Tooting singer Pip Bowers looking to impress at MBF awards (From Your Local Guardian)

Tooting singer Pip Bowers looking to impress at MBF awards

7:10am Wednesday 19th November 2008

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A talented musician from Tooting has made it to through to the final of a prestigious songwriting competition which will take place in Balham next week.

Pip Bowers, 23, of Chertsey Street, studies at the Academy of Contemporary Music, and will join five other finalists on stage at The Bedford Pub in Bedford Hill on Tuesday, November 25, to battle it out to win the Musicians Benevolent Awards showcase and a cash prize of £5,000.

The acoustic artist, who describes her music as “upbeat, poppy and quite indie”, beat hundreds of hopefuls to be nominated for the award and was shocked to find out she was through to the final.

“I was really surprised and flattered to be put forward for it. It takes a lot of people telling you you’re quite good at something before you start to believe it,” she said.

Pip, whose real surname is Langham, plays the guitar and piano, and if she wins plans to put the money towards starting a band and releasing her first professional single.

She said: “I am quite nervous about performing next week so I’m trying not to think about too much. I just want to go out there and have a good time as it’s such a great opportunity.”

And the pressure is on as Pip will have to impress songwriting legend Joan Armatrading, singer Lucie Silvas, editor of SongLink magazine, David Stark, and musical director of The Bedford, Tony Moore on the judging panel.

There will also be a special performance from last year’s unanimous winner, Justin Saltmeris from Bath Spa University, who won over judges will his acoustic folk-pop and has just completed a UK tour using his winnings.

Past winners include indie band, The Wombats, and Hannah Rei, who has been making a name for herself in the world of R’n’B.

The show starts at 8pm and is guest list only.

For more information on the awards visit mbf.org.uk.

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