Five reasons why we love Shekhinah
Team Shekhinah!
Here’s why we adore this talented singer…
Shekhinah Donnell is one of South Africa’s biggest rising stars, and there is no stopping her.
The 23-year-old celebrated a career milestone four weeks ago when she opened for John Legend during the South African leg of his “Darkness and Light” tour.
But the Durban-born singer could easily have filled up the stadiums herself with thousands of screaming fans of her own.
Skehinah released her debut album, ‘Rose Gold’, in October to critical acclaim.
The offering’s lead single, ‘Suited’, made it to number one on several local charts, and got some airplay abroad.
Her latest single, ‘Please Mr’, is also creating major buzz.
There are many reasons why we love this fearless, and talented artist, but here are just five of the reasons we are “Team Shekhinah”.
Her unique voice
Shekhinah’s voice is so special, there is no mistaking it for anyone else. She pours her heart out in her songs, and the result is music filled with lots of soul. Shekhinah is also a talented songwriter, and writes most of her own music.
She never gives up
South Africans first got to know Shekhinah as a contestant on season seven of ‘Idols SA’. She made it to the Top 32. But that didn’t stop her from trying again in season eight. Her determination got her all the way to the Top 6. She might not have won, but she remains one of the singing competition’s most famous contestants.
She is smart
While many singers ditch university to pursue their dreams, Shekhinah decided to get a formal education to hone her skills. The Durban-born star could easily have done the former, as she had already made a name for herself on “Idols”. Shekhinah received her degree in Arts and Live Performance from AFDA earlier this year. She documented her journey on Instagram, and no doubt inspired other aspiring singers to take their craft seriously.
Read: Shekhinah's 'Suited' video hits 1-million views on YouTube
She is making waves abroad
Shekhinah’s first major hit was collaboration with fellow “Idols SA” contestant Kyle Deutsch. Their single, ‘Back to the Beach’, was a big chart-topper and won “Best Pop & Alternative” at the MTV Africa Music Awards in 2016. The single helped put Shekhinah on the map, with big names like Black Coffee knocking on her door. She collaborated with the internationally recognized DJ on his single, ‘Your Eyes’ – which was released globally. Her collaboration with Sketchy Bongo, ‘Let You Know’, was released internationally. She teamed up with US singer Jason Derulo this year on the song, ’One on One’. Shekhinah’s debut album is also making waves abroad. ‘Suited’ was playlisted by Apple Music France, and her ‘Rose Gold’ album set to be released worldwideHer fashion
Like her voice, Shekhinah has a unique sense of style. She used to be quite the tomboy, but Shekhinah embraces her feminine side these days. You can expect her to pair an elegant red dress with sneakers or chunky wedges. She isn’t influenced by trends and prefers to wear pieces that show off her fun-loving personality.
You can see Shekinah at the Coca-Cola Taste Summer Beach Festival in association with East Coast Radio from 21st to 23rd December at uShaka Marine Beach. The festival promises fun, games, music, and entertainment for the whole family.