Shekhinah Flies Solo

After several hit collaborations the Durban singer-songwriter is on the verge of producing her debut album.

- Khatija Nxedlana

SHE first caused a blip on our radar as a bubbly singer-songwriter determined to set the Idols South Africa stage ablaze. Later she stood out as the velvety voice behind the hit track Back To The Beach, confirming her status as someone to watch.

Shekhinah Donnell is truly breaking out. Although she’s featured on several other artists’ tracks she’s now going it alone with her debut album set for release later this year.

It’s going to land with a bang, she says – but she can’t say exactly when the launch date is or what the album is called. And, no, it’s not because she’s being coy – it’s on record label orders that she’s keeping mum.

There’s going to be a big reveal, the 22-year-old says. Meanwhile she can tell us that Suited, the first single to be released from the album, marks the end of a chapter.

“It’s the end of me being a featured artist, the end of getting beats from other artists. Everything has been created from the ground up,” she says.

So far she’s produced hits with the likes of Black Coffee, Sketchy Bongo and Jesse Clegg and bagged an MTV Africa Music Award for best pop/alternative with Kyle Deutsch, but now it’s time for some solo action.

Audiences can expect a familiar sound on the single, she stresses. “I didn’t jump into a new genre – it’s what we know and what we’re accustomed to,” she says of Suited. “The rest of the album is really groovy though.”

The singer-songwriter draws on her personal experiences when she writes music.

“I’m easily inspired by people, by any situation or scenario. A lot of it’s from my boyfriend, and love, generally, from people.”