I interviewed Abel Siamubi (graduate, organizational management), the leader of The Watchmen, about the acapella group’s origin, what they are currently up to, and their future aspirations.
What is the history of Watchmen Acapella?
It all started on February 9, 2017. Six guys from Zambia, Zimbabwe, the Cayman Islands, the United Kingdom and the United States who had a love for acapella decided to start the group. We brainstormed on the mission of our group and focused on Ezekiel 3:17 NKJV, “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.”
We were able to sing at many different places, from the 15th Hope Channel, to General Conferences, in addition to touring the entire country at various churches. At one church in Chicago, we did a concert on a Sabbath afternoon and took a picture with the pastor’s kid. The picture went on Facebook and caught the eye of a producer at America’s Got Talent. He contacted the pastor for our contact details. We woke up to an email asking us to audition for America’s Got Talent. At first glance we thought it was a scam; we did not believe it. After confirming its validity, we replied and auditioned. We did really great. However, our competition was cut short due to Immigration Laws that would require us to leave the country and change our visa to an O-1 Visa (for performers) without the guarantee of it being approved. Though it was unfortunate that it ended, it gave us the hope and the realization that we can sing at the highest level. Since then, we decided to provide more than spiritual food. We want to create opportunities for people through scholarships and internship positions.
What is Watchmen Acapella up to today?
The present is filled with the results of past hard work. Watchmen Acapella is a registered 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization. As the only founding member still at Andrews University, it has been amazing to see how far we have come.
Yesterday we had an amazing experience at our concert in HPAC. The singers were all in good spirits, and everything went smoothly. The Telecom and A/V team were great. We had been waiting a few months to sing at our home, Andrews University. There were lots of emotions, and we are happy that we were able to share a few vulnerable moments with the crowd last week. There were personal experiences, testimonies, and of course, good music. The crowd felt like people we could confide in, and we do not take that for granted. It really felt like we were surrounded by family.
What is the future of Watchmen Acapella?
The future is bright and busy. Just next week we will be singing at Pathway to Health for Officials for the State of Indiana. We will be singing at the General Conference on July 11 in St Louis. We are also looking forward to creating transformational opportunities for students. We already do that through allowing Phillip Wekesa (sophomore, music) to hone his composition skills with us. What he learns in class, we apply. I myself am doing my masters in Organizational Management, and it has been a pleasure working in that aspect for Watchmen Acapella. We also have pastors who have toured with us to hone their preaching skills.
As of right now, we are looking for someone to fill a role in Accounting, Marketing, and HR for us in an internship capacity. For those interested, you can apply at: music@watchmen7.com. We are also on the lookout for more corporate partnerships with companies that share the same vision. We also accept personal partnerships, where we have a $5 Membership Plan. All this while we continue to grow upward!
You can continue to find updates on Watchmen Acapella on Facebook or Instagram!
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.