PREVIEW
The Melisizwe Brothers in Concert
Friday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Arden Theatre
5 St. Anne Street
Tickets: $48. Call 780-459-1542 or at www.ticketmaster.ca
For most people, travelling to the Caribbean Island of St. Vincent is a holiday, a chance to soak up the sun and splash in turquoise waters.
For the The Melisizwe Brothers – Marc James, 15, Seth, 12, and Zachary, 11 – it’s about visiting family and performing.
The three Leduc-based brothers gained fame singing from YouTube to Times Square. In 2016, parents Mark and Sherry James posted a video on YouTube of the boys singing the Jackson 5 cover I'll Be There. It morphed into an internet sensation.
Ellen DeGeneres heard it and invited them to appear on her TV talk show. Following this huge career boost, they won Steve Harvey’s Apollo Theatre contest and appeared on America’s Got Talent.
In addition, Zachary, the lead singer, was tapped to sing the theme song on a new animated series, Motown Magic that debuted on Netflix in November 2018.
But St. Vincent is where the home-schooled boys' parents grew up.
“They got their voice from their mom, but they’ve taken it to a whole different level,” says Mark James, who is also the boys’ manager.
As the trio’s international presence grows, the family decided to take a pre-emptive break in St. Vincent.
“But it’s not really a vacation. Everybody wants to see the boys. The whole country (pop. 100,000) has been watching them. They’ve been invited to head of government dinners. They give interviews every day and make guest appearances. But they’ve also had beach days.”
The Melisizwe Brothers have two upcoming concerts lined up in the Edmonton area including a performance at the Arden Theatre on Friday, Feb. 8. Supporting the brothers will be a nine-piece band.
Joining them is St. Albert’s newest choir, the Visionary Singers. In addition, Visionary students Hailey Benedict and Sofiya Chovjka will join in singing several duets with Marc.
As part of the 21-song set list, the trio hopes to perform several of Marc’s compositions such as the romantic ballad Is This Real?
“That’s a crowd favourite in terms of popularity,” says a proud dad. “And Let’s Groove always brings the crowd alive.”
The Melisizwe Brothers are also incorporating a fresh touch they borrowed from South American counterparts.
“When we were in Brazil, at one concert we went to, they were giving away roses to the audience. It was very touching and emotional and really connected with the audience. The boys decided they’d like to do that.”
For more information, visit www.themelisizwebrothers.com.
