LONDON (Reuters) – A former goat herder and male stripper has sold twice as many records as Madonna in recent weeks to become the first Arab to top the British pop singles chart since records began 44 years ago. “Mashallah (Thank God) – it’s beyond dreams. To know that I’m the first Arab to do that, it’s a very proud moment,” Chico Slimani told Reuters in an interview. His debut single, “It’s Chico Time“, is enjoying its second week in the top spot. Born in Wales of Moroccan parentage, 34-year-old Chico came to prominence on prime-time British television talent show, “X-Factor“, where his personality, dance routines and cheeky grin compensated for his singing.Â

“I wouldn’t mind dueting with Madonna, so I can say, ‘Sorry for knocking you off the top spot’,” said Chico, after dethroning the Queen of Pop. Madonna’s “Sorry” was her 12th number one, but major music retailer HMV said Chico outsold her by a margin of two to one to peak the charts.