IT'S hard to believe that R&B artist Lemar has only been in the spotlight for a couple of years.

The Fame Academy star looked like he'd been around for a decade with his more than comfortable performance before a sell-out crowd at Southampton Guildhall on Saturday night.

Greeted on stage by endless high pitched screaming from his fans he belted out hit after hit from his two albums during a fantastic show that lasted more than 90 minutes.

Temperatures soared when after asking the audience "are you feeling hot?" he proceeded to strip to his chest - much to the delight of his female fans - then leave the stage for one of many outfit changes of the evening.

The encore went down a treat for the hundreds of people, young and old, who had turned out to see the 27-year-old.

It kicked off with his own more mellow version of The Darkness's I Believe In A Thing Called Love and included his recent hit If There's Any Justice.

Lemar's popularity in the city was more than obvious - which will leave him with no qualms when he steps out on stage at Power in the Park in June.