Leona Lewis has made history in becoming the first British artist to debut at Number One in the US album chart.
The 23-year-old topped the charts with her debut album 'Spirit'.
Her record-breaking success comes almost three weeks after the X Factor winner became the first British female solo artist in 21 years to top the US singles chart.
X Factor judge Simon Cowell, who has masterminded the singer's career since she won the TV talent show in 2006, said yesterday: "What Leona has achieved is simply incredible. This is the hardest market to crack and for her debut album to go in at Number One is unbelievable."
Lewis, who is set to perform to 30m people when she sings live on 'American Idol' later this month, has sold 204,841 copies of Spirit this week in the US.
Her nearest rival in the Billboard Top 200, the album 'Troubadour' by George Strait, has sold 59,000 copies, Lewis's spokesman said.
The former receptionist was signed to SyCo Music, Cowell's division of Sony BMG, after winning the X Factor.
'Spirit' was the fastest selling debut album of all time in the UK and sold more than 2m copies within weeks.
Lewis's single 'Bleeding Love' was the biggest-selling single of 2007 in the UK staying at Number One for seven weeks and selling more than 1m copies.
