Leona Lewis

It's certainly a good month to be a diva. Days before Mariah Carey is expected to storm the U.S. pop charts, import Leona Lewis has become the first British solo artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard tally, having sold 205,000 copies of her debut, "Spirit," according to Nielsen SoundScan. Both artists, not surprisingly, have a connection to television juggernaut "American Idol," the vocal competition show that's become a consistent supplier of hits to the music industry.

Everyone knows that Taylor Swift can't sing. The teen star might hold the zeitgeist in her pink satin clutch, but she's regularly criticized for her live vocal performances, which tend toward wild notes and shortness of breath. Her turns onstage at the recent Country Music Assn. Awards, where she became the youngest-ever Entertainer of the Year, had critics pulling out descriptions like "shaky," "a train wreck" and (memorably, from Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker) "wobbly as a newborn colt."

Paula Abdul has lined up her first post-"American Idol" gig: She'll be hosting this year's "VH1 Divas" ceremony. Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Jordin Sparks, Leona Lewis and Miley Cyrus are slated to perform on the Sept. 17 show, which will unfold at the Brooklyn Academy of Music Howard Gilman Opera House in New York. -- Denise Martin

Simon Cowell, the acerbic "American Idol" judge, creator of "America's Got Talent" and record producer, is the top-earning man on prime-time U.S. television with an estimated haul of $75 million, Forbes .com said on Tuesday. Cowell, 50, beat out "The Apprentice" show host Donald Trump ($50 million) and "American Idol" presenter Ryan Seacrest ($38 million), based on estimated pre-tax earnings from June 1, 2008, to June 1, 2009. Most of the top earners have several entertainment-related ventures, Forbes said.

Billy Bush, co-host of the syndicated TV show "Access Hollywood," is expanding into radio. He'll host a syndicated talk and music show that will be heard locally on KBIG-FM (104.3) weekdays from 7 to 11 p.m., beginning Monday. If the show has much the same focus as "Access Hollywood" -- the news and celebrities of the entertainment capital -- it won't be an accident. It will be produced by Bush and Rob Silverstein, executive producer of the TV program. Both have worked in radio previously.

Everyone knows that Taylor Swift can't sing. The teen star might hold the zeitgeist in her pink satin clutch, but she's regularly criticized for her live vocal performances, which tend toward wild notes and shortness of breath. Her turns onstage at the recent Country Music Assn. Awards, where she became the youngest-ever Entertainer of the Year, had critics pulling out descriptions like "shaky," "a train wreck" and (memorably, from Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker) "wobbly as a newborn colt."

You might say the "Spirit" led her to L.A. British singer Leona Lewis, whose album "Spirit" premiered in North America at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 last year, is making her U.S. base of operations in the Hollywood Hills. That's where she has leased a sleek contemporary listed for almost $9,000 a month. Designed for entertaining, the furnished two-bedroom, two-bathroom house has an open living room, dining room and kitchen with glass doors opening to the backyard.

Queen, Leona Lewis, Amy Winehouse and a host of African stars joined tens of thousands of music fans Friday to salute Nelson Mandela at a concert honoring the South African statesman's upcoming 90th birthday. The outdoor show in London's Hyde Park opened in eclectic style with Jivan Gasparyan, an Armenian master of the duduk wooden flute, followed by British band Razorlight. The event was hosted by Will Smith. Proceeds from the show -- which organizers hoped would be attended by 46,664 people -- will go to 46664, the AIDS charity named for the number Mandela wore while imprisoned for opposing South Africa's apartheid regime.

What would it sound like if 15 of the hottest female singers joined voices? The answer will be revealed Sept. 2. That's when "Just Stand Up" hits airwaves and iTunes. The song features Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Ashanti, Natasha Bedingfield, Keyshia Cole, Ciara, Leona Lewis, LeAnn Rimes and Carrie Underwood. The charity tune was conceived by Antonio "L.A." Reid, who produced it with longtime creative colleague Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds.

The Early Show (N) 7 a.m. KCBS Today Robert Pattinson; John Mayer performs; Scott Hamilton; Keri Russell. (N) 7 a.m. KNBC KTLA Morning News (N) 7 a.m. KTLA Good Morning America Shakira performs. (N) 7 a.m. KABC Good Day L.A. (N) 7 a.m. KTTV Live With Regis and Kelly Robert Pattinson ("The Twilight Saga: New Moon"); the winner of "America's Next Top Model.". (N) 9 a.m. KABC The View John Stamos; Katey Sagal.

You might say the "Spirit" led her to L.A. British singer Leona Lewis, whose album "Spirit" premiered in North America at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 last year, is making her U.S. base of operations in the Hollywood Hills. That's where she has leased a sleek contemporary listed for almost $9,000 a month. Designed for entertaining, the furnished two-bedroom, two-bathroom house has an open living room, dining room and kitchen with glass doors opening to the backyard.

It's certainly a good month to be a diva. Days before Mariah Carey is expected to storm the U.S. pop charts, import Leona Lewis has become the first British solo artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard tally, having sold 205,000 copies of her debut, "Spirit," according to Nielsen SoundScan. Both artists, not surprisingly, have a connection to television juggernaut "American Idol," the vocal competition show that's become a consistent supplier of hits to the music industry.

Billy Bush, co-host of the syndicated TV show "Access Hollywood," is expanding into radio. He'll host a syndicated talk and music show that will be heard locally on KBIG-FM (104.3) weekdays from 7 to 11 p.m., beginning Monday. If the show has much the same focus as "Access Hollywood" -- the news and celebrities of the entertainment capital -- it won't be an accident. It will be produced by Bush and Rob Silverstein, executive producer of the TV program. Both have worked in radio previously.

It didn't take an Einstein to predict that Mariah Carey's latest, "E=MC2," would top the national sales chart on the heels of her appearance last week as the guest vocal coach on "American Idol." The set sold 463,000 copies last week, up from the 404,000 first-week figure she logged in 2005 with her career-rejuvenating "The Emancipation of Mimi."