�An internet singing sensation from Hornchurch who stunned the music industry when he scored a shock chart hit at Christmas is preparing to hit music stores with his second single – and it’s all without the help of a record label.

Alex Day will have his first physical CD out in HMV stores across the country when his new single Lady Godiva is released on April 1.

Smug

Alex said: “I am smug about the whole thing and it is a great feeling.

“I don’t know how many of my audience will be buying a physical CD rather than getting it on iTunes, but it might attract some casual people and it means that I can compete with other artists.”

This latest challenge has seen Alex, 22, working with Universal as a third party distributor, while still retaining full control of his music and the way it is released.

Lady Godiva, is a reinterpretation of Peter and Gordon’s 1966 song based on the legend of a woman who rode naked on a horse through Coventry so that her husband could reduce the taxes that were crippling the town.

Alex said: “It’s a really good song, and it is one of those that has been forgotten about so it means that I can reinterpret it and bring it to my audience fresh.

“It is probably the sort of thing that a record label would tell me not to do and that is one of the things that really attracted me to it.”

The former Emerson Park student made headlines at Christmas when he went straight to number four in the charts with his homemade single Forever Yours.

Alex then went on to get offers from record labels, but last month confirmed that he had turned down all their offers.

He said: “It’s not because I am against record labels but if they offered me a good deal I would take it. I am not being awkward but none of the deals were good so it was easier to turn them down.”

Alex is currently filming the video for Lady Godiva. Visit www.youtube.com/alexday