Marq Johnson

Hailing from the small southern coastal town of Harbour View, just east of the capital city of Kingston Jamaica, Marq Johnson was born on February 13, 1979. He began formal training in classical piano at age seven (7) and has been passionate about music ever since. His love for music and reaching youth was bursting at the seams when, in February 2012, he resigned from his ten (10) years profession of Property Valuation to pursue music and youth mentoring. To aid his new pursuits, he is now a Project Manager pending international certification as a Project Management Professional.

He is currently the Choir Director and a Worship Leader at the Swallowfield Chapel in Kingston, Jamaica. Marq previously served as director for 11 other choirs including the 400-voice choir and 40-voice men’s choir at the Bishop TD Jakes Conference held at the Jamaica National Stadium in December 2008. Marq Johnson also held the capacity of Music/Worship Director for the National Centre for Christian Leaders conferences 2005-2010 and designated pianist for Jamaica’s 34th National Leadership Prayer Breakfast in 2014.

In summer of 2014, at the end of Marq’s very first studio recording session with his first band, the producer turned to the band leader and concluded that Marq was not a lead singer and recommended that he should be replaced and assigned to keyboards instead. He went on further to explain that “Lead vocalists are born, not made”. Marq Johnson was squeezed but not crushed as he soon after enrolled with 2 vocal coaches with whom he trained twice per week. Even when resources were scarce, he and his wife, Nicole, decided that forward was the only direction because they both believe in the image Marq had in his mind from teenage years, of him standing on a stage in front of a mic in a straight stand, holding a guitar and singing to an international audience of thousands. Exactly 1 year after Marq’s first studio, he released his debut single in 3 countries; a year after that he released his debut self-titled E.P., another single and received an international award; the following year Marq Johnson won another international award and landed on an international chart. The Big Question is, “What if Marq had believed that producer?” He encourages particularly teenagers to relentlessly pursue discovery of God, discovery of self and discovery of purpose

The Caribbean was introduced to Marq Johnson’s music in August 2015 when his debut single “Pulse Get Weak” was released in Cayman, Trinidad and Jamaica. In May 2016, he released his self-titled debut E.P. record compiling two (2) new singles, “Nah Sell Out” and “Rise Of A Resolute” with the debut single. The soft release of the E.P. was first in Fort Lauderdale, Florida then in Jamaica, Trinidad, Cayman and New York. In October 2016, he dropped another single, “God Yuh Good”, in Cayman, Trinidad, Costa Rica and Jamaica. His biggest release to date, “Imago Dei”, the dancehall/Hispanic title track for his second annual Kingston school tour, hit the airwaves in January 2018 and he earned the track title as his nickname. “New Jerusalem” was released a few months soon after.

New York based Love Gospel Station’s Best New Artiste (international) 2016, Marq Johnson, has been interviewed and performed live on Jamaica’s premier television morning show, “Smile Jamaica”, and Jamaica’s only live radio show, “Live Tuesdays” on Kool 97 FM. Other interviews include radio stations in Trinidad, US Virgin Islands and New York. His appearances on Jamaica’s Love 101 FM include being a guest on the all-male talk-show, “The Male Box”, host of “Midday Meditations” for a month, featured artiste on “Fellowship Friday Game show” and talk show, “Engaged”. Marq was also featured in a Jamaican tabloid, “The Star” and on the London-based Island Fuse Entertainment’s website as April 2017 voter’s choice winner and first Christian artiste to land on the dancehall IFE Top 10 Charts.

For four (4) years, Johnson worked with multi-award winning international Gospel recording Artiste, Kevin Downswell, as his Logistics/Road Manager and later shared stage with him at several events, including three (3) of his tours namely, “All The Way album launch island-wide tour in 2016 as well as Realignment Tour chapters one (1) and two (2) in 2017 and 2018, respectively, all in Jamaica. Marq Johnson has also shared stage with international sensations Donnie McClurkin, Kurt Carr, Jonathan Nelson, members of Israel Haughton’s “New Breed” Charlin Neal, Criston Moore and Anna Golden, DJ Nicholas, Ashaala Shanae, Giel Branker and Sean Lypher, all from the USA; Gates Praise and Positive from Trinidad; Isaiah Raymond from London, England and fellow Jamaican headliners in the likes of Chevelle Franklyn, Marion Hall, Jermaine Edwards, Junior Tucker, Jabez, Rondell Positive, Latoya HD, Chozenn, Omari, D-Murphy and Jai Kingston. Marq Johnson has graced stages in the USA, Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica. He has worked in studio with Jazz Pianist and television show talent judge, Dennis “The Smashing Pianist” Rushton, International recording artiste Israel Houghton’s New Breed Vocal Director, Charlin Neal, vocalist extraordinaire, Chevelle Franklyn, as well as producers in the likes of Adrian Scarlett (Hitz Factory), Othniel Lewis (Ecclesia Entertainment), Jathniel Randall (Jazzy Kit Music) and Wendell Lawrence (Spurr Empire).

His music is intended primarily for the teens of all nations, whose self-perception and life decisions he intends to strategically and positively influence. He has performed on several school tours interacting with thousands of teens across the island of Jamaica. His passion for teens is also evidenced by the opening of his youth charity organisation in 2006 called FRUITFUL TREES, founded and led by him and his wife, Nicole.

Marq believes his life serves primarily to inspire the next generation of all nations to preserve the authenticity of true humanity… i.e. true love for God, for self and for others.