Leona Lewis dropped the sun-splashed single 'Collide' earlier this year, dealt with a plagiarism claim regarding the song and then went MIA for a second. She disappeared like a ghost for a hot minute. Now, word is her third album is due in March, but to tide fans over in the interim, she will issue 'Hurt: The EP' on Friday, Dec. 9, in her native U.K. It'll be available at Amazon.com.

The EP will include a cover of Nine Inch Nails' devastatingly depressing 'Hurt' (hence the title), which was beautifully handled by the late Johnny Cash years ago. Lewis will also tackle the Goo Goo Dolls smash radio ballad 'Iris,' which Taylor Swift performed with singer Johnny Rzeznik on tour, as well. She takes on Counting Crows' 'Colorblind,' too. With this EP, Lewis is fearless, trying her hand at plenty of songs that PopCrush loves, so we are dying to hear this EP.

We also the fact that Lewis is using her smoky, soulful and utterly femme voice to cover emotionally heavy songs fronted by dudes. If anyone can pull it out without sacrificing the heft, it's Lewis!

This EP is certainly a smart way to keep Leona Lewis in our minds while we await the release of a full album of non-covers.

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