Meleasa Houghton | Meleasa's three children Mariah, Israel Jr., and Milan Lillie Houghton | Source: Instagram/meleasahoughton
Meleasa Houghton finds fulfillment as a devoted mother alongside her enduring music career. She was once married to a famous gospel singer, a relationship that initially seemed meant to be but ultimately ended in divorce.
Parenthood and music are inseparable aspects of Meleasa Houghton's life. She gained recognition not only in the music industry but also for her previous marriage to renowned singer Israel Houghton.
While not much is known about Meleasa's life nowadays, her recent social media posts highlight her strong bond with her three beloved children, reflecting her dedication to family life.
Meleasa and Israel Houghton pose in the press room at The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards held at Staples Center on February 13, 2011, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
Meleasa Dedicates Most Of Her Time To Her Three Kids
Meleasa is a mother of three children— daughters Mariah and Milan Lillie and son Israel Jr., also known as Sonny, all of whom she shares with award-winning musician Israel Houghton.
She takes pleasure in regularly sharing updates about her kids' lives, photos from when they were young, and their recent snapshots on her Instagram feed.
Her sister, Milan Lillie is not just a writer; she also shares a profound love for music. She shares this passion wholeheartedly with her, Israel Jr., who is the lead singer of The CoSMiX band.
Their mom often posts videos of Israel Jr. playing the guitar and Milan engaging in duets with their cousin Scott Dozier in their kitchen area, in the living room, or by the fireplace. Meleasa said in one of her posts:
"Hello friends and family.... I hope you enjoy my favorite people in the whole wide world: my daughter @lillie_houghton my son @sonnyhoughton2 and my nephew @scottdozieriv singing this beautiful song."
Meleasa's Professional Career Is Intertwined With Her Former Spouse's
Meleasa is a singer and composer renowned for her contributions to the band Israel & New Breed. She co-founded the group alongside her former husband in 1995 in Houston, Texas.
During their union, Israel referred to his former wife as the "bride of his youth" and "my babies' mama with no drama."
Her notable compositions include "I'm in Love with a Church Girl" and "Jesus at the Center: Live." Her talent eventually led her to score a Grammy nomination in the "Best Performance/Song" category for the track "How Awesome Is Your God."
The song "Others" is another collaborative effort between the duo. Her then-husband mentioned that Meleasa had a penchant for crafting powerful and raw lyrics, as exemplified by the opening lines of the said track.
Besides the band, she co-founded with him the New Breed Ministries. This organization consists of musicians and singers dedicated to serving their respective churches and collectively contributing to the broader Church community.
Meleasa's Husband Divorced Her Before Marrying Someone Else
Very little is known about Meleasa and Israel's marriage. However, in a 2007 interview with Ebony Magazine, her former spouse described her as "the one."
While it was not revealed in the interview how the couple first met, her ex-husband said: "The second I shook her hand I knew she [would be] my wife." They tied the knot within four months.
During their union, Israel referred to his former wife as the "bride of his youth" and "my babies' mama with no drama." However, Israel revealed in 2016 that their "marriage had been over for quite some time."
Meleasa's ex-husband opened up about their divorce in a 2019 interview and said that they split due to a variety of circumstances. The decision to divorce was not abrupt; it took them a long process, including five years of separation.
Israel Houghton attends The 2022 Merge Awards at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel on November 5, 2022, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images
On why it took a long time, he said they wanted to ensure their children could cope with the situation. Despite being urged to share the whole story, he chose to keep quiet to avoid causing harm to others.
Meleasa's ex has been married to Adrienne since 2019. However, questions arose about Israel's complex connection with his ex-wife and Adrienne, but the latter clarified that Israel had already divorced Meleasa before marrying her.
According to Adrienne, the former couple used only their initials when they filed for divorce and not their real names. Peacefully living together, Adrienne and her husband welcomed their first child, Ever James, in 2022. Ever James is Israel's fifth child.
Aside from his three kids with Meleasa, Israel also has a son named Jordan, who is also a musician. Israel once expressed his pride in Jordan's participation in "American Idol," although he did not reveal further details about Jordan's identity.
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