SHE was a cult sensation on the internet – and now a young Basingstoke singer is just a step away from the televised grand final of a major competition.

Rebecca Strachan, 24, is one of just 400 singers, out of around 10,000 who auditioned, to make it through to the Open Mic 2012 area finals.

Rebecca, of Aster Road, Kempshott, enjoyed a brief spell in the spotlight after a video of herself singing in Korean became a cult hit on the internet in 2007.

The video received more than a quarter-of-a-million hits but despite promises from Korean record label JYP Entertainment to fly her out to Korea and make her a star, she ultimately decided to go to university after the label temporarily lost contact with her.

She’s now throwing herself back into the music business, and despite singing in Korean to an English-speaking audience at the Open Mic regional final at Sub89 in Reading, she won the public vote to get through the next stage. She has not yet decided if she will keep singing in Korean in the next round.

If she makes it through the South West and Wales area final, which is being held in the same venue on Sunday, December 2, she will be performing in the televised grand final, which will be held in the O2 in London in February.

Rebecca said: “I didn’t expect to get this far in the competition, I entered mainly to help build up my confidence.

“I am excited about the next stage but very nervous as well. I don’t know if I’ll be pushing my luck if I sing in Korean again.”