Aleks Josh: popularity rising, Twitter following hits 41,000

The popularity of Aleks Josh – the 17-year-old singer competing on the BBC talent show The Voice UK – is increasing by the day; and his Twitter following just keeps rising.

When Aleks, a part-time Stevenage lifeguard, appeared on the show at the audition stage of the contest, his Twitter following was confined to a few friends and family. Two weeks ago, that following had risen to 12,000 within hours of his duet with Emmy J Mac on the Saturday-night reality show. The performance – of James Morrison’s “Broken Strings” – earned him a place in the final 20. Last weekend, Aleks – who is the youngest contestant in the competition – secured a place in the next round thanks to his rendition of the swing song “Dream a Little Dream”; with one of the judges, will.i.am, compared him to a young Michael Bublé. Since then, his Twitter following has surged to more than 41,000. The Voice UK continues on BBC 1 this evening, from 6.10 p.m., with members from Team Tom and Team Will competing for a place in the next round.