GET TO KNOW: Paris hitmaker and SAMA nominee Q-Mark
When a song becomes instantaneously popular, being on high rotation and on everyone’s lips, little do we know the hard work that goes into making it. Because it is those years of struggle to either get your songs plugged on various radio stations or even making a name for yourself that build the artists that we celebrate today.
Similar in Q-Mark’s story that spans more than 10 years of making music, it was the sweet landing of his hit song Paris that finally launched this career that he has been working towards for many years.
That song bagged him and his associates the prestigious SAMA Award nominations and he has since released multiple chart-topping songs like Nguwe and Impilo Imnandi.
The hard work laid a foundation to where he finds himself today. And while they always roll as a trio, today we shine a spotlight into who Q-Mark the artist is.
The 31-year-old, who labels himself as is’phandi sase kasi which loosely means the township’s hustler, hails from Soweto’s Chiawelo and has lived in various parts of Mzansi including Venda in Tshakhuma.
His life in Venda, being raised by his maternal grandparents, exposed him to music as his grandfather was a music director. It was during that time that music became an escape and a deep passion for him.
“Life was hard while growing up, being raised by a single parent. That meant moving around from place to place and that’s how I ended up in Venda. It is during that period of my life that a huge foundation of my love for music was laid and I never looked back,” he said.
From as early as 2007 the young avid DJ would frequent Tshakhuma’s local drinking spots to flex his musical muscles and with every mix he performed, the love for the craft deepened.
He first explored deep house before moving into Afrotech, Gqom, Kwaito, commercial house music and then ultimately finding his love within the amapiano space.
The years that followed, with him moving back to Gauteng, saw his hustle levels elevate. Q-Mark continued DJ’ing locally and even hosting annual music events/parties which were widely known as ama’bashes ekasi. This was his way of creating a platform for himself to garner a following.
“Paris was born during those hustling days. It was in 2020, heavy lockdown times, when I went to Slick Widit’s studio and that is when I met Afriikan Papi. I heard him sing and I remember how mesmerized I was with his voice, so I approached him and asked to work with him.
“We set up a studio session and the rest was history. Paris was not an immediate hit though. It took almost three months after being produced for it to gain traction. Before that, we would physically walk to different places to sell the song to people,” he said.
That labour of love opened so many doors for them, including music award nominations and recognition within the industry.
“The SAMA nominations felt like a win for me, that is how amazing it is. Being nominated in two very big categories – Record of the Year and Music Video of the Year – against big industry names is not a small thing. It is validation and a pat on the back that we are on the right path. My name will forever be part of that history,” he said.
Watch Paris here:
Beyond making hits, Q-Mark is a simple family man who loves spending time with his daughter, watching local soccer games or visiting local drag racing spots.
“The name Q-Mark traces back to when I was a kid in Venda, DJing. I was a short kid, I don’t know how I turned out this tall, and that meant standing on a crate to reach the turn-tables. People would always ask ‘who is that?’ and because they were curious, I always believed I made a mark. So I played on those elements to come up with the name Q-Mark,” he said.
Q-Mark has recently released his EP now in November, and is already working on music for 2024.
“The EP was about motivating others to do it for themselves, just like I did all those years ago. I am from the hood and I see how many of my peers are stuck in this loop of hopelessness. That EP was to encourage everyone (including myself) to keep pushing. Those things won’t come to us if we don’t go out and create opportunities for ourselves.
“Ultimately my story is that dreams do come true if you believe in them and really work hard towards them. Steer clear from negativity and just be stubborn with what it is that you want,” he said.
Keep up with Q-Mark on the socials: