'X Factor' winner Leona Lewis is guaranteed to claim the Christmas number one in the UK, according to industry figures published today.
The 21-year-old singer, who won the reality show last Saturday, released her debut single 'A Moment Like This' to shops today.
The single has already sold 100,000 download copies, overtaking Gnarls Barkley's 'Crazy' as the fastest-selling download of the year.
According to current sales figures, Leona is on course to sell one million copies of the single, which would beat last year's winner Shayne Ward, who sold 732,000 copies of his debut single 'That's My Goal'.
HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo said: "Leona should match if not overtake Shayne Ward's sales."
"Nearly five million votes were cast for her in the final and you have to assume a good proportion of those viewers will buy the single in the run-up to Christmas."
"Not everyone has an MP3 player so there will be a lot of people heading for the shops today to get their copy."
Castaldo also said: "Leona has the potential to become an international star."
"She has the look and the voice of an American R 'n' B artist like Maria Carey. If she is managed properly and given the right songs, she could be the real deal."
