KEIGHLEY singer and musician Ruth Nielsen will this Saturday compete in the regional finals of the Open Mic UK contest.

Her performance in Dewsbury follows successful auditions in Leeds last month by the Denmark-born jazz graduate of Leeds College of Music.

Ruth, who was involved in organising the recent Keighley Pride, is hoping Keighley people will go along to watch and vote for her.

Ruth, a freelance performer and music teacher, settled in the UK 16 years ago and studied for a Jazz degree in 2008.

With her improvised style, her influences range from jazz, rhythm & blues classics and everything in between, creating a style dubbed 'Carole King meets KT Tunstall'.

The regional final will be Dewsbury Town Hall, Wakefield Road, on Saturday October 19 at 4pm. Visit eventbrite.co.uk or ruthmusic.co.uk to book tickets.

In April, Ruth started an open mic session at the Ring O Bells pub in Shipley, and she is also a regular performer at pubs and restaurants in Keighley, Shipley, Saltaire and Todmorden.

This year she has performed at L Fest in Llandudno, Happy Valley Pride at Hebden Bridge, and the first Keighley Pride.

Ruth will perform for diners at the Lemon Tree Café and Bistro, oon Oakworth Road in Keighley, on Thursday October 24.

She will also perform during a fundraising evening of singers and songwriters at the Cobbles and Clay, Main Street, Haworth, on Friday October 25 from 7.30pm, and on October 26 during Ladies Who Lunch for Cancer Support at Herriot's Hotel in Skipton.

In the Open Mic UK competition. Ruth hopes to finally make it through to the final at the O2 in London.

Open Mic UK is billed by its organisers as the biggest search for unsigned talent in the UK.

A spokesman said: "Auditions are held all over the country every year in search for the UK’s best singers, singer-songwriters, rappers and vocalists of all genres performing either covers or their own original material.

"Open Mic UK is brought to you by Future Music, the company who have discovered some of the best new talent and propelled them to the big stage, working with Thames TV, Sony and Universal.

"Acts who have competed in the competitions on their way to being signed to major record labels include Lucy Spraggan, Luke Friend, Karen Hardy and Jacob Banks, plus Warner Music’s signings and Open Mic UK’s first winner Birdy and The Lottery Winners, along with Union J’s Jaymi Hensley and Voice 2019 winner Molly Hocking.

"Thousands of hopefuls entered Open Mic UK nationwide and hundreds of auditioned on the day to impress the judges. Those who made it through the audition stage will now take part in a live head-to-head battle alongside the best talent in their region, performing in front of hundreds of audience members and a music industry judging panel in their bid to win a place at the National Grand Final."

Visit openmicuk.co.uk for further information.