Leona Lewis debuts at No. 1, sets U.S. chart record

There appears to be no stopping Simon Cowell, the sharp-tongued judge of "American Idol" and man behind U.K. singing competition "The X Factor." His latest discovery, British R&B singer Leona Lewis, has debuted at No. 1 on this week's U.S. pop chart, selling 205,000 copies of her Syco/J Records debut, "Spirit," according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Lewis, who's been heavily endorsed by gossip blogger Perez Hilton and last month appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," has become the first British solo artist to ever make her debut atop the Billboard charts, according to the magazine's website.

Lewis has already secured a No. 1 single in the United States with her "Bleeding Love," and don't look for her momentum to slow. While she will likely be dethroned next week by another pop diva, Mariah Carey, Lewis is slated to appear on "American Idol" next week.

But don't call her a TV-made artist, said J Records head Clive Davis in a recent interview with The Times. "The TV aspect is irrelevant. I was impressed with [Leona] in the same way Whitney Houston or Alicia Keys auditioned for me. There's no connection with television with my getting involved with her. ... I don't think anyone in this country knows of 'The X Factor.'"

Lewis, who scored a record deal with Cowell's Syco Music after winning the 2006 edition of the series, said she was talked into auditioning for the televised talent competition. Lewis had been working odd jobs as a waitress and a receptionist, and was about to give up on her music career ambitions.

"I had watched the show, but I never thought I was going to go and do it," she said. "But someone said I should just try it, and it was an opportunity. At the end of the day, you should take every opportunity that comes your way."

Lewis' "Spirit" has an easy lead on this week's No. 2 album, George Strait's "Troubadour," which sold 59,000 copies in the runner-up position. Previously, Billboard notes that the highest chart post for a solo British female artist came from Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black," which hit No. 7 when it was released last year. That album, however, was not Winehouse's debut, and only sold 51,000 copies when it was released.

Also of note, Lewis' smash single "Bleeding Love" sold a whopping 223,000 digital downloads this week. To date, Billboard reports that more than 1.1 million downloads of the song have been sold since it was released in December.

Photo: AFP/Getty Images

Comments

[Robert H]

As someone who followed Leona through the Xfactor process and have tracked her career since, I am very proud that she has achieved so much in a short space of time. She has captured people's attention the world over, she is an excellent role model for young girls the world over. She doesn't drink, she doesn't go out partying all hours, she has been in a long term, loving relationship and is a sweet girl with morals - something you rarely see in 'celeb-land' these days. I wish her every success in the future and look forward to her tour in 2010

[joe funtime]

It's a great pop album. Her success is deserved.

[Che Guevara]

I think SADE was the first British solo artist to debut in the US charts.
You need a factchecker.

[Todd Martens]

Hi Che,
According to Billboard, Leona is the first British solo artist to ever bow atop the chart with a debut album.
Thanks

[carmen]

Who is she?

[sosgemini]

Sade is a band---lead by Sade Adu. I also don't think they have ever debut at #1. "Promise" is their only #1 album in the states and I am not which number it debuted at.

[Emes]

She's a very good singer, but she doesn't have me jumping out of my seat, so I don't get the excitement/hype. Her single, musically, is also overly repetitive. They should give her stronger material.