Tom Bleasby: Internet Sensation’s Duet With Jessie J May Land Him Record Deal [Video]
Tom Bleasby from Leeds, England, is the latest Internet sensation after his cover of Jessie J’s “Flashlight” got thousands of hits on Facebook, and now he may land a record deal.
It is well known that the Internet can be a platform for those who dream of being discovered and making it big. For this 18-year-old, who has a diving voice similar to that of Sam Smith, his dreams may become a reality, as his video gets almost 1 million YouTube hits.
Tom Bleasby became an Internet darling when the video of his duet with Jessie J surfaced over the weekend. Jessie J released a video of herself using Smule’s Sing! Karaoke app, covering the Pitch Perfect 2 hit song, a move which encourages others, like Tom, to join her. Now, the British singer may be on the verge of stardom.
Tom has been so busy with interviews in the U.S. and other places that he can’t keep up. Being compared to Sam Smith clearly baffles the talented singer, and his dream of singing a duet with Celine Dion may become a reality. After all, with the Internet, anything is possible.
In an exclusive interview with Teen Vogue, Tom Bleasby said he has never had singing lessons.
“I started singing at the age of five, and I joined my school choir and did the school productions. When I entered high school, the singing didn’t happen as much. I sang here and there, but nowhere near the amount I did in elementary school. I never really considered myself to be a good singer until I came to college. Last October, I download the Smule Sing! Karaoke app and started recording on there.”
Despite his current status of Internet sensation, Tom Bleasby was not afraid of “putting himself out there” because he didn’t think anyone would notice and was completely shocked when his Jessie J video went viral.
“It was completely unexpected. I uploaded the video to Facebook on Friday night, and the next morning it had thousands of views. I thought nothing of it and presumed it was just popular locally. Then the next day it started to take off significantly. It didn’t hit me until it reached a million views—that’s when I started taking it seriously. I was so overwhelmed with the kind words from everyone. My inbox was blowing up with messages of support. I’m truly thankful for every single person who took their time to watch the video.”
Tom Bleasby has always dreamed of following a singing career, but never thought it possible. Now that record labels have reached out to him after becoming an Internet sensation, he is focused on starting a “proper career.” Watch the amazing vocals this British amateur has.
[Image via Facebook]
