Cape Town - “This Women’s Month, we had nothing to celebrate.”
These are the words of singer Shekhinah Thandi Donnell.
“We need to stand together and stand against gender-based violence. People need to sign the petitions. With Rose Fest, which is our women empowerment brand, we are trying to stand with other people who are really invested and involved in actually trying to make a change. So, we’re trying to drive with people that work with us to work against it. There is a project called the Embrace project, where you can sign a petition against gender-based violence,” said Donnell.
This is on the back of her tour, where she is visiting various spots in our country to showcase the beautiful locations. She has been shooting in Cape Town for the last three days and is headed to George next.
“It’s been super crazy. I spent the past year not doing shows but working on music and digital content. Trying to let people in on what we have been doing without being out there. We have a lot of plans. We have a short documentary and music videos that people can expect towards the end of the year, and we hope to shoot a live show for the project eventually.
The documentary is about Trouble in Paradise, the album, the process and just the day to day, and people can hear her speak instead of her singing.
She has been working on new content since Christmas last year. People can expect soulful music and more quiet songs from her.
“I started out in the industry very hungry, excited and passionate, and I discovered I was a bit of an introvert, but I have really learnt a lot in the past seven years that I have been around. I am just learning to trust myself and believe in myself. Trying to love myself more and see myself in every light and appreciate myself, the way I was born and my uniqueness. I think I am really in a space where I am trying to spend time with myself and enjoy myself. That’s where I am at,” she said.
Her little secret that she shared with the Weekend Argus is that she shoots videos and then scraps them. That’s why sometimes it takes a bit longer. “I am very hard on myself and hard to please. I always want to produce the best that I can,” she said.
She says her latest album, Trouble in Paradise, is a complete contrast to her previous album, which is called Rose Gold. “It is on the other side of things being Rose Gold. Reality is dawning.”
“The pandemic has forced us to engage more with technology. It has brought the circle closer. In a sense, it has been very helpful to discover new music. In the live element, financially, it has been hindering, but I have enjoyed being at home creating new music meeting new artists online and writing via Zoom and connecting people from my home.”
On her off days, you can catch her on the couch watching some cartoons while enjoying some delicious food and a drink. Her favourite hot drink is an Americano.
Her secret to staying in shape during the pandemic is a simple one she watches exercise shows online.
She said she is excited to be back on the road and into music.
Weekend Argus