A BICKNACRE teenager could be the latest X Factor sensation from Essex after he sailed through his first audition on last Saturday's show.
James Graham, 17, of Westerwings, beat thousands of other hopefuls to get through to the live auditions at Wembley, which will be televised in the next few weeks, but has been told to keep the result secret.
"It was weird, but good weird, to watch myself on TV," said James. "I was happy to get a little slot and the next showing of the live audition at Wembley should be aired in the upcoming weeks."
James, who says his mum is his biggest fan, wowed the four judges with his rendition of James Morrison's You Give Me Something, with Simon Cowell, often the hardest to please, saying that it was a "very cool" audition.
"I loved the song choice and the tone of your voice," Cowell told James. "I've got a good feeling about you."
Judge and former Spice Girl Mel B added that the teen had a "soulful R&B" style to him, adding after Graham had left the room that "he was good".
And the former Sandon school pupil was very pleased with the feedback. "I was very happy with what Simon said," said James. "He knows what he's talking about and people tend to do well after impressing him."
James lives at home with his mum, Paula, his dad Dave and his older brother Ben, 20, and has spent hours practising his singing in his bedroom when he isn't helping out in the A.T Music studio in Rettendon.
He added: "My mum was very proud of me, she said I looked a bit stupid but she was joking, I hope."
But despite his impressive showing, he says the best is yet to come after critics compared the singer to John Legend and Donnie Hathaway because of his soulful tones.
"The live audition couldn't have gone better, the private audition was OK but it's the live one where I really brought it," added James, who been under the guidance of voice coach Marc Lincoln-Fargeot, managing director of A.T Music, since he was 14.
And Marc, of Avocet Way, Heybridge, was only too happy to share his expertise with James who himself had a career as a singer with 1990's rock band Vero.
He said: "He has done fantastic so far. Far and above our expectations, we're very proud of him."
At the tender age of 15 James won Maldon's Got Talent and before that, aged just 14, he performed at Open Mic UK 2011.
