Jah Cure’s Daughter Kailani Alcock, 11, Shines On National TV
By all indications, Kailani Alcock, daughter to singer Jah Cure and fitness coach Kamila McDonald, is a budding star.
The 11-year-old stunned in a Sunrise performance on Friday, which showcased an incredible range and her ability to convey soul and emotion through singing.
Alcock forms part of the Voice Box, a music program founded three years ago by vocal powerhouse Tessanne Chin Crooks. The latter has not only served as a vocal coach to Alcock since she was 9, but other children aged 6 to 18.
It is with this backdrop that Alcock showcased the fruits of their labour today, singing Do You Want to Build a Snowman? from Walt Disney’s 2013 musical Frozen. Performing with two younger students, they played the role of Frozen star Anna at different stages in her life, with Alcock culminating the song using controlled dynamics and subtle movement to evoke empathy from the viewing audience.
“It’s (The Voice Box) been a very amazing experience,” Alcock said. “It’s helped me to develop my voice much more and helped me to understand how much of a great gift I have and I just wanna thank mommy for helping me through it and Aunty Tess and these two (classmates).”
Her parents got married in 2011, later going public with their divorce in 2017.
Cure has often shared clips of Alcock singing, with one post capturing the youngster covering his songs like Call On Me and Telephone Love.
Cure had previously highlighted Crooks’ work with his daughter.
He’s currently serving a six-year sentence in the Netherlands for attempted manslaughter.
Alcock’s musical genes extend to the McDonalds too. Her grandparents are Errol and Kerida from the reggae band Chakula, her aunt is singer Kelissa, and uncle is singjay Keznamdi.
Music enthusiasts can catch Alcock and other Voice Box talents live at their Christmas showcase dubbed ‘The Four Seasons Of Christmas’ slated for December 3 at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in Kingston.
Upcoming details will be shared via the group’s Instagram page.
In 2021, Crooks, winner of the fifth season of The Voice in 2013, opened up about the inspiration behind helping young talent.
“Back in 2018, I did a vocal pedagogy course and I was just so fascinated with learning about what makes our voice do what it does and how we sing and our technique and the science behind it, and it led me to kinda having this interest in being able to teach other people what an incredible instrument we have.”
She’s proud of the progress, adding that the program helps with confidence-building and social skills.
“It’s a space and a place that is created for young, creative people who are gonna get the opportunity to have training and not just singing, but what it is to perform and the creative arts…” she said. “I think it is exceptionally important for our young people to go to express themselves, to hone their craft by some of the best teachers, and to just show the world that they have a voice too. They’re little, but they have a voice.”
Partnering with seasoned theatre arts company Ashe, they’re mostly focused on stage and voice performance, but Crooks aspires to make the Voice Box a “full-fledged performance arts group” in the future.
Parents interested in enrolling their children may email voicebox876@gmail.com.