Falling to the floor when host Lungile Radu called his name‚ 22-year-old Richard Stirton couldn’t believe that he had just become the first winner of The Voice SA.

Stirton‚ a Bcom Management student at UCT‚ spends his time gigging around Cape Town and decided to pick up a guitar after injuring his back playing cricket.

Under the leadership of couch Kahn Morbee‚ Striton has spoken fondly about his mentor. “You grow up listening to guys. Sometimes when hes’ singing I want to go‚ ‘Hey‚ that sounds like Kahn from The Parlotones. Then I realise it is Kahn from The Parlotones.’”

Stirton and another favourite Gavin Edwards were announced as the final two. However‚ their entry into the top two was not without some controversy after it was announced that voting from the live show on Sunday would not be counted because of a technical glitch. That means that votes from another show were used to announce the winners.

Both Stirton and Edwards made headlines this week after their songs released by the show made it to the top of the SA iTunes chart.

While the winner walks away with a recording deal from Universal music‚ it was announced on the night that fellow contestants‚ Thembeka Mnguni and Zoe Modiga‚ who did not make it to the top four would also be given recording deals.