Flamboyant pop singer-songwriter Mika has been named the best new talent in the BBC’s Sound of 2007 music poll.

The Beirut-born, London-based 23-year-old has been compared to the Scissor Sisters and Freddie Mercury.

More than 130 UK-based music critics and broadcasters took part in the poll by naming their favourite new acts.

Birmingham rock band The Twang were second, with “new rave” group the Klaxons third. Corinne Bailey Rae came top of last year’s Sound of 2006 list.

Mika’s debut single Grace Kelly has already received heavy radio airplay and is currently the most frequently played song on BBC Radio 2.

He said he was “thrilled” at his position on the Sound of 2007 list.

“It means a lot, especially if you look at the people who have won in the past five years. It’s great company to be in,” he said.

He asked the public to give him a chance and not judge him too quickly.

“I really want people to know me, to find out about me, and if they really like me, to stick with me,” he said.

“Hype is scary. But this is one of the best things to happen to me so far because the people doing this poll have nothing to gain.”

Radio 2’s head of music, Colin Martin, praised Mika for being “infectious, immediate and melodic”.

“Every so often an artist comes along with hit written all over them and 2007 looks like being Mika’s year,” he said.

Alison Howe, producer of influential TV show Later... with Jools Holland, said he was “a natural pop star with style, personality and great pop songs in spades”.

Q magazine editor Paul Rees said: “He looks the part and his songs suggest what would have happened had Queen cross-bred with the Scissor Sisters.”

Below Mika on the list, The Twang have been called “Britain’s best new band” by the NME, while the Klaxons incorporate infectious leftfield guitar pop with rave attitude and imagery.

The poll was complied by asking the UK’s most knowledgeable and influential

tipsters to name their favourite three new acts.