Siblings hit the right note time and time again
Looking ahead, Jesse expressed a straightforward aspiration: to perform at more venues and cultivate a loyal, engaged fanbase.
A fresh, up-and-coming duo, Azeal, from Parkdene is turning heads and winning hearts – the sibling-powered act made up of Jesse and Alyssa Joao.
Music runs deep in their family. Their father, once a band frontman and songwriter himself, filled their childhood home with melodies and stories told through strums of a guitar.
“Our father used to play and Alyssa and I would sing along,” said the talented Jesse.
When Jesse started high school, he picked up his dad’s guitar and never looked back.
“Now I can’t stop. Alyssa always sang with when I played guitar and together we entered the Johannesburg Festival of the Arts where we achieved a distinction for our song Walls of Stone and an A++ for our song stories.
“This encouraged us to do performances at schools and wherever the opportunity presented itself, simply because it’s awesome to share music and the love of it with others,” he said.
How do they blend individual musical styles to create a unique sound as a duo?
“As we both love a huge variety of music styles, from country, rock, pop-rock, etc. we surprise the audience with our versatility. A sad song can quickly be followed by something up-beat to turn the entire mood of the venue,” Jesse said.
What is their biggest achievement in the music industry?
Without hesitation, Jesse points to a song named Void, written for Nicole Engelbrecht from the True Crime South Africa podcast.
Creating together, growing together
While Jesse primarily writes the music – thanks to his ever-present guitar – lyrics are a collaborative process.
Alyssa’s unique voice and emotive delivery bring a distinctive edge, and her appreciation for heavier genres, like metal, adds depth to their musical palette.
“Alyssa can sing anything. Her love of heavy metal adds a strange but interesting dynamic, and it’s really helped us experiment.”
Despite their young age (Jesse is now a first-year nursing student and Alyssa is in matric) they manage to balance academics with artistry.
“Time is definitely a challenge, but the love of music keeps us going,” said Jesse.
Live gigs
They’re currently booked for performances at Bourbon Restro Bar in Boksburg and are steadily building a loyal audience.
Fans can also follow their journey and music on TikTok (@fragmentedj\_a).
Eyes on the future
As for what lies ahead, the dream is simple: “We’d love to perform in more venues and build a strong following we can really engage with,” Jesse said.
His advice to other siblings thinking of forming a musical act?
“Just have fun with it. Let nothing break your bond. Be each other’s best friend before being each other’s best bandmate.”
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