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TRAVELLING AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT: Award-winning poet, major label recording artist and vlogger Hussain Manawer holds court on the tube as London Mayor Sadiq Khan looks on

IF HE'S not busy breaking Guinness World Records in the name of worthy causes, (the world's largest mental health lesson, to be exact), you might find Hussain Manawer at space bootcamp ahead of his upcoming intergalactic trip, recording an album for Universal Records or even replying to an email from NASA!

The humble, bubbly east Londoner began as a seemingly unlikely YouTube star who blagged his first on-screen interview with none other than Kevin Hart before becoming mates with the likes of Charlemagne the God, Stormzy and Boy Better Know to name a few. After some favourable twists and turns, Manawer has won a trip into space off the back of a compelling spoken word piece about mental health he performed at a youth conference in Asia - we found out what he's been up to since we last met:

Q: The last time we caught-up with you, you were holding a Guinness World Record! What's been happening since your mental health lesson?

A: I am planning something really special for the young people of London starting from September, but before then my EP Am I Going Too Deep? is out now!

And I’m raising money for mental health charity Samaritans and have sold out my headline show!

So man is very happy right now.

Q: You're a magnet for amazing opportunities - from your record deal to NASA - how did it feel to get the email from them?

Haha, some say it’s luck, but you create your own luck don't you? It was incredible I can't believe it because the space agency I'm going to space with isn't directly linked to NASA. So I guess this is every kids dream come true, and I just feel honoured.

Q: What's next on your training to-do list as you count down to space?

A: A bag full of exciting things, as soon as I know more information you lot will know!

To find out exactly why NASA emailed Hussain, keep checking out our Life & Style entertainment section in The Voice's hardcopy newspaper and the mobile app.

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