Leona Lewis = Billboard's Top New Artist of 2008!

Wow, radio got it right for once.

As Billboard begins to roll out its year-end 2008 goodies, the superlative that pleases me most is Leona Lewis being named the top new artist of the year. This is a singer that I first heard and saw watching a music video show (imagine that!) in a hotel room in Istanbul, Turkey, last November, and I couldn't wait for her to arrive in the States—nervously, of course, wondering if a melodic vocalist, no matter how talented, could fire-bomb her way through the steel-plated doors that FM radio still guards to keep most of the good ones out (Delta Goodrem, anyone?).

But thanks to the proliferation of iTunes and Internet radio, there was simply no holding "Bleeding Love" back, and radio had no choice but to join the party—and once they did, boy it was with all eight cylinders in gear: No. 1 Hot 100 single, with massive airplay at top 40, AC, adult top 40, dance and even Latin. A No. 1 album debut, and solid follow-up "Better In Time."
Overseas, of course, Lewis is way ahead, and holds No. 1 in the U.K. this week with a remake of Snow Patrol's "Run," a song certain to finish the year in my top 10.

Earlier, this year, we were fortunate to have Leona stop by Billboard, where I had the chance to sit down for an interview on Billboard.com. Click on the link to see the goods. For once, I was even blessed with a good hair day when the camera rolled.