The Art of Busking
By Heidi Harris
LONDON--The term “Busking” comes from the Spanish root word
“buscar,” meaning, “to seek. Dating back to the 1860’s, Great Britain has been
home to millions of buskers performing for various reasons. Many seek fame and
fortune, others seek recognition, and some simply enjoy utilizing their
talents.
Today, busking typically takes place on a public street
corner as to attract large numbers of foot traffic. In London, performers are
typically in the tube stations, at restaurants, and any popular tourist
destination. Performances from buskers can be almost anything that will gain
attention, like; acrobatics, magic, singing, dancing, or even sword swallowing.
After seeing so many performers, it is easy to become
curious about the people behind the talent. Why do they perform? How often do
they perform? And on the top of the list, how much do they make performing? In
order to answer these questions, it is important to go where busking is the
spectacle, rather than the background.
With the intention of talking with some of these talented
performers, the London Eye is a place over run with tourists and buskers alike.
Sure enough, there were performers lining the pier next to the Eye. The first group
of buskers was a group of 4 Jamaican acrobatic performers. Before they began
their show they passed out 4 metal bowls, and encouraged the audience to “bless
them if they enjoyed even a minute of the performance.”
This is the tactic of a busker who relies on their
performance as a full time job. The performers were exceptionally great at
incorporating audience participation, and the culture that they expressed
through their dances was easy to see. It wasn’t difficult to see how they were
able to use this type of performance as their sole form of income.
Next, the attention of people walking along the pier seemed
to be taken to a young woman performing recognizable covers, and originals. Charlotte
Campbell is a singer songwriter who performs a mix of pop and folk. Charlotte
released an album early in her singing career that wasn’t as successful as she
would have hoped. In order to gain musical attention she decided to try out
busking. Within a short period of time her music gained popularity and she is
now in the process of releasing a second album. Campbell said, “I really didn’t
think anyone would listen, and then they did.” With the help of foot traffic
along the pier, Campbell has made a name for her self within the city of
London, and hopes to expand her career around the globe.
Each busker performs in a completely original way, making
them unique to every other performer on the street. However, they all have one
thing in common: a desire to share their passion with as many people as they
can. It is this similar trait that keeps the art of busking alive today. It is
difficult to stop and listen to one of these many performers without smiling.
Buskers aren’t beggars, or professional con artists; they are musicians, and
talented performers passionate about what they do.
To watch Charlotte Campbell perform a hit single off of her
new album click below.
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