The 2012 X Factor contestant Ella Henderson looks set to top the charts with her debut single, according to midweek sales figures.
The 18-year-old singer, who was eliminated from the 2012 show without even making the quarter-finals, has sold more than 78,000 copies of Ghost, according to data from the Official Charts Company.
Her departure from the show, which was eventually won that year by James Arthur, did not stop her being signed up by Simon Cowell's record label, Syco, who will release her debut album, Chapter One, later this year.
Ella's success sees Ed Sheeran slip one place to number two with top five places for Dutch DJ Tiesto, Sam Smith and another X Factor product, Little Mix.
There is also likely to be a top 40 spot for comic Rik Mayall, who died this week aged 56.
Noble England, a track he recorded for the 2010 World Cup which failed to chart, has been backed by fans on social media and is sitting just inside the top 40 at number 38.
Rockers Kasabian look set to top the album chart with their new release 48:13 ahead of Coldplay's Ghost Stories.
Another X Factor graduate Janet Devlin, who came fifth in 2011 when Little Mix won, is on track for the top 40 with her album Running With Scissors, which is at number 18.
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