Five talented young Newham musicians are hoping to beat hundreds of other young Londoners to be crowned busker of the year as the country’s biggest street music competition gets underway.
Gigs is the Mayor of London’s annual search for the capital’s best young musicians, giving them the opportunity to perform at landmark locations around the capital over three weeks and gain valuable experience of playing in public.
Each artist is competing for a host of music prizes, including a licence to busk on London Underground, a busking trip to Paris and recording time at a top professional studio.
Newham performers taking part in this year’s competition include soloists Estée Blu, Sarah-Jayne Boyd and Laurie Mann, and duo Jegz and Trisha.
Mayor Boris Johnson, said: “Busking is one of the best ways for young talented musicians to get performance experience, especially in a vibrant and creative city like London with its strong appetite for outdoor arts and live performance.
“I’m thrilled that Gigs is up and running once again this summer.”
The competition has already helped kick start the careers of several musicians and bands.
Former competitors include singer-songwriter Robbie Boyd, who is now touring around the world and recently released his first album, as well as Tom Butler, who picked up the Gigs 2014 song writing prize and played at this year’s Glastonbury Festival.
Others are Charlotte Campbell, whose album is out now, and The King’s Parade, who are touring regularly in Germany and France and release their first record this month.
In total, 131 acts are confirmed to take part in the competition with performances taking place at iconic locations across London, on regular Underground busking pitches and at special events like the first ever National Busking Day.
There are three categories for performers, comprising soloists and duos, youth, and groups. Vote for your favourite performance online at london.gov.uk/gigs to see them through to the Gigs Grand Final.
The final will takes place on Sunday, September 6, at Westfield Stratford City, where buskers will compete before a panel of industry judges who will decide a winner in each category before crowning one act the Gigs Champion 2015.
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