(August 18, 2023) - "We didn't know we had the talent to sing," said Mimi about her and the other members of the well-established dance group Mako Girls transitioning to a Hip-Hop Pop/R&B singing group.

The group is made up of three sisters who started out as dancers at a tender age, and now they are in their very early 20s. Member Kena says it was seeing, opening for and meeting the group Mindless Behavior that inspired them to take their entertaining the world as dancers to the next level, as a singing group.

The Mako Girls then went into the studio and put together an EP titled "Lvls (Levels) to This" (Sun and Sky Entertainment) with the current single from the project at radio titled "Ain't Thinking ‘Bout You."

"We saw their (Mindless Behavior) documentary and we said we want to do that...we were already dancers," said Kena.

The girls told me they are also inspired by the legacy of girl group TLC.

"They have a fanbase established...they go hard for them," said A-Ni on what about TLC inspires them. "They (the fans) continue your legacy."

"It's about seeing our growth," said A-Ni when talking about the meaning of the title to their EP "Lvls to This."

A-Ni, the third member of the Mako Girl group continued, "There are levels to it. We're very versatile too, we even do a little bit of rapping."

"We had a writing team," Mimi pointed out about the "Lvls to This" EP content. "But we had the freedom to switch things. We gave them our ideas. We're in love with the message."

The Mako Girls group is managed by the members' father Michael Ochoa. For ten years he had the girls performing all over the world with over 300 shows in the U. S., London, Jamaica, and Bahamas. They were among the Top 8 Black Girl Groups listed at BET.com. Their Tik Tok has accumulated over 1.4 million followers and this amazing group has worked with Beats by Dre, JD Sports/Nike, ColourPop Cosmetics/Disney, IHOP and more.

"We came to him (Michael) with our idea," Mimi said about how the group started. "He was on top of it, he is good at networking. He is a hustler. He has been very supportive."

"We have a genuine love for music," said Kena.

"We recorded with a vocal coach," added Mimi. "We also critique each other."

I felt really honored to have had the time to talk with the MAKO Girls (22 year-old Mimi, 20 year-old A-Ni, and 24 year-old Kena Ochoa ), as I felt the first time I interviewed Destiny's Child, TLC, and SWV. I walked away thinking that I just talked with the next big act in entertainment. www.MakoGirls.com