Young performers get ready to impress the judges in the Breeze has Talent final

Talented young people from across the city will be battling it out next weekend to see which one of them will be crowned the winner of Breeze has Talent 2015.

Breeze has Talent is back for the eighth year running – to prove that once again Leeds is bursting with talented young performers.

After months of auditions, heats, and tough decisions, the final 12 have been chosen and are getting ready to showcase their talent at The Stanley and Audrey Burton Theatre, Northern Ballet Theatre, on Sunday 4 October at 7pm.

Tickets are still available for the final, which promises to be a fantastic display of young talent, they can be purchased from the Northern Ballet Box office by visiting www.theatreleeds.com or by calling 0113 2208008 tickets are £3 or £1.50 with a Breeze Card.

Media opportunity:

When: Sunday 4 October at 7pm

Where: The Stanley and Audrey Burton Theatre, Northern Ballet Theatre, Quarry Hill LS2 7PA

Members of the media are invited to attend the finals of Breeze Has Talent to photograph/ film and interview the organisers and contestants.

Breeze has Talent provides an exciting competition platform for talented 8 – 19 year old performers to develop their skills and show Leeds what they can really do. This year they will also have to impress special guest-judge DJ Kenny Allstar who has featured on BBC Radio 1Xtra.

The finalists, who were chosen after competing in the heats at this year’s Breeze on Tour events, include singers, dancers and a fiddle player and their ages range from 9 years old up to 17.

The winner will perform at the Leeds Lights switch-on which will take place on Thursday 12 November in front of a crowd of thousands, and receive prizes worth £300.

The runners up will receive prizes worth £200 and £100 and all the finalists will have an opportunity to appear at one of the local Christmas lights switch-on events across Leeds in November and December. Councillor Jane Dowson will present the prizes at what promises to be a fantastic night crackling with young talent.

Councillor Jane Dowson deputy executive board member responsible for children and families said:

“There are so many talented young people in Leeds so I’m really looking forward seeing what these young performers can do.

Breeze has Talent offers young performers the chance to develop skills and confidence by taking part in a friendly competition that is fun but also challenging.

“The standard of competition has been very high over the past few years and it is always really encouraging to see our young people demonstrating what they can do.

“As a child friendly city we will continue to support and nurture that talent and will be doing all we can to help every young person across the city to fulfil their potential.”

The finalists who are competing in The Breeze Has Talent competition on Sunday 4 October are:

Ava Bounds (singing)

Becky Holmes (singing and guitar)

CASOD (dance group)

Ellie Holmes (singing and guitar)

Jessica May Frost (singing)

LeAndre West (singing)

Lucia Henry (singing and keyboard)

Owen Spafford (fiddle)

Princess Mubaiwa (singing / rapping)

Rochelle Soars (singing)

Territory (band)

The Richards (singing/ rapping/ guitar duo)

Tionne Pringle (singing).

Notes to editors:

Kenny Allstar is a 22-year-old DJ, Producer and Broadcaster hailing from South London.

His specialist genres derive from the origins of Dancehall music & all things home grown spreading his sound across the UK, and beyond.

Kenny has featured on BBC Radio 1Xtra a number of times including 1Xtra Talent Dancehall takeovers, Sixty Minutes takeover and Club Sloth residencies. Kenny has also supported the likes of US star French Montana & I-Octane on tour.