Stage for success

The new cpjobs.com Busking Carnival provides an exciting platform for college student to realise their musical dreams. For those who dare to dream big, “cpjobs.com Busking Carnival”, the inaugural college busking competition organised by cpjobs.com, presents a superb opportunity to hit the stage and show off their musical talent. The qualifiers will be invited to compete in the finals concert for prize money and return tickets.

There are many ways to build a successful career, but none holds more appeal for graduates than the one which promises the most, namely, making their dreams come true. For millennials, life means so much more than self-sacrifice and security. An amazing journey inspired by the pursuit of dreams is the ultimate goal.

To encourage local college students to realise their true potential, cpjobs.com, the digital recruitment platform of the South China Morning Post, is launching the college competition “cpjobs.com Busking Carnival”, setting up a concert platform where the city’s young folks can busk with great panache, expressing their true selves.

Alex Ho, general manager, recruitment, circulation and syndication business for the Post, is the chief architect of the busking event. “The youngsters are our future,” he says. “I believe they deserve a grand stage specifically designed to showcase their skills and realise their dreams. After all, there is so much more to campus life than exams or student unions.”

As the first recruitment platform ever in Hong Kong with built-in predictive job recommendation features, cpjobs.com is renowned in the market for its technical innovation. Ho says that it would be easy to draw a parallel between the website’s pioneering spirit and the resourcefulness of the buskers. “We always lend support to those who share our strength of purpose. The competition is the product of our common bonds.”

“It has always been the mission of cpjobs.com to guide jobseekers through the vast expanse of the employment market to land their dream jobs,” he continues. “In a similar vein, this music event aims to reinforce our college students’ belief that they are perfectly capable of stepping up on stage and singing the songs they want to play with their fellow buskers. I strongly believe each and every one of us will become a winner someday once we each find a worthy calling.”

Skill showcase

JLMusic is the music partner of cpjobs.com in the competition. Ho was quick to praise this group of young street musicians. “As a local brand of indie music, JLMusic are devoted to the promotion of street music and the elevation of its quality. Their years-long efforts in the pursuit of dreams have been deeply moving.”

“Hopefully the concerted effort of the partnership will sow the seeds of self-realisation among the students so that in the future they won’t be deterred from following the path of their dreams and fighting hard for it,” says Ho.

A graduate of the University of Hong Kong, Lee Kwun-kit – more commonly known as JL – formed the local music brand JLMusic six years ago with fellow music lovers. The brand is now widely considered a trailblazer on the local busking scene, bringing the power of street music to the city’s public spaces.

JLMusic now has a remarkable list of artists of different styles and genres under contract, and holds regular gigs with over 30 street bands on a busking platform called CITY ECHO in an effort to promote street performances in Hong Kong.

Every Friday night, JL leads a group of musicians to play gigs outside Times Square. Their ever-growing reputation led to the emergence of the “Down-2-Earth Fest”, a four-gig extravaganza of live music given on consecutive Fridays in June, which turned out to be a critical success.

On the back of the music fest, JL took on the task to kick off “cpjobs.com Busking”. “Buskers often have an unwavering belief in themselves,” says Lee. “I have always wanted to translate our perseverance into some sort of encouragement for college students. For me, music is a powerful outlet for ideas and talents. The pressures of study or life, and much more besides, can be effectively neutralised by busking.”

Branching out into college event planning last year, JL admitted that he used to feel anxious about the future, but was now upbeat about the progress JLMusic had made against all odds. “I believe we can go far, so long as we retain the mutual trust among the group members.”

A group of experienced buskers spearheaded by JL is coming to schools and is all set for jamming with campus musicians. The event organisers promise that this much-anticipated meet-up will be exciting, enlightening, confidence-boosting for all the students involved, and will certainly get their creative juices flowing.