Nowadays, Leona Lewis is a fleeting memory of a pop scene past, a fireside fable exploring radio legend. But it was only 10 years ago that the Spirit singer was running the scene, and rubbing elbows with the likes of Rihanna.

The X Factor winner — the show's most successful export next to One Directionbroke records with the release of her debut 2008 album. And "Bleeding Love," the top-selling song of the year worldwide, catapulted Lewis onto the A-list, eventually ushering her onto stages at the Olympics Closing Ceremonies, the MTV Video Music Awards and even a tribute to the life of Nelson Mandela. There was no red carpet on which you couldn't find Lewis; no radio station on which you couldn't hear her velvety vibrato. In other words, a decade ago, she was the genre's lion-voiced queen.

Nowadays, it's tough to find Lewis' face on any supermarket tabloid, but when it comes to the history of pop, there's certainly a space carved out for her. Check out the gallery above for definitive proof that Leona Lewis ruled pop in 2008, and if you've got a specific memory of the singer, share it in the comments.

 

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