Look out for Jonathan Young. The musician and actor (pictured right) is the lead singer of multi-ethnic band Myernark, which has made it through to the area finals of Live and Unsigned, the biggest music contest in the UK for unsigned acts.

The group, which also comprises Mr Young's brother Michael on bass, Spain's Eduardo Sanches-Seco on drums and guitarist Rion Willard, of Indo-Anglo Guyanese descent, were selected from more than 10,000 entries and will battle it out tomorrow for a place in the grand final.

Mr Young, 30, set up Myernark last July. He tells People: "We play our self-branded 'animalistic sexy pop'.

"We started out doing Middle-Eastern kind of grooves but now there is the more popular influence of Michael Jackson, David Bowie and Prince. Rhythm is very important to us." The band host their own monthly event in Clerkenwell, London, but are fully focused on the contest. "This is very important to us. We have got jobs aswell; Michael is a conductor, Rion is an architect and Eduardo is studying, but we want the music to become a full-time thing."

Mr Young, who lives in Hackney, adds: "This is the first competition we have entered and I'm really excited." Is he nervous? "I'm used to performing and the semi-final is taking place in a theatre so it's kind of my comfort zone."

Besides, they have been rehearsing around three times a week. If successful, the band could be offered a recording and management contract with Future Music, an investment of up to £50,000 and a world tour.

Also trying their luck this weekend is The Undecided (pictured left), a rock band comprising 12-year-olds Jake Adams on drums, Louis Slater, guitarist and lead vocalist, and Niall Logue, bass player - all pupils at Aldenham School in Hertfordshire.