Hull mechanic Ryan Mathie says he is "overwhelmed" by the response to his television audition on the X Factor.
Ryan, 18, of west Hull, taught himself how to play guitar and has been performing at open mic nights in the city since leaving school. The trainee mechanic, who helps to maintain the fleet of bin lorries for Hull City Council, said his phone has not stopped ringing since he appeared on the show over the weekend.
"I was sat with my sister Katie and it was so strange to see myself on television, it was as if it wasn't me," he said. "I was only on for a few minutes but my phone just crashed with the amount of calls and texts. At my first audition in front of the X Factor judges, I was so nervous I was shaking but it went really well."
Ryan, who went to Cottingham High School, worked with his uncle Steve, who owns Spin It Records in Trinity Market, and said it was where his love for music first began.
"I got into The Kinks and a lot of older music and just loved it," he said. "I then started teaching myself guitar with a little flip book and went with friends to open mic nights.
"Now, when I look back at those old videos, it's so embarrassing. Everyone's supported me since seeing me on X Factor, I can be a bit emotional sometimes and I've just been blown away by it."
He said he was "chuffed to bits" when he was offered the council job and used his first pay cheque to buy a guitar. "You always get quite attached to your guitar and the one I have now is called Marilyn," he said.
Although he sang Ray LaMontagne's Jolene on Saturday, he also writes his own material and has almost an album's worth of songs.
"The video of me on X Factor has now had about 70,000 views, it's unbelievable," he said. "I was just a nobody and now everyone recognises me from the show and has heard me sing. My mum Debbie is really proud, my whole family are, and my uncle Steve has always believed in me."
Ryan will perform in front of 4,000 people in the arena audition stage this Sunday on ITV1. If he secures the backing of the judges, he will be picked for boot camp.
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