Seal of approval for humble buskers

19 July 2016 - 08:36 By AZIZZAR MOSUPI

Soulful crooner Seal has been raising street buskers from zero to hero by taking them from dusty pavements and dishevelled park benches to the bright lights of an international concert. The English singer, who has been on a world tour that included South Africa, has over the past few months been hitting the streets of the cities he performs in to find raw, unknown talents who can open his shows for him.Lebanese busker Peter Couchani is the latest street talent to share a stage with Seal, who performed at the Beiteddine Festival in Lebanon at the weekend.The Kiss from a Rose singer spotted Couchani while walking in the city and posted the Zero to Hero video on his Facebook page.Following a brief conversation during which the Grammy winner explained his idea, the two gave an impromptu performance of Sting's classic, An Englishman in New York, gathering a fair-sized crowd around them.The singer then invited the budding muso to join him on stage for a 20-minute set and a duet."The idea is to go out on the streets in whatever city I come to and find the local talent because I believe the best talent is out on the streets - of course, I would say that, it's where I came from," Seal said in a video on Facebook."The first time I did this, I was watching buskers. Much of the time they play to no one. I'm very fortunate because I play in front of thousands [of people]," he said in the video.Seal previously selected Sherika Sherard, from Brussels, to perform with him at the Greenwich Music Time Festival...

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