A sit down with MELISIZWE BROTHERS

LCCMedia was delighted to spend some time with Mark James. Mark is the dad and manager of the boy band - the Melisizwe Brothers. We had been looking for them for a while and we were glad when the opportunity finally came.

Marc, Seth and Zacary James - are Canadian brothers with musical talent and a worldwide fan base. When they began their group in 2016, – the Melisizwe (pronounced Mel – Li – Seize – Way) were in their early teens. These “leaders of the future” have kept their love of music by releasing a song a month.

Their father, Mark, shares that there was no plan seven years ago. He and his wife had full-time jobs and “kids were just kids going to school.” When their music took off, that was by surprise. They committed as parents to have the boys pursue their music and have seen progress.

“Normal is relative to your lifestyle,” according to dad. The boys started homeschooling about six years ago because of extensive travel and filming which is done during the school year. The boys have become independent learners and maintained above-average marks.

“Music takes a lot of discipline,” Mark states. The boys have been mentally pushed in terms of learning instruments, reading music and remembering lines and are bright, competent students who are eager to learn. Marc will be attending Berkeley

Scoring a record contract in the music industry with “Republic Records” has not changed the fact that the family still lives in Edmonton, something the parents chose intentionally. Mark and his wife were born in the Caribbean and as immigrants, feel being grounded is important so their boys will have a long career in music and could impact their peers. The boys try to get into the community as much as they can. One of the group’s strengths is that they are brothers. Even though Zach has the option of going “solo,” they agree staying together will give them more success. It also gives hope to fans when they see the three

Music

brothers singing together.

The core value system of the boys includes community and taking control of their lives and futures. “Being a great human being and making an impact on the world,” is what is instilled in their sons. “It’s not just about music.” The Gold Mind Program was created with its center around collecting instruments and giving them to people to start on their musical journey, which is how the boys began.

They also do camps in St. Vincent and Canada. “The goal is gifting.”

February is Black History Month, and the brothers are continuing to do concerts. In June, they will be doing their own show at the Winspear Centre in

Edmonton, Alberta. After moving to the city in 2015, this is an honour to be performing there. The Black History school tour is for Edmonton Public Schools and they are excited to be able to visit several schools.

With over 33 million views on YouTube, the boys remain humble and work very hard on their mu- sic. The plan is for Seth and Zach to finish high school. They have a wonderful relationship with their record label and their parents, who continue to equip their children to pursue their dreams and become models for other young men in the community.

The Melisizwe Brothers will be at the Winspear Centre June 23rd, 2023 Get your tickets: www. winspearcentreevents. com