Pop diva Gabrielle is back at the top of the UK singles chart after a seven-year absence.

The 30-year-old went straight in at the coveted number one slot with her single Rise, toppling American teen sensation Britney Spears.

Rise, which is based on a sample from Bob Dylan's Knockin' On Heaven's Door, is the south London singer's second chart topper.

Gabrielle's debut single Dreams went to number one in 1993 and won her a Brit Award for Best Newcomer.

The soul singer had only limited success with the follow-ups Give Me a Little More Time in 1995 and three years ago with Walk On By.

But she hit the headlines the following year when the father of her child, Tony Antoniou was jailed for the murder of his father.

Four years later she is making a comeback with an emotional new single and album, both entitled Rise, which focus on overcoming bad times to rise again.

Gabrielle reckons she knows why the single has been such a success: "It's very much a real song and people out there seem to be relating to it and it is an optimistic song at the same time."

The singer, who wore an eye patch during her earlier pop career, has now had corrective surgery and ditched the patch.

Her trademark floppy fringe has also been updated to a "big hair" style.

Britney toppled

Britney Spears, named Best Newcomer at the American Music Awards recently, spent just one week in the top slot with I Was Born To Make You Happy.

Rock legends REM entered the charts at number three with The Great Beyond, taken from the soundtrack to Jim Carrey's new movie Man On The Moon.

Meanwhile Swedish singer/songwriter Andreas Johnson had a new entry at number four with his debut single, Glorious.