TWO HUDDERSFIELD singers are through to the finals of a national music competition.

Teenage singer-songwriter Harry Lewis and Deighton R ’n’ B star Soulful T have made the regional finals of Live and Unsigned.

There they will compete against other hopefuls in a bid to perform at the O2 arena in London and the ultimate prize – a recording contact.

Harry, 18, of Salendine Nook, performs gigs around town and the competition could be the launching pad for his career. “My dream is to perform something I have written to a crowd and have people know it and sing along with me. When that happens I will know that I have made it,’’ he said.

“This competition is a fantastic opportunity.”

Live and Unsigned is the biggest original music competition in the country for unsigned bands and artists. It attracts thousands of entries and is open to all genres of music – from heavy rock to rap. It is established as the definitive music competition for original acts.

Harry and Soulful T beat hundreds of rivals to be one of 60 acts to make it through to the next round.

Harry, formerly a pupil at Rishworth School in Halifax, wowed a panel of music industry experts with his soulful voice.

He said: “I think I offered something different to a lot of the other musicians and the judges recognised that.

“As great as I think talent shows like the X Factor are, I think it’s very difficult for an artist like myself or band to make it through these kinds of competitions – here I can come up with my guitar and give a performance.”

Harry is the son of Thom and Lynn Meredith and Thom is principal of Kirklees Music School and director of Colne Valley Male Voice Choir. He has decided to use the stage name Harry Lewis as Lewis is his middle name.

He hopes to impress when he takes part in the live head-to-head battle against other acts in the next round at The Willows in Salford in March.

If he gets through that round he will get the chance to perform in a live festival at London’s O2 where the winner will take home a recording and management contract.

Soulful T, whose real name is Trevor Russell, got through with self-penned song Feels Good.

The 46-year-old said: “At my age I’m still making records and writing my own material. The song I sung was about meeting the love of your life and the experiences that go with it.

“One of the judges asked me if I had really written it myself and was really impressed.

Soulful T plays in pubs and clubs across West Yorkshire and is a regular performer at Huddersfield Caribbean Carnival.

He writes and produces all his own material which is a blend of R ‘n’ B and soul.

The call centre worker said that despite years of experience he still got the jitters just before performing in Salford.

The overall winner of the competition is offered a recording and management contract with Future Music with an investment of up to £30,000 to release their single.

Tickets for the regional finals on March 7 can be bought from Soulful T on 07790353396.