Name: Jose Albela

Track entered: Dijeri

Current main guitar: Larrivée parlour-style

London-based Jose, 23, started out by picking up a guitar in his childhood home - and hasn't looked back since. "I distinctly remember sitting in front of the TV with the guitar in hand and to my astonishment was able to play along with the music I heard off the telly," he recalls. "I'll never forget the buzz it gave me."

Now favouring Flamenco and Celtic styles, Jose says: "To win Acoustic Guitarist Of The Year would be my biggest achievement, to have that kind of recognition for doing what I love the most would be amazing."

Random fact: Jose’s February birthday fell in a leap year, making him, er, only five years old.