She won the third season of Simon Cowell’s The X Factor, and her album Spirit became Britain’s all-time fastest-selling debut and an international sensation, spawning two record-shattering singles. Now, with her emotional lead U.S. single “Bleeding Love” (the U.K.’s best-selling single of 2007) making her the first British female vocalist to top the Billboard Hot 100 in more than 20 years, Leona Lewis follows suit with a number one debut for her album.

We caught up with the 23-year-old diva winning gay America’s heart.

Congrats on your U.S chart-topper, but especially on your recent Oprah performance—that’s major!

Leona Lewis: I know! Oprah’s so popular and world-famous, everyone knows her back in Britain as well, so yeah, it was a pretty big deal. I was really nervous, but at the same time she’s such a lovely lady, so it was great to go on there and meet her.

Has conquering the U.S. always been a goal for you?

LL: Well, I’ve always had the dream to be a singer and hopefully be a recording artist. When I actually got the chance to do it, I knew I was going to release in the U.K. But when I was introduced to Clive Davis, that’s when the U.S. doors were opened to me. It’s been an incredible chance for me, really.

How has America been treating you?

LL: People are just getting to know me over here, whereas in the U.K. people will recognize me when I’m walking down the street. I’ll get the odd few people here. But it’s all great. I spent so much time here when I was creating the album, so it’s great to come back and share my music with the people here.

Dance remixes of “Bleeding Love” have been popular stateside for months, particularly in gay clubs.

LL: Yeah, the remixes are cool. I’m glad that they can reach people in different ways. As long as it’s reaching people and people are enjoying it, that’s the main thing.

Do you have a gay best friend?

LL: In school I did—a really sweet guy called Paul, who was really into music and acting. And my hairdresser is just amazing, so lovely and relatable. It’s good to have a team around you that you’re friends with because you spend so much time together. You need people you can talk to as well.

How is your longtime boyfriend handling all the traveling that comes with your U.S. promotion?

LL: Well, he comes out to see me sometimes, and I’m never away from home really for a long stretch of time. I’m always back and forth, so that helps. And there are so many ways to communicate with people now, so it’s not like you never talk to someone.

The paparazzi seem crazier in the U.K. than they are here. How have you handled that attention?

LL: It’s quite funny, really. Sometimes they can be quite crazy, following cars and bikes and stuff, but as long as they’re not endangering anyone else or themselves, it’s fine. I know they have to do a job as well. But over here you’ve got video cameras, which we don’t really have as much in the U.K. So that’s quite strange when you get paparazzi with video cameras trying to interview you as you’re walking around.

Have you had awful things printed about you?

LL: Everything’s been quite positive so far. I don’t really do much negative to put in the papers.

Victoria Beckham wore the same £100,000 crystal-encrusted Dolce & Gabbana dress in the Spice Girls’ “Headlines” video that you wore in the U.K. “Bleeding Love” video. Do you aspire to be a fashion icon like Posh?

LL: Oh yeah, we did! It’s great to wear those beautiful designer dresses and to be able to perform in them, and it’s good that people want you to wear their clothes. I love fashion and dressing up, but I like to be comfortable as well.

Do you enjoy being fussed over by stylists?

LL: It can be quite relaxing, actually. I’ve got some people who regularly do my hair and my makeup, so we’ve found a good balance of what to do. They know what I like and I don’t like, so we get on really good.

What are your thoughts on another soulful British import, Amy Winehouse?

LL: I love her albums and I think she’s amazingly talented, and that’s the main thing about her.

You’re also experiencing huge success at a very young age. How can we make sure that you never have to go to rehab, Leona?

LL: [Laughs] I’m just starting out, so I’m still growing and experiencing different things, but I’ve got my family around me as well, so I think that keeps me quite sane.

Women with soulful voices like yours have usually dealt with great heartache and sorrow, but you seem so well-adjusted. What struggles have helped color your sound?

LL: Growing up, I think at one point or another everyone’s had their heart broken, and I have definitely. So I draw on those experiences. Like with “Bleeding Love�—it is a love song, but it’s not a love song about a perfect romance; it’s actually quite heartwrenching and raw. With love sometimes comes a lot of pain. It’s not all sweetness and roses.

What was the harshest comment you received from judge Simon Cowell on The X Factor?

LL: I actually got quite good comments. I never got anything really mean said. I feel very, very lucky.

I understand you got some criticism for a lack of self-confidence.

LL: Yeah, that’s probably the worst thing, which isn’t that bad. But I take awhile to come out of myself. I have a quiet self-confidence. I guess against other people on the show who were really loud and out there, I may have seemed quite quiet. As people get to know me, they’ll know the real me.

What advice would you give the current American Idol contestants?

Enjoy it, and remember the moments because it goes by quick. For me, the show literally went by in such a flash, so just enjoy what you’re doing and have fun.

And what advice would you give a drag queen who wanted to emulate you?

LL: Have big hair and a sparkly microphone! And just sing from the heart and with lots of soul.

Source: Gay Wired