Charlotte Campbell Part 2
1. There are less of us.
The London street performing community is very male dominated. Full time busking is a man’s game and although I know of a few other girls on the scene, we are vastly outnumbered.
Our identity is a novelty and spectacle in itself. It’s our very own magic trick that we even exist, let alone that we have some other talent far beyond our sex.
2. Trust.
Buskers are trusting. We offer our art, our living, for a price of your choosing because we trust that people will enjoy it enough to pay for their experience. But we rely on the audience to trust us back.
In order to really engage with somebody and make them stop and listen to you there is an aspect of trust that must be built up between the audience and performer. I think that women are perceived to be the more truthful sex; femininity is centred in modesty, honesty and humbleness.
Whether or not women are more trustworthy or not, an audience member will subconsciously choose to trust the performer at first glance and women come out on top here.
3. Sexuality.
We’re artists, not prostitutes. Whatever your talent, no lady busker would like to think she is being paid for her sexuality. But I would be a liar if I didn’t admit to myself, and to you, that perhaps one or two men will stop to listen to me for more than my singing voice. I try not to encourage any kind of sexual affiliation between my talent and my outward appearance, but I cannot deny its existence.
On a very slow day in November a man dropped a £20 into my case. I looked up at him with amazement and gratitude. He said ‘That’s ten for your beautiful voice and ten for your beautiful face.’ I know he meant well. I know he did. But I couldn’t help wishing he’d just given me ten.
