X Factor

"The X Factor" is the British version of "American Idol" and in fact the winners and runner ups on that show have had considerable more success in the UK than the "American Idol" winners have in the US.
The 2008 Winner of "The X Factor" was Alexandra Burke a teenager from London with a powerful voice. On the live finale of that season she sang the 1984 song "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen. The affect of this song was soon evident on the UK top 40 chart.
She released "Hallelujah" in December of 2008 and set the European record for single sales over a 24 hour period with 105,00 copies sold.
This beat the record of the 2007 winner of "The X Factor", Leona Lewis, who sold 82,000 copies of her debut single "A Moment Like This".
"Hallelujah" became the #1 Christmas single of 2008 and by January of 2009 sales of the single has passed the 1 million mark making Alexandra Burke the first British female solo artist to sell 1 million copies of a single in the UK.