Perhaps it seems premature to crown 2008's best new artist, but Leona Lewis arrives on U.S. shores with plenty of jewels in her tiara. In November, debut disc "Spirit" debuted at No. 1 in the United Kingdom—selling the equivalent of 200 albums per minute on release day—and has since become the fastest-selling debut of all time, while launch single "Bleeding Love" topped the singles chart for four weeks. It's tough to fathom that so many melody-free gimmick jams continue to junk up the stateside airwaves, but Lewis' bow is not only a one-listen harmonic show-stopper, it is also hip, soulful, beat-rippling and an undeniable vocal tour de force. And that's all before adding the visual: Lewis is simply stunning. Not since a youngster named Whitney Houston arrived has Clive Davis had so much to work with. The gorgeous "Spirit"—A&R'd at home by Simon Cowell—arrives March 18 in the United States. By then, "Leona" should be working its way to household-name status. A colossal and timeless debut. —Chuck Taylor