Four best friends who formed a girlband have made it to the final of a national competition.

The Jems have sung their way to the final of Open Mic UK, fresh from their success at the Sussex Unplugged competition organised in aid of The Argus Appeal.

The four-piece made the final three of The Argus-backed event at the
Komedia in Gardner Street.

Now they will perform at the final of the competition at the NEC in Birmingham in January.

They will compete against other acts to snare a £5,000 prize and the chance to be named the best act in the UK.

The group impressed the judges at the South England music competition
Open Mic UK which saw the best singers, songwriters and solo artists from the area compete to perform in front of a 16,000 capacity crowd at the NEC auditorium.

Harriette Mullen, 20, Dani Scharpf, 21, Giselle Elsom, 20 and Jade Jago, 20, all attend the Brighton Institute of Modern Music where they are studying for BA Hons in professional musicianship for vocals.

The friends are currently working on the upcoming release of an EPfeaturing original material.

Harriette Mullen said: "We are four best friends, based in Brighton, who share a passion for singing and performing.

"We have been together for just over a year now and since then we have performed in a variety of Sussex based gigs and festivals.

“We’re absolutely ecstatic to be part of such an exciting competition – and so happy to have made it this far.

"It’s been an amazing opportunity for us, opening lots of doors and allowing us to meet some great people and talent along the way.

" We love to perform and can’t wait to be let loose on an arena stage. Bring on the NEC.”