By Bhvishya Patel, Money Team
We spoke to three street performers to find out what it's like to perform on the streets of Britain.
Amir, 29, came to the UK from Pakistan with a passion for music.
Amir Hashmi moved to the UK to study in 2022, but said he started busking in central London 10 months ago because “music was his passion”.
“I decided to leave Pakistan and move to London because there are many problems in Pakistan. I feel I can do better there than in my home country,” he said.
Currently, his main source of income is busking, but he also occasionally worked in a warehouse to make ends meet.
“I never started this for the money. I started it because it's my passion, but now this is my main job as well,” he said.
Amir, who often performs in the capital's Piccadilly Circus and along Oxford Street, said he often returned home with just £10 to £15 in his pocket after a day busking.
He said: “I often go to bed without eating, and sometimes on the floor of the road when there is no shelter.
“I don't have my own house, but I have friends who often let me stay at their house. They don't charge me rent and they take care of me.
“Sometimes I do private shows to earn some money, but it’s very difficult because the cost of living has increased.If I go somewhere, I mostly prefer to walk.I walk with my speakers and carry my equipment. .”
Despite his financial hardships, Amir said he wanted to continue performing on the streets because “my goal was to make people happy.”
he said: “Busking doesn't have a stage, so you can start performing right away. Whenever you're performing, you can connect with the people who came to listen. If you feel like people aren't having fun, I’ll try a different song.’ Make them happy. ”
Earlier this year, Amir recorded a song with Indian Malayalam actress Neha Nazneen Shakil, who approached him on Oxford Street three months ago.
“I wrote that song 12 years ago and now, many years later, my song is being recorded in London,” he added.
Jade, 24, quits retail job to become a street performer
Jade Thornton, from Amersham, started busking with a friend in 2017 after leaving university at the age of 17 and quickly realized it was something she enjoyed and could make a living from it.
She started working full-time in late 2018, but said she became unemployed “overnight” when the pandemic hit and had to take a retail job to support herself.
“I decided not to go to university. I didn't think it was for me, so I just got a part-time job in retail,” she said.
“I respect people who work in retail. Retail is one of the toughest jobs. People who work in retail don't get the respect they deserve.
“Some of the customers I was dealing with weren't that nice, and I thought this was going to make me miserable. So I was thinking, 'If I don't leave now, when will I leave?'
As the global economy gradually began to recover, she decided to quit her retail job in 2022 and pursue music full-time.
“It's hard to switch off. I'm a street performer and I'm constantly texting clients, writing setlists and learning songs,” she said.
In terms of finances, Jade said there was no average figure for how much she would earn, but it could fluctuate between £15 and £100 daily depending on a variety of factors.
“It depends on the time of the month, whether the sun is out, whether you're paid or not, whether Christmas is coming up or just passed,” she explained.
The musician said that although he had some struggles when he first started busking, his parents were always supportive.
She said, “I'm sure people will ask me, 'Do you want to quit your job and sing on the street?'”
“I have lived at home for a long time and I know that not everyone is given such an opportunity, so I am grateful that my parents support me in that way. .”
Outdoor performing is now Jade's full-time job, but she said there were some months when it was difficult to make money.
“To be brutally honest in months like January and February, it's going to be very difficult. This year we had enough gigs in December to cover January.” she said.
“In June-July and December last year, I didn’t have to go busking because I was able to get a lot of gigs through busking. We also do a lot of weddings, birthdays, and other events.” ”
But Jade pointed out that the cost of living crisis was making things even more difficult.
She said: “I've had to rethink my strategy, so some of the pub gigs I've been doing have been cancelled, but if someone cancels, I can just go busking. It's a bit more financially-wise. There's been a dip in the economy, but that's about to happen.''The same thing happened with the coronavirus, and I lost my job overnight because of the coronavirus. ”
The young musician went on to say that he is “very grateful” when someone tips him, and that small gestures like sitting down, listening, or even just smiling are “currency in itself.” He said it was.
“It's escapism for me as a singer, but it's also escapism for the audience,” she added.
“Children also have a great time listening to music from street performers, and some people may not have the opportunity to go see live music for various reasons. I think it would be great if we could meet each other and it could lead to something new.''I am just one of them. ”
Charlotte, 34, long-time street performer.
Charlotte Campbell, 34, who usually busks along the South Bank and on the London Underground, started busking during the 2012 London Olympics, but “busking was enough for me in the past,'' but these days… He said he has had to take on many night concerts.
“A typical day is usually busking until about 6pm, then live in the evening after 8pm,” she said.
“I could probably still make a living busking, but since the pandemic everything has become so uncertain that I have started doing more paid work. I think the uncertainty is still taking over. That seems to be the way of life now.”
The musician said tips for CDs displayed during performances range from £5 to £10, and that card readers were a “must have” in the current cashless environment.
She said she pre-sets her card reader to £3 when playing on the South Bank and £2 when busking on the London Underground “because people are in a hurry”.
While she calls her own income a “trade secret”, she says buskers' incomes have “definitely decreased” due to several factors, including the pandemic, people carrying less cash and the cost of living crisis. said.
“Also, with many stadiums closed, it means more buskers are trying to compete for one spot, and all of that is impacting on my life as a busker. ” she said.
“My income mainly comes from busking, but I can say that I have had to subsidize it with more paid gigs than before.I haven't felt as secure in my life as a busker in recent years.
“Most of the gigs I do are booked by people who see me busking, so indirectly busking is what my career is all about. If I didn't, I wouldn't get the gigs I do in the evening. So busking is my job, both directly and indirectly.'' ”
Despite the uncertainty, she said it's liberating to be able to go out and perform for people in an intimate way.
“You're not on stage and there's no separation between you and them. It's a really great connection that you can make and I want to keep that.” she added.
