his set saying that he once used to tour but gave it up and that music wasn’t just for the stage but rather the world was his stage. If I am being honest when Emma asked me to write another article I agreed and then had the sudden surge of panic as I had absolutely no idea what to write about but it was this memory that got me thinking. Why do so many people choose to busk? Why do many homeless people choose to buy musical instruments and perform on street corners? And do you have to have a proper stage to perform on to be a musician?
I began to wander round Bristol and started to actually listen to street musicians and buskers instead of just passing them by and not giving them the time of day. Some, being brutally honest, were dreadful, couldn’t play a single chord or sing a note in tune, partly because they were blind drunk, and yes I had listen to about twenty ‘indie teenagers’ cover Wonderwall and listen to one rather confused man yell at me that Justin Bieber stole his identity but, it was worth it. It was worth it because one day walking through The BearPit after a rather shit day I heard this breathtakingly stunning cover of ‘Can’t help falling in love’.
Eyes closed alongside a face of pure concentration and a broken guitar this fragile looking girl, no older than nineteen, was performing one of the most gorgeous covers of this song I have ever heard. I stood shocked watching in awe her voice was soft, not powerful or one for ballads, but rather hauntingly beautiful. It was the kind of voice that would ring through your body for days on end, make your hairs stand up on the back of your neck and give you shivers from head to toe. Once she had finished she looked up and was rather surprised that someone was actually listening to her and just as if she knew my ipod she smiled and started playing ‘Flume’ – Bon Iver. I’m telling you if I didn’t have more self-control I would have started sobbing right there. Once she had finished she told me that she had ran away from home and was moving from shelter to shelter, she told me she played because not only did it give her something to do and it got her money but it gave her a reason to keep going. She said that she loved music more than anything and even if she never got the chance to play in front of a proper crowed and she never earned enough money from it, it was something she would never ever give up. To me this girl could have been signed right away and played all over the world, her voice was incredible and the emotion she poured into every word was tear jerking, to me she was more captivating to watch than some of the gigs I had been to and better than some people in the music business right now.
LISTEN TO STREET BUSKERS
INSTEAD OF JUST PASSING THEM BY AND NOT GIVING THEM THE TIME OF DAY
"
RIGHT:
GANGSTER WRAP EARRINGS: DISS MISS DESIGNS
PINEAPPLE NECKLACE: TEZLA DESIGNS
RED ROPE NECKLACE: ASANDA JEWELLERY
VINTAGE DENIM JACKET: SHOP DUTTY
LEFT:
CRESCENT MOON EARRINGS: TEZLA DESIGNS
SUNFLOWER VELVET
CHOKER: TEZLA DESIGNS
VINTAGE BOMBER JACKET: