the results show of The X Factor. The performance was billed as his "comeback" to the show that launched his career. [13] Following this, he appeared on the national morning television programme GMTV to perform and promote the single to a broad audience.[14]
In interviews preceding the single’s release, Jackson described “Don’t Call This Love” as his favourite track on the forthcoming album and said the song would showcase a more mature vocal style, marking a deliberate step forward from his previous work. [2] He emphasized wanting people to see him as a serious recording artist rather than just a reality-TV winner, reflecting on the song as a statement of intent for his post-TV career. [13] As part of the promotional campaign, Jackson returned to his native Scotland for a public signing event at the HMV store in the Almondvale Centre in Livingston — the same store where he had once worked. The in-store appearance coincided with the single’s release and was covered by regional media, drawing attention from both longtime local supporters and new fans. [15] He expressed gratitude for the support from his Scottish fanbase, noting it was “amazing to be back on home turf.” [15]
Following the initial promotional push — radio airplay, television performances, and public appearances — “Don’t Call This Love” maintained visibility over the subsequent weeks, contributing to its commercial performance and chart success in the UK. [12]
Reception
Critical reviews
"Don't Call this Love" received largely positive reviews from media critics following its release. Digital Spy commented "Don't Call this Love is a thoroughly pleasant, classic-sounding ballad that anyone from Ronan Keating to Cliff Richard could carry off", further stating that "the luxuriant strings swell in all the right places, and Jackson's vocals are just are as smooth as they were on The X Factor, but there's a lack of character here that the glossy production can't quite disguise[16]". Meanwhile, the BBC stated "there's really nothing going on here that isn't on your average James Morrison or Adele single, so the 'authentic music' brigade can shut up too. It's not all bad, it's not all good. He's not going to be around for a very long time, nor is he a national embarrassment".[17]
Commercial performance
Jackson performed the track as part of his 2009 Right Now tour in 2009
In the United Kingdom, "Don't Call this Love" debuted inside the top five on the UK Singles Charts, charting at number three week beginning 25 November 2008, following several promotional appearances, including a "winner's comeback" performance on The X Factor. The following week, "Don't Call this Love" fell to number eleven on the UK charts, slipping out of the top ten entirely.[11] It remained in the UK Top 40 for a following week, charting at number twenty, before slipping from the Top 40 to number forty-two, week commencing 15 November 2008. The following week, 22 November, "Don't Call this Love" charted at number seventy-nine before falling out of the UK Top 100 Singles Charts.[11]
In Jackson's native Scotland, "Don't Call this Love" was considerablly more successful. The single topped the Scottish Singles Charts and remained at the number one position for two weeks,[18] before slipping to number five on the charts and being knocked off the top spot by the X Factor's cover version of Mariah Carey's "Hero.[18] In its following week, the song managed to remain within the Scottish Top 10 Singles, slipping to number eight and then to number ten the following week.[18] On the chart update for the week commencing 23 November, "Don't Call this Love" had slipped from the Scottish Top 10 to its new position of number thirteen, falling three places from number ten in its previous week, with a new entry from Duffy with "Rain On Your Parade" knocking the song down to number thirteen.[18] "Don't Call this Love" continued to fall down the charts in Scotland[18]until its eighth week in the chart, where an increase in sales meant "Don't Call this Love" climbed from number twenty to number seventeen.[18]
"Don't Call this Love" continued to climb the charts in Scotland over the Christmas period. In its ninth week within the Scottish Singles Charts, it climbed once again from its previous charting position of number seventeen to number eleven during the week 14–20 December 2008.[18] The following week during Christmas, "Don't Call this Love" climbed back up the charts, this time charting inside the top ten once more, climbing up to number six from number eleven. It was the week's second biggest climb up the chart's, only behind "Once Upon a Christmas Song" by Geraldine McQueen.[18] In the chart update of 27 December, "Don't Call this Love" had climbed once more to number three.[18] Into the New Year, in the first week of the chart update in 2009, "Don't Call this Love" climbed once more, this time to number two on the Scottish charts, only behind Burke and her X Factor winner single in the charts.[18] On 11 January "Don't Call this Love" slipped from the top ten, and even the top forty, from number two to number forty-nine. Moreover, during this week, Jackson's debut single "When You Believe" re-entered the Scottish Top Ten at number three.[18] "Don't Call this Love" remained within the Scottish Top 100 Singles Charts for forty-one weeks, where its last charting position was number thirty.[18]
In Ireland, "Don't Call this Love" debuted at number eight on the Irish Singles Charts, where it remained within the top 100 for a further five weeks.[19] The song also debuted at number ten on the European Hot 100 Singles charts.[20] On 10 January 2009 "Don't Call this Love re-entered the UK Singles Charts at number ninety-three.[21]
Live performances
On 11 October 2008 "Don't Call This Love" was put on the A-List at BBC Radio 2. Jackson appeared on The X Factor to perform the single, the day before it was released for download. He also performed it live on GMTV, The X Factor live show, Series 5, Episode 1 (2008), The Big Gig Live (2008), Hogmanay Live (2008) and the Right Now UK 2009 Tour (2009).
Music video
A music video was produced to accompany "Don't Call This Love".[22] The video begins with Jackson walking through a street and watching several girls before appearing on a stage in a bar where he performs the song. Throughout the video, Jackson interacts with various girls, with one portrayed as his primary love interest. The narrative conveys emotional conflict and the realisation that the relationship depicted is no longer genuine, echoing the themes of the song.
The music video for "Don't Call This Love" was filmed in an urban setting designed to reflect the song’s themes of emotional distance and introspection. According to promotional material released at the time, the video was styled to create a warm, atmospheric tone, emphasising natural lighting and intimate close-ups of Jackson during the performance sequences. The production intercuts narrative scenes with footage of Jackson singing onstage in a small bar venue, highlighting the contrast between his public persona and private emotional struggle. Direction focused on subtle character interaction rather than choreography, aiming to maintain a realistic, story-driven visual approach.
Cover versions
"Don't Call This Love" was covered by Swiss pop singer Stefanie Heinzmann, who recorded a studio version of the track on her debut album Masterplan which was released in March 2008.
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