The Up-and-Coming “It” Girls

Move over, Paris Hilton. You’re getting old, literally and figuratively. A whole new crop of beauties are prepared to storm the Hollywood scene in an attempt to become the next “it” girl. Here are some of our top contenders for 2007.

5. Kim Kardashian. The daughter of the late O.J. Simpson trial attorney, Robert Kardashian, made a splash on the Hollywood scene this year, hitting up hot spots with sometime BFF Paris Hilton (who thanked her in the liner notes of her album). She’s been linked romantically with Nick Lachey and Nick Cannon, and the 26-year-old with a booty to rival J.Lo’s promises to hang around in the spotlight through 2007.

4. Leona Lewis. The Londoner sang her way onto the radar on both sides of the pond as she sailed to victory on the U.K.’s X Factor. She won over the heart of American gossip blogger Perez Hilton, who ran YouTube clips of her on his website regularly. It is rumored that, after she took the X Factor crown, Whitney Houston herself called to congratulate her. This young woman promises to be a fixture on the American and British music scenes in the next year.

3. Ashley Tisdale. This 21-year-old was rocketed to fame with the surprise success of Disney’s High School Musical. She’s been spotted at a range of Hollywood parties, but has generally stayed out of the gossip pages. Look for that to change next year, as the release of her solo album in February and the summer release of High School Musical 2 raise her profile.

2. Katharine McPhee. Another product of a television talent competition, American Idol runner-up Kat McPhee graced the pages of far more magazines than its winner, gray-haired Taylor Hicks. The 22-year-old, who began the competition with a quiet, homely look, has transformed into a total sexpot, with a series of commanding photo shoots and personal interviews. Her eponymous debut album will be released in January of next year, and you can expect to see and hear much more of this young woman.

1. Hayden Panettiere. This 17-year-old stunner has been around on the soap scene for a while, but she made her mark this year on the mainstream as the cheerleader in need of saving on NBC’s hit Heroes. She’s dated Laguna Beach’s Stephen Colletti, and her debut album, produced by Britney Spears paramour J.R. Rotem, will be released in the spring of next year. She’s talented and she’s adorable, and, with any luck, it’ll turn out she has a drinking problem, too, because this girl is definitely one to watch in 2007.