Today we’d like to introduce you to Markus Jackman.
Hi Markus, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born and raised in Scarborough, Ontario which is a borough on the east end of Toronto. I am a first-generation Canadian whose parents were natives of Trinidad & Tobago. I grew up in a musical family where many of us are musicians or singers. My family is largely pentecostal Christians so many others, my musical journey started with singing at church. A small community church in the heart of Malvern community called Scarborough Spoken Word was filled with local singers and leaders who were musicians. I was a shy kid so singing in front of people wasn’t my favorite things because I was afraid of the spotlight and would remain that way until getting vocal lessons and competing in competitions with The New Conservatory of Music. I went to an art school near the heart of the city called Rosedale Heights School of the Arts where I fostered my love for performing on stage. My artist journey didn’t start till 2016 when I was attending College at Centennial college at a new program called Music Industry Arts & Performance (MIAP) and decided to take music seriously and develop a career with it. Since starting this journey, I have performed onstage as a background vocalist for local and international artists like DVSN, Jully Black, Powerhouse Fellowship Soul Choir and Quincy Morales. I have been in studios with Serena Ryder & DVSN as well as many local artists. Throughout community organizations like R.I.S.E (Reaching Intelligent Souls Everywhere), AfrowaveTO & many others like Art Starts, Arts in the Parks I am able to stand on many platforms and show Toronto just what I’m capable of.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been a rollercoaster of emotions since starting this journey as an artist. I’ve been had my talents and connections used by bars and restaurants to entertain guests with the expectation of being compensated but some of these heavy hitters down here are literally scamming young artists into filling their bars for “experience” or “clout”. I have been my one team since I started and have been excited to take the next step in my journey and building my own foundation in terms of a team. I have had the support of a few artists since I’ve started like Katasha J, who I met in college and have been close to since Ontario’s 1st Poet Laureate Randell Adjei who is also the founder of R.I.S.E. has been a supporter and constant encouragement to myself as an artist but also as a black man navigating circles that maybe weren’t originally meant for those who look like us. I have worked hard for my current success but use the success of people in the Canadian music industry that I know personally as inspiration to keep good. My journey is still a long way out to being what I need it to be before I can be anywhere near satisfied.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a singer and songwriter and I do those things with my whole heart. I model my music and live performance of artists like Mary J. Blige, Sisqo, Jazmine Sullivan and Mali Music because they are artists who commands your emotions on stage. When they perform, you have no chance but to feel their music the way they want you to feel it. If they want to make you cry, you will cry and I love that power to really tell a story through songs and vocal arrangement and turn listeners into genuine fans. I’m most proud of being a part of an incredible group of musicians that got to perform for Obama in January 2020, before the pandemic started. I was doing bgv’s for Quincy Morales who is a Hiphop/Soul artist out here in Toronto and it was an amazing opportunity. What sets me apart from my peers is that many of them don’t have my aesthetic or heart for people. I want to heal through my music like I’ve been healed and saved by music in the past. I write with the understanding that a song about twerking on the dance floor can be just as therapeutic as a song about self-love and worthiness. I embrace both energies as both are valid in my life, I don’t have to choose.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Getting to sing on stage with Shirley Caesar, a gospel music giant, as a kid really gave me a moment in the spotlight that overrode my childhood shyness.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.markusaurelyus.ca
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markus_aurelyus/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mrniceguy1212
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Markus_Aurelyus
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/MJE1212
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/markusaurelyusj
Image Credits
Goldenboy TheViewfrommars Jamal Omar
