JOSH Kumra is heading back to Swindon as he looks for a fresh start in his career.

The 23-year-old singer shot to fame when his song, Don’t Go, was sampled by Tottenham-based rapper Wretch 32, giving the young singer a taste of chart success as it claimed the top spot back in August 2011.

With that platform the former Headlands pupil signed a record deal with Sony and released his first album, Good Things Come to Those Who Don’t Wait, but it did not receive the success the songwriter had hoped for.

After taking some time out to explore himself, including a short stint in America, Josh is back with a new outlook on his career and is hoping to sign a new record deal and release his second album next year.

His new journey starts in Wood Street on Saturday, December 27, when he hosts a night of local music in the ballroom of The Kings Hotel.

The night, which includes Colour The Atlas, Matthew Kilford and Staniford on the line-up, is inspired by the ‘listening room’ type gigs Josh played in Nashville earlier this year.

“Next year hopefully will be the year for me,” said Josh, who is in talks with Be Unique, who have John Newman on their books, about a new deal.

“I’ve just been trying to get this next album ready and it has been going really well.

“Where Don’t Go happened last time, out of nowhere, that isn’t the way I envisaged my career going.

“I really wanted to build off getting these really loyal fans and then building up to say 100 people and then 300 people, like that.

“If you don’t do that then, at any second, if it doesn’t go the way you planned it you are stuck with nothing and that is why this time around I really want to attract people and fans in.

“I am now free of everything. Most people would think that is bad but it’s not because I needed to get rid of everything and go back to the drawing board and kind of start again.

“This time I believe I am going to get more out of it.

“I want people who want to come and embrace what I am doing already and kind of help me refine it, not people who want to come in and change everything about me.”

Josh Kumra will be at The Kings Hotel in Wood Street, Swindon, from 7.30pm on December 27. Tickets available from the venue. – MATTHEW EDWARDS