Makasana Mabena

MARKED is a songwriter, choreographer, and song director from Pretoria whose art is rooted in resilience, faith, and family. Raised where dreams often feel out of reach, MARKED's journey has never been easy. He knows what it means to struggle - to create with limited resources, to believe when no one is watching, and to turn pain into purpose. Every lyric he writes and every movement he directs carries that story. His university years tested him in a different way. Balancing academic pressure, deadlines, and financial strain while chasing a demanding creative career forced him to grow fast. There were days he was in a lecture hall and nights he was in the studio, choreographing routines and ghostwriting hooks until sunrise. It was a constant battle between books and beats, but he refused to drop either. Behind the scenes, MARKED holds a vault of unreleased songs - raw, honest records that speak about love, loss, growing up in PTA, and staying grounded. As a songwriter and song director, he doesn't just write songs; he builds emotions, arranges stories, and brings other artists' visions to life. He is a relentless dream chaser. Whether he's behind a pen, behind a camera directing performance, or on stage creating choreography, his goal is the same: to put Pretoria on the global map and prove that talent from the capital can lead the culture. But at his core, MARKED is a family man. Family is his anchor and his reason. Every unreleased verse, every dance step, every late night is for them - to build a legacy that his name will live beyond music. MARKED is not just an artist. He is a movement. ---