DEVI - Shekinah Mukhiya

In the beautiful town of Dehradun, Shekinah has grown up hearing her father sing. Watching his gigs and shows, music came naturally to her, and so did her innate talent for singing.

She was 11 years old when she gave her first audition for a reality show. It was a blind audition and she was surprised to be shortlisted for the next round in New Delhi and then, in Mumbai! The show was ‘Voice India Kids’ and soon, Shekinah was on the cover page of the Bombay Times.
In 2019, Shekinah participated in ‘Superstar Singer’ on Sony television. She became the first contestant to win the Gold Medal, making it to the top 16 finalists. With recognition in many reality shows, her fan following grew and people loved her for her unique singing and talent.

Singing for a Cause
During the lockdown, Shekinah’s father, Mr. Vikas Mukhiya received a call from a friend, asking for help for a lady and her family. The lady was nine months pregnant with severe complications and had lost her job during the pandemic. With a bedridden mother and an ailing sister at home, she had lost all hope in herself and her unborn child.

After the call, Vikas wondered how he could help that lady. Shekinah suggested they sing for a cause and raise funds for her medical aid. Keeping humanity before everything else, Shekinah and her father set up a small studio arrangement at home. They went live on all their social media accounts, explaining the reason for the ‘live performance’ to their viewers. Shekinah requested her followers to donate if they liked her performance and music. With grace and patience, she sang for hours into the night. Slowly, donations began pouring in, and over a few days of live streaming, she collected one lakh rupees! The amount was received just in the nick of time as the lady had to be rushed to the hospital due to an emergency. She was provided the right medical treatment and had a successful delivery. Ecstatic and grateful for the help, the lady hailed Shekinah as the ‘God Mother’ to her child.

To hold an infant in her arms and be called a God Mother was an overwhelming experience for Shekinah. At that moment she realized how an act of kindness transforms the lives of both – the receiver and the giver. It gave her hope that through music, she can make a difference in the lives of others.

Serving Humanity
The social cause was an unexpected and beautiful turn in Shekinah’s musical journey during the lock down. She found bliss in contributing to charitable causes through singing. Her ‘live’ performances on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook now had a sacred purpose. At the onset of winter, she collaborated with the Indian Christian Youth Foundation (ICYF) to collect money and distribute blankets to homeless people. At the same time, she visited an orphanage and met young girls. Besides raising funds, Shekinah also took music classes for them!

With regular live streaming, Shekinah collected a generous amount for the treatment of a cancer patient. Since the pandemic deprived many workers of their livelihood, she did campaigns for ration distribution in Mussoorie. She also came forward to help a family whose house was destroyed during floods. To reciprocate the trust people showed in a young girl and her efforts to serve humanity, Shekinah posted vlogs to maintain transparency of funds to the benefactors.

Presence and Balance
Since popularity came to Shekinah at an early stage, life on social media isn’t new to her. She enjoys compliments and learns from criticisms. She respects and appreciates every feedback on her covers and renditions. While social media continues to be the biggest platform to showcase her talent, she sets a limit to her virtual presence. She loves spending time with her family and creating memories that she can keep close to her heart.

Shekinah loves finding balance in whatever she does. She also thanks her school, The Col. Brown Cambridge School, for supporting her passion for singing. The institution has played an important role in her journey.

Sing ‘coz you love

Shekinah believes that music is all about happiness. The love for singing is more important than anything else. She strongly believes that music has healing powers and is a form of meditation. It’s therapeutic for both, the singer and the audience. She loves western music, plays guitar and ukulele, carries her distinct style and sings with a happy heart. To her, it’s the happiness of the soul that touches the hearts.

She recalls that once during a class activity, the teacher asked everyone to draw what they dream of becoming. Shekinah drew herself singing on the stage.

Young Achiever
She was the Brand Ambassador of Uttarakhand’s ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign and also the youngest recipient of the “Young Turk Award” of Garhwal Post in 2020. Her inspirational story of a live performance to raise funds was featured in a book. She debuted in a movie with the famous Indian singer Shaan and also got an opportunity to sing for music director Mr. Himesh Reshammiya.

She has recently recorded a song for music director Mr. Anand Milind which has just been released. Shekinah has also recorded an upcoming song composed by the renowned music director Shamir Tandon and written by Mr. Sameer Anjan.

The Dreams
Shekinah wants to spread happiness with her music and travel the world. She has faith in her dreams and the conviction to live them. She wants to explore, experience and is a firm believer in ‘You Only Live Once’! But as of now, she’s eagerly looking forward to the first ‘Board’ examinations, a milestone in every student’s life. We wish Shekinah the very best in her academic and musical journey. May she continue to sing to the beat of kindness that springs in her heart.