(Hattie Briggs was one of the stars of the International Busking Day)
(she was spotted by a singer Alfie Boe while busking at the London's Paddington station in October 2018)
(and was invited to join him on tour.)
Today I'm going to see the second ever edition of the International Busking Day in London
which happens in Wembley Park. This whole day event has an ambition to prove
that busking is a very cool way of presenting your work
as an artist, and the busking culture is changing.
So it's not only about getting out on the streets and earning some money but it's
a fantastic way of connecting to your audience and reaching your fans directly
on the streets..
And is there a better place for that than London?
Please welcome Hattie Briggs and her fabulous band!
It was a wonderful performance, I really enjoyed it!
Everybody knows now the story behind your career so you've been spotted, but
me as a musician I'm interested in the in the things that maybe are behind that
but maybe not everyone knows.
For how long have you been busking before,
how long did it take you actually to get there, because it's
it's it's not a short game, it lasts!
Yeah, I've been busking, I've been doing music for about five years full time
and I've been busking for four of those five, well,
maybe a whole time actually, now when I think about it.
think I was busking from nearly the beginning, when I started,
so about four or five years.
What's your musical background? You said you've been busking,
making music for five years, so it's not
like you've been a musician since you were a child? What's your story?
Well I've always loved music and I've always sung,
and I think I started out playing the recorder when I was three or four,
and then sort of moved on to guitar and cello, and various other things, I played a bit keys as well.
And it just kind of gradually evolved into performing at school and I
used to be a very scared performer though, and then I started writing songs and I
was about seventeen and that was kind of when I like really got into it.
So did busking actually help you to open up as a musician?
Whether it's helped me to open up- I don't know,
but it definitely helps with everything to do with a performance,
just because, you know, that's like an immediate feedback from
your audience, and I love busking because- you're making money,
you're practicing at the same time, you're self promoting and you
never know who's gonna walk by.. it so it's just good on so many levels.
I think this is what this festival is about also to kind of change the
image of busking, because I think in the old times people used to think that it's
more about musicians making a little bit of money, and now it's been advertised
like a like more fancy, hipster way of showcasing your music-
do you find it like that? I think so, I think maybe now it's like a
cooler thing to do, or it's like there are more kind of up-and-coming
musicians who are doing it, and it's maybe more respected than it was.
But then, at the same time, sometimes, with all the licensing and stuff you can
maybe lose a bit of the romance of it as well, if it's over organized.
But it's a fine balance. London's so busy that you have to
kind of have that, so.. I think you have to get the balance right
and I think that 'Busk in London', they're doing it, so it's cool.
To finish with, do you have some sort of advice for young new buskers that are trying to make it
because you know this is a dream, everybody would like to to make a career
so would you just have a.. I know it's not as simple, probably, not one simple advice,
but just something to help them.
I'd just say, with busking you know- go for it! You've got nothing to lose,
and the only way practice performing is by performing! You can't, you know,
sitting in your bedroom performing to a wall isn't gonna help,
so I'd say, just go for it, even if it's scary the first few times.
You'll quickly get used to that, and I'd also say- bring a card reader
if you're in London! Because so many people don't carry cash now,
so have your iZettle in your case.
But, I'd just say, go for it, really and don't be scared, just just go for it!
thank you so much!
First of all, how are you enjoying the International Busking Day?
Very good, very good! I haven't had a great deal of experience yet,
but it's shaping up pretty good.
I think it's amazing that this is all here, I didn't even know it was here until today, it's really good!
Did you come here to see someone specific?
We did- the foremost lead guitarist in Wembley Park
is about to perform, and we've come to support him.
We bought the tickets to come and see, so we've seen a great band over there, at two o'clock,
a girl singer, we saw someone in box park which was really good, and this guy is
amazing as well. So you're enjoying the day? Really enjoying it.
How do you choose the artists? What is the key, and what does an artist have to achieve, to be part of this today?
MATT SIMKIN- Wembley Park
So, across all five stages it's there's different themes,
in all the different areas,
so it's not necessarily about having to go out, and reach the certain level of status.
We had Hattie Briggs here earlier, who was spotted by Alfie Boe,
Alfie Boe came to us as someone who is absolutely a legend, so
came to us with a new music talent in Hattie, to try and present the platform
that Hattie could be on an International Festival.
We've also got our community stage up by the London Designer Outlet, which is delivered by
the Yellow(community Hub), so that's very much local demographic, people across Wembley Park
who live, eat, work and play here, to be able to perform in various types of
busking so there's everything from a star to a Santa Claus this morning,
through light music, and a spoken word as well.