We were lucky to catch up with Markis Zarate recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Markis thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

When did I know, such an interesting question. To boil it down to one definitive moment sometimes takes away from all the moments that lead up to it. But that “one” moment is in fact is a testament to the many moments that happened prior — so I suppose we’ll start there.

From a young age, I grew up listening to some classics like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Lauryn Hill. My mom was /is a music enthusiast. There are countless home videos of small little Markis dancing around but none more famous than the one of me dancing to My Boo – by Ghost Town DJ’s. It was me either dancing in front of the camera or me asking my mom “Can I record?…let me record mom”. My mother had me young, so often times my grandmother would watch over me, so my mother can finish her schooling and work. Many core memories were spent, singing with my mom some of the classics or the current 90s hits or sitting in the backseat as my grandmother would drive me to church and listening to her rehearse for her choir rehearsal (Yes, I know what Cassette tapes are). Soon after, my grandmother put me in the kids choir and before you know it the choir director had me singing solos. Music was always something so special and dear to me. Fast forward to junior high, I’m playing different coffeeshops and venues in Orlando, FL singing songs about heartbreak, as if I had been an old-timer with much perspective on the topic. I remember the very first call I got to lead worship, by this time I was 15, it was a Thursday afternoon and I was with my family at the local Panera bread. The pastor of the church called me and was like “hey, I’ve heard of you and how you sing for the youth programs, what do you think of leading worship for our weekend service…our worship leader double booked himself.” My jaw was on the floor. I told the pastor “let me ask my mom”. I look over to my mother and I’m like you wouldn’t believe who that was and filled her in… I asked her “what should I do”, she look over at me with a smile and was like Markis “I think you know”. The rest was history.

That weekend, I was up there with my guitar, in front of the biggest audience I had ever played, nervous, probably shaking, not knowing altogether what this whole “worship” thing was. The countdown hit zero and there it went. I remember this special feeling that was so beyond me, I remember hearing the voices of hundreds of people singing, I remember tearing up, and feeling a profound joy and I knew that this is what I was called to do. After that first weekend, I started getting scheduled to sing more often at the church and then began getting invitations to sing at other local churches, small groups, and programs. It was exciting! It had reached a point that I was invited out to Arizona for a church event taking place the summer 2012… I was blown away… ARIZONA!?! How!?!

So here I am “doing it”. I ended up getting another invitation for a conference and they were like how much is it to book you. How much? I was so confused… up until this point, I didn’t even know I could make money doing this. This was the Lord’s work, right? and it should be free, right?. They insisted, either a love offering or honorarium. And even asked for a tech rider, hospitality rider. All new terminology for me. I was clueless to all of these things but this was the first time I had ever been paid for leading worship, and even considered that I could do this for a living. My mind was blown. I knew this was what I was called to do but figured I would have to work some other job. So everything started very organically.

Things continue and the year of my first travel out of state invitation was coming up. To begin the year of 2013, I was diagnosed with testicular cancer, shortly after, lost both of my grandparents, all in the span of 3 months. Then I am in my last final of my junior year, and I collapse gasping for air. Long story short I was rushed to the hospital and the doctors tell me I have something called a pnmuethorax — where your lung collapses. At this point 70% had already collapsed, and in the process of trying to maintain homeostasis, your lung shifts and moves the heart and you pass. So they have surgery and put a tube in my side to fill up my lungs. 3 times they tried but each morning the lung would collapse again. By the 3rd time the doctors told me I would have to call off all the summer plans I had, and reconsider singing altogether because my lungs were too weak to support breathing in that capacity — it physically wouldn’t be able to happen anymore. I was broken, angry, cursing, you name it. I was stuck on that hospitable plagued with my anger and shattered dreams. A nurse came into my room shortly after and told me “Markis, I know this is a lot to go through, but if you would’ve gone onto that plane and reached 10,000 ft of elevation, you would’ve passed away.” In that moment, I was extremely humbled and filled with gratitude and tears of joy streamed down my face. The dreams, and the purpose had not been abandoned, but only strengthened. From this moment forward, my perspective would never be the same, I guess you could say this was a “canon” moment. My story, my dreams, weren’t ending. They were just beginning. Til this day, the doctors say I shouldn’t be able to sing but what a miracle. The places I’ve travelled to, the people I’ve met, the stages I’ve sung small and big. What a beautiful life. 

Maybe 2013 was the year “I knew”, or maybe it was when it was actualized or maybe I “knew” before then? Hard to boil it down but here I am. These moments shaped me and have inspired me in all facets of life. In the way I am so drawn to story, creativity, people, and all that is beautiful, good and true. Even into starting my own graphic design and creative agency. Everything is story. Everyone has dreams. Hard to not see life through the dreams we have, and things we create — often times we don’t make it to the full culmination of creation because of this uncomfortable place called risk. The risk in my journey, and challenges could’ve stopped me along the way but I embrace it because the dreams are only getting bigger and the creations the same.


Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hello! My name is Markis Zarate, from Orlando Fl. Half Costa Rican, half Dominican. I am passionate about story. I lead worship and travel a lot doing that. When I am not singing somewhere — I am deeply passionate about taking all the visual elements of design — type, graphics photo, video — and piecing it together to tell a story. Dreaming. Risking. Creating. Is the process we all go through

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Dream. Risk. Create

We all dream. We’re dreamers from birth. To create that dream, we have to journey through this uncomfortable place called risk.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think “non-creatives”. May struggle to relate to the my journey and mantra of dreaming, risking, and creating. But the truth is — we all are dreams. And we are all creative.

The act of problem-solving is creative within itself. Now it may not look like how “creatives” are categorized (artist, dancers, photographer, design, etc.) But it is a creative act nonetheless.

For the mathematician — creative
For the engineer — creative
The doctor — creative
The baker — creative

Contact Info:

• Website: https://markiszarate.myportfolio.com
• Instagram: markiszarate
• Facebook: Markis Zarate

Image Credits

Stephanie Wright (Portrait of me on chair)
Isaac Baik (B&W Image of me on stage)