The Mobo-winner aims to get Shut Up to the top of the festive charts, beating off competition from X Factor winner Louisa Johnson

In the face of tough competition from newly crowned X Factor winner Louisa Johnson, as well as the Star Wars theme and the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir, grime MC Stormzy has launched his own campaign for Christmas No 1.

His track Shut Up was first released online back in May, and has become one of the year’s definitive grime hits, as the South London MC takes on his critics over the classic 2004 instrumental Functions on the Low. Its previous high in the chart is a lowly 59, but it’s been viewed 13m times on YouTube.

He announced the campaign on Twitter, where he’s changed his name to #ShutUpForXMasNo1:

#ShutUpForXMasNo1 (@Stormzy1) Nah fuck this #ShutUpForXMasNo1 LET'S DO THIS BUN X FACTOR!!! 😂 https://t.co/RvpK8mnkt7 RT!!!! pic.twitter.com/xppdNDwmQF

Stormzy’s sudden arrival in the race is being treated as highly credible by bookmakers, with 10/1 odds being offered by Coral – the same as those being offered for John Williams, composer of the Star Wars theme. “It’s hard to see anyone else beating [Louisa Johnson] to the top spot, but some punters are convinced that rapper Stormzy could cause a Christmas shock,” said Coral’s Nicola McGeady.

Other contenders include Justin Bieber, who currently occupies the number one and two slots in the chart, and the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir, with their mashup of Bridge Over Troubled Water and Coldplay’s Fix You.

The MC’s chances were also boosted by a high-profile performance of Shut Up at the O2 arena in London on Saturday, introducing Olympic boxing champion Anthony Joshua to the ring for his British heavyweight title; Joshua went on to defeat Dillian Whyte in the seventh round.

Stormzy first came to wider prominence by winning the inaugural best grime act award at the Mobos in 2014, and again this year. His track WickedSkengMan #4 reached the top 20 in September, becoming the first freestyle to ever reach the UK charts; he is also the first unsigned rapper to perform on Later with Jools Holland.