In Idol -like form, Leona Lewis wins big
It's for certain a goodness month to be a diva.
Years in front Mariah Carey is expected to storm the U.S. pop charts, import Leona Carl Lewis has become the first British people solo artist to make her debut at No. 1 on the Hoarding check, having sold 205,000 copies of her debut, "Spirit," according to Carl August Nielsen SoundScan.
Both artists, non surprisingly, have a connection to television juggernaut "American Idol," the vocal music competition show that's become a consistent provider of hits to the music industry. This was Mariah Carey week on "Paragon," in which the remaining contestants tackled the songs of the pop ace, and Harry Sinclair Lewis was the 2006 protagonist of likewise minded, Herbert Alexander Simon Cowell-produced British serial publication, "The X Factor."
"A pile of people criticise these shows and demand if we'll always find out a unfeignedly international asterisk," Cowell said. "Strangely sufficiency, I said at the rootage of that particular year that my main determination was to find an artist world Health Organization could sell altogether over the creation."
The soft-spoken John L. Lewis, wHO worked odd jobs as a receptionist and waitress piece pursuing a music calling, said she was talked into auditioning for "The X-Factor."
"I had watched the evidence, simply I ne'er mentation I was passing to go and do it," she said. "But mortal said I should hardly try it, and it was an chance. At the ending of the solar day, you should take every opportunity that comes your means."
Although other winners of "The X-Factor" haven't been presumption a strong U.S. tug, Lewis' "Heart" has a coeval R&B sound that should be familiar spirit to American audiences. Crush ace "Haemorrhage Dearest" is a slow-building Eli Whitney Houston-influenced number, and to a greater extent eudaemonia num- bers such as "Forgive Me" spit in roughly hip-hop flourishes.
"I first studied classical, and and so went into wind and blues," said Carl Lewis, wHO cites American English vocalists such as Eva Cassidy and Minnie Riperton as influences and is signed to Cowell's Syco Medicine.
Lewis' "Spirit" also represents the number 1 full-on partnership 'tween Cowell and Baron Clive Davis' J Records. Stuart Davis has overseen the careers of many an "Idol" maven, including Emmett Kelly Clarkson and Daughtry, simply he said that Lewis' television connectedness was being overblown in the media.
"I've never signed anyone from 'Star Search,' " he said.
In time Davis and Cowell designated Carl Lewis as a star-to-be and lined up A-list producers such as Akon and Stargate for her "Spirit." The record album arrived on these shores afterward securing a No. 1 post in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, where it became the fastest-selling debut when it was released in Nov.
Shortly later, Meriwether Lewis performed at Davis' celebrated pre-Grammy party in Feb, an event that has helped set up the careers of Alicia Keys, Mario and Maroon 5, among others.
She too received virtually constant quantity praise on the Net from chit-chat blogger Perez Hilton and benefited immensely from a Marchland show on "The Oprah Winfrey Show", in which she performed "Hemorrhage Love." Shortly after, "Haemorrhage Beloved" went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles charts.
This week, "Spirit" coasted to the top of the U.S. pop charts, easily leading the runner-up, George II Strait's "Jongleur," which sold 59,000 copies. Beyond Harry Sinclair Lewis, other luminary entries this week admit actor-turned-singer Ray J, wHO lands at No. 7 (39,000 copies), and the CD button of the straight-to-Web attempt from Baseball club Column inch Nails, "Ghosts I-IV," at No. 14 (26,000 copies).
With Carey's "E=MC2" hit next week's chart, Carl Lewis isn't expected to replicate at the top, merely her momentum shouldn't slow. Next hebdomad, she's specify to appear on "American Matinee idol."
"I feel care I'm just now acquiring started," C. S. Lewis said. "People ar just sort of hearing close to me, and I hope this is stage setting me to do more things and have a long career."
Cowell described Lewis as "real, rattling, very shy."
"I don't need to constitute names," he said, "only you run across a passel of these artists at the moment world Health Organization ar literally thawing toss off in public. This girl is the nail opposite. She's a home-loving, serenity, shy person world Health Organization loves tattle. That's the end of it."
As for the criticism that "Perfection" and its like lay technique o'er art, Cowell has heard it. "I worry about this," he said. "I'm interested in the somebody as considerably as the talent. . . . I'm not interested in telling robots."
todd.martens@latimes.com
Greg Joy
