An up and coming Tower Hamlets music artist has made it through to the penultimate stage of a national singing competition and dreams of becoming a star.

Rapper Nico, 27, of Twelvetrees Crescent, has lived in the borough since 2006 and saw off competition from 400 contestants at the audition stage to make the regional final of Open Mic UK 2013, the biggest music competition in the UK for singers and solo artists.

Nico, real name Nick Harris, describes his music as “positive, uplifting and opposite to songs about guns and crime.”

The regional finals will take place in Camden on October 13, with the winner earning a place in the Grand Final at the O2 Arena in London and the chance to compete for a record deal.

Nico said: “I want to be signed by a record label and put my music out there but it is hard as an independent artist, especially as white rapper.

“But I want to be taken seriously as an artist and it’s my dream to have a top 10 single and be on the radio and be recognised as successful musician.”

For more information about the competition visit its website at www.openmicuk.co.uk.