UK Buskers Line Up For Toyota’s Feeling The Street Competition

Last few days of online voting to create the ultimate street band

Feeling the Street, Toyota’s global competition to find the world’s best buskers and form the ultimate street band, enters its final few days of online voting with four UK-based acts in with a chance of success.

The public have until 3 June to hear the music and choose their favourite from the 40 finalists who are bidding to be part of a new six-strong group that will tour New Zealand later this month.

Representing music from the streets of the UK are London beatboxer ABH Beatbox, blues artist Ill Chippo, singer-songwriter Megan Hope from Carlisle, and Wojtek Gasiorowski, who lives in Edinburgh.

They were chosen as finalists from among hundreds of music-makers from around the world who entered the contest by submitting a video of themselves performing an original song live in a street location.

Here’s more about each of the UK finalists, including links to their page on the Feeling the Street website where you can hear them talk about and play their music.

ABH Beatbox
ABH Beatbox is a 22-year-old musician who’s been performing professionally for your years and has developed his skills to become one of the best-regarded beatbox talents in the country. “Winning this competition would be amazing for me,” says the London-based artist.

Ill Chippo
Ill Chippo is Yacopo, a blues man who arrived in London from Portugal in 2012. He says: “I started performing on the streets shortly after I arrived here. I’ve been playing my guitar for about 20 years and I try to be creative every time I play. My main influences are early blues and psychedelic rock.”

Megan Hope
Megan Hope, from Carlisle, has travelled the world with her guitar for several years, performing a style of music she describes as a combination of soulful reggae, jazz, dubstep and hip-hop.

She says: “Travelling presents a brilliant way to hear different types of music. People experiment so much on the streets. There are people who just travel the world busking which opens up doors and opportunities to play at different places, meet new people and learn about yourself.”

Wojtek Gasiorowski
Wojtek, a Polish musician living and playing in Edinburgh, first picked up his bass guitar when he was 13. He says he took up the instrument out of envy of his brother, who was in a punk band.

“Playing in different bands and jamming with fellow musicians inspired me to create my style – bass supported with beatbox and looper to create unique compositions and live performances with a core element of improvisation,” he says.

For more information about Feeling the Street, all the finalists and the voting process, go to www.feelingthestreet.com.