Anti-bullying ambassador and rapper James Okulaja made a bold and powerful start on ITV's The Voice UK, announcing he aims to be the first black prime minister.

The 17-year-old Rainham Mark Grammar student and Youth Member of Parliament for Medway is an anti-bullying ambassador for the charity The Diana Award, and impressed The Voice judges with a personal take on Everything I Wanted by Billie Eilish.

With the song including the line "I had a dream," Okulaja, from Gillingham, evoked Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech.

He announced "Welcome to my dream" and later rapped: "Float like a butterfly watch it grow like a tree, the youth can't be what the youth can't see, so the youth won't know what the youth can't grow, the youth can't fly if the youth won't try."

Earlier in the programme he had revealed how he studied politics at school and told viewers he wanted to be the first black Prime Minister.

The Rainham Mark head boy repeated the ambition in his song, stating: "I'm the young Prime Minister, I have a dream. You heard me."

The strong performance, in what was the first round of blind auditions for the programme's new series, seemed to impress all the judges, especially Will.i.am, who chose Okulaja for his team.

Will.i.am, Olly Murs and Sir Tom Jones returned to the spinning red chairs last night - with new coach Anne-Marie.

Hosted by Emma Willis, The Voice UK is open to singers who compete for a record deal.

The ultimate winner is chosen by viewers but contestants first need to win a place on one of four teams.

Read more: all the latest news from Medway.