A SWINDON singer has thanked his home town fan base after rocketing to number one in the UK charts.

Josh Kumra, 20, has come a long way from the humble surroundings of singing at pubs across the town as Don’t Go, the song he co-wrote and featured on, is top of the pops.

The former Headlands pupil said he was ecstatic when his collaboration with 26-year-old Jermaine Scott – better known as rapper Wretch 32 – was announced as the UK number one on Sunday.

He was on his way back to London from playing to crowds of more than 80,000 people at the V Festival when he heard the news that Don’t Go, which he wrote with fellow songwriter Maiday, got to the top.

“I was actually in the coach coming back from the V Festival and it was counting down from three to two and I was really ecstatic when we found out we were number one,” he said.

“There are no words to describe it. This is what I have worked all my life to do and to get a number one and I’m only 20 is amazing.

“I always thought the day would come because I have worked so hard for it but I didn’t think it would come so soon.

“I want to say a big thank you to the people of Swindon for backing me.”

Josh, who lived in Pinehurst, started his career in the acoustic duo Kicaberry and played in pubs in and around Swindon before relocating to London to help his career.

He now plans to establish himself as a solo artist and hopes to follow in the footsteps of other famous Swindon musicians such as jazz sensation Jamie Cullum and the Beatbullyz.

“I’m from Swindon and played loads of cover gigs in a band to earn a bit of money, then did some of my own music before playing one gig in London and got management out of that,” he said.

“My stuff is acoustic-based soul music with a modern twist like a Kanye West kind of production and I play the guitar as well.

“I’ve been full-time for five months. It’s been a whirlwind, I’m scraping through.

“Without mentioning any labels, the future is looking exciting. I have had a lot of interest off the back of this single and I will hopefully be signing a deal in the next month, and then we will get a big promotion together and launch my first album next year.

“I’ve put everything into this and I know nothing is guaranteed in the music industry, but this is my life and I have worked so hard in the last 10 years to get to where I am now and I am enjoying it.

''I’ve gone from playing in the Moonrakers pub this time last year and now I’m playing large festivals and Wembley Arena in front of 16,000 people.

“Now I am looking to do the festival scene next year with my own music attracting the fans.”

Josh will be coming back to Wiltshire to perform at The Big Gig in Broadtown on September 3.

Other Swindon chart successes

JOSH Kumra isn’t the first musician from Swindon to have pop chart success. Indeed, he isn’t the first to have a No.1.

The last Swindon star to hit the top of the charts was Billie Piper, who in 1998 became the youngest artist ever to debut at No.1 with Because We Want To.

That was followed up with Girlfriend, Honey To The B and another No.1, Day & Night.

Billie, eventually gave up her pop career for acting, and made a name for herself as Rose Tyler in the revamp of BBC TV series Doctor Who in 2006.

Gilbert O’Sullivan spent much of his early life in Swindon and enjoyed a string of hit singles in the 1970s, including Nothing Rhymed, We Will, Alone Again (Naturally), Clair and Get Down.

He also enjoyed a great deal of success oversees, topping the charts in the USA, Japan and Holland.

Another band to earn international success in the 1970s was Supertramp, with Swindon-born singer, songwriter and musician Rick Davies contributing to such hits as Dreamer, The Logical Song, Give A Little Bit and Breakfast In America.

One of Swindon’s most successful singer/songwriters is Justin Hayward, who as a member of The Moody Blues sold millions of records around the world with songs such as Nights In White Satin and Question, as well as having solo success with Forever Autumn.

And XTC surfed in on the New Wave revolution at the end of the 1970s and enjoyed chart success with Making Plans For Nigel, Sgt Rock (Is Going To Help Me) and Senses Working Overtime.