X Factor winner Leona Lewis has become the first UK female solo artist in more than 20 years to top Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in America. Her single ‘Bleeding Love’, which is released through Syco/J Records in the states, has climbed 7 places to reach the top spot on the newly-announced chart, making it only the second single by a British act in the last decade to top the chart. The track, which was last year's best-selling single in the UK, was actually released in the US six weeks ago.

Bleeding Love’s chart-topping triumph follows a performance last week by Lewis on Oprah Winfrey’s influential TV show in the States. Lewis was introduced by Syco founder and X Factor/American Idol judge Simon Cowell on the programme and was also interviewed by Winfrey.



The last UK act to top the Hot 100 was James Blunt whose ‘You’re Beautiful’ spent a week at number one in March 2006. However, it was back in June 1987 when the last UK female solo artist reached number one on the chart. Back then it was Kim Wilde with her cover of ‘You Keep Me Hangin’ On’. Lewis is also only the third UK solo female artist to reach number one in the Hot 100 with her debut hit. Petula Clark’s ‘Downtown’ was first in 1965, while Sheena Easton's ‘Morning Train’ (released in the UK as ‘9 To 5’) followed in 1981.



During her promotional trip to the states, Leona also appeared on ‘Entertainment Tonight’ and NBC’s popular ‘Tonight Show’ with Jay Leno. She is due to return to the US to promote the state-side release of her album ‘Spirit’ on the 8th of April.