Sixteen young musicians from Barnet are competing for a series of prizes in the Gigs Big Busk, the country’s biggest street music competition, organised by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

The 16 are among 200 acts who have been pitching up at more than 20 high-profile settings around the capital, including on the London Underground, at Network Rail stations, St Paul’s Cathedral, Regent Street and the two Westfield shopping centre, treating the passerby to a variety of music styles – pop, country, classical and hip hop.

The musicians are: 16-year-old rock singer Jide Kuti, acoustic folk pop duo Naz and Ella, 22-year-old soloist James Daubney, 20-year-old guitarist Beth White, country/folk duo Tierney, 19-year-old multi-instrumental soloist Alex Barnett, 22-year-old singer songwriter and pianist Joy Doherty, 16-year-old acoustic singer songwriter Kaity Rae, acoustic folk band Ken’s Beijing, and 13- and 15-year-old siblings Max and Daisy.

Aimed at young people aged 11 to 25, the competition offers aspiring artists the opportunity to hone their skills and gain valuable experience of performing in public. They also have the chance to win great prizes intended to help them develop their musical ability and support their aspirations to build a career in the music industry – a Tube busking licence, training and coaching, studio recording time, equipment, mentoring, and further performance opportunities.

Boris Johnson says: “Busking is a familiar and much-loved part of city life, and our gigs competition is a fantastic opportunity for talented young musicians to shine in front of the public. We’re calling on the public to keep an eye out for our latest line-up of talent, show their appreciation and, most importantly, get voting!"

If you miss the live performances, videos can be viewed online from Monday, August 11, and the public can vote for their favourite busker online until Sunday, August 31. The grand final takes place at Westfield, Stratford City on Sunday, September 7 from 12pm.

Details: gigsbigbusk.com/vote