Just a couple of points..
I just wanted to add a comment mostly to answer back some of the criticisms I've read in the reviews listed here.
1. 'She didn't write this song (no talent involved there)'
No, Diana didn't write Once; however, she has co-written every song on her album except three (including Once.) To say that she put no talent into her debut single is actually ridiculous - she is a singer and performer, and felt that Once would be her strongest debut. Although she may not be proving her song-writing abilities here, she will certainly do so with the album, which is more than a lot of artists in the charts at the moment do.
2. ‘She is clearly very airbrushed in this video which shows she is extremely vain’
I find it odd that somebody finds it unusual for artists to be edited slightly in their videos. 99% of musicians will have some sort of editing going on, and it in no way reflects Diana as a person and certainly doesn't mean she's a vain person. If you've listened to Diana in interviews and followed her journey you will know she was one of the least vain stars out there. I can almost guarantee that the 'airbrushing' was not done purely on her command, so it's silly to suggest that it is consequential of her 'vanity'.
3. ‘another pop reject tries for their 15 minutes of fame’
The last time I checked, a pop reject is someone who was rejected from pop, and I don't really see how Diana can be classified as a reject with her music video at number 2 in the iTunes charts, and the single topping several preorder charts weeks before its release? In case you didn't know, she's already had more than her 15 minutes of fame, winning awards for her acting achievements as well as her musical career, which if anything shows what a diverse start she is, and will outlast a lot of these 'pop rejects'.
4. ‘She came like 8th in x factor a few years ago’
5. ‘y has it taken so long 4 her 2 bring her FIRST single out’
I know this question was meant rhetorically in the context of the criticism of Diana, but I feel it ought to be answered. In the past year and a half, Diana has been diverting off the path of typical X Factor contestants to do her own thing and put her own unique stamp on her career. She has co-written the majority of her album alongside stars such as Ellie Goulding and Lightspeed Champion; she has starred in the West End for 4 months, winning a What's On Stage award for her leading role in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice; she has just finished a sell-out UK tour; she is currently doing interviews and photoshoots for magazines, TV shows and radio stations all over the country (eg GMTV, Glamour, Haarper's Bazaar, Blue Peter, Radio One etc..). THAT is why she has taken so long to bring her first single out, because she is not being rushed like 90% of other X Factor contestants - she is taking her time to do her own thing and set up for a proper career ahead of her.
To be honest, I doubt many of you will have taken the time to read that whole rant, but I felt it had to be said on behalf of Diana and her fans, just to clear up some of the inaccurate criticsms. Back to the song, having heard Diana on tour I don't personally feel it's her strongest.. HOWEVER I do think it's a brilliant song, it's grown on me enormously and it's going to be huge this summer. She looks stunning as always in the video, and I think it's going to be the hit that it deserves to be. And watch this space - we are yet to see the best of Diana Vickers.