Conversation with MERK La Familia: Creating music and experiences is the focus

Earlier this year I was introduced to MERK La Familia courtesy of ZimToTheWord on Snapchat. I was intrigued by the talented Zimbabwean siblings who go by Bic and T. If you're like me and were trying to guess, MERK is not an acronym, it's a play on their family name. I've been following them and the rest of the gang –   Maritza,  Milli and Juju – ever since. Together they make up a music and art collective based in New York City.

According to them if MERK were a human body, T and Bic would be the brain, Juju would be the heart, Milli the torso and Maritza the hands. "Then we all play a part in being the legs," T says.
They all met in school and have been friends for over a decade now but the music thing came over time.
Each individual brings their own sauce, energy and vibe but combined they write, produce and record their own music. They design their own merch, and promotional materials and direct their own videos.

"On paper, you could say MERK La Familia is an agency," Juju explains.

Not every member is originally from Zimbabwe but listening to tracks such as System, I can't ignore the Zim influence throughout the song.

Bic explains how "Zimbabwe plays a very big role in [his] music.

"At the end of the day, my goal is to connect with kids from Zimbabwe."

T adds, "I may not make sungura but I perceive the world with Zimbabwean eyes and ears so naturally whatever I project is Zim-influenced." 

When they are not making music, MERK is putting together epic events and parties from start to finish. No performance is regular for these musicians. For their upcoming project, Safe in Sound they threw a listening party in a blacked-out school bus that turned into a party.

MERK is set to release its debut album on Oct. 9, 2017. The world might not be safe and sound right now but you can hear that MERK feels safe in sound.

In the meantime watch the video below for Loco Loco, a track on the album.