Britain's Got Talent singer wants to 'make people happy'

Muhammed Hakeem Mahoney, known professionally as Gambino Akuboy says he's in the business of music and 'spreading happiness'

The weekend is here and nobody knows it better than Muhammed Hakeem Mahoney, better known as Gambino Akuboy.

Gambian-born Akuboy had the country on its feet last Saturday when his audition for ITV's Britain's Got Talent with his track, Weekend, aired.

The Afrobeats singer-songwriter lives in Sandiacre, Derbyshire, and works as an HGV driver when he is not making music.

But his passion, he says, is making people happy.

Akuboy received four yes votes from the BGT judges after getting everyone apart from Simon Cowell dancing to his original song.

Ant and Dec were as impressed as the judges

The 39-year-old said he was an actor before moving to the UK - which might explain his on-screen confidence.

However, he chose not to pursue a life on-screen and instead joined the British Army, where he said he discovered his love for music.

Spending some of his military career in Afghanistan, Akuboy said it was "often a lonely place" but he found solace in listening to music.

Then, during a posting in Kenya, he found himself sat next to a Kenyan rapper in a bar who, impressed with Akuboy's singing, invited him to his studio.

He said he has since continued to make music and "spread happiness" with the help of his manager and partner, Marie Hellweg, 35.

Now he hopes to share his music across all corners of the world, but he said he'll "start with Britain first".

Akuboy said: "I see a lot of veterans and talk to a lot of people in the Army, a lot of them have left, but they are not always in the best place and I feel it's just part of me to want to make people happy.

"The British Army gave me everything and I want to give something back."