Rhythm of Love: In conversation with Shema

With the aim to produce Divinely inspired music, Zedino Seyie and Thejaser Khate just a year ago started a project ‘Shema’ that is solely based on writing, composing and producing Worship music.
Focusing only on gospel lyrics, the duo collaborates with various artists and sing for the Lord.
Shema has released two songs ‘Just To Be Yours’ And ‘Out Of The Depths’. Their first song ‘Just To Be Yours’ which was released in indihut earlier this year is a remembrance of all the babies that have been and are being aborted and the guilt of mothers.

EASTERN MIRROR: Birth of Shema…..And an introduction of your team members…
Shema : Shema was birthed in 2016 by Zedino Seyie and Thejaser Khate in response to the call of God in their lives. It is a project solely based on writing, composing and producing Worship music.
Zedino Seyie is a blogger, writer, entrepreneur and a passionate worshipper. She is the founder of ‘Mission Love’ and is the main lyricist of Shema.
Thejaser Khate was formerly associated with music groups like Alobo Naga and the Band, Zowe Madrigal, Voices of Hope etc. He works at Kuda Village Baptist Church presently, and takes care of the music department in Shema.

EASTERN MIRROR: Aim of Shema….
Shema : Shema aims to produce music that is Divinely inspired and present it in the most undiluted manner. God willing, we pray that it will become a full fledged music production company someday.

EASTERN MIRROR: A short description of how the Shema project works?
Shema : There are no particular set of rules that we follow in working out the songs. So far we have collaborated with various artists and musicians who share the same passion as us in worship music and we believe that will continue until God leads us into something else. Till date we have released two songs, ‘JUST TO BE YOURS’ and ‘OUT OF THE DEPTHS’.

EASTERN MIRROR: Lately, how have the response been like from the people who have worked with Shema?
Shema : We have been so blessed to have had people like Imtirenla Sayer Ross, Kevi Neibulie Kiso, Nourhevilie Khate and Kevi Pucho on board our projects so far. They are geniuses and maestros in what they do and contribute to Shema. More than anything else, it’s our love of worship music that has united us in this project and we are pretty sure we will be doing so many more together. We love and treasure them; they are family to us.

EASTERN MIRROR: While composing do you focus mostly on gospel lyrics or a mixture of all?
Shema : Yes, we focus only on gospel lyrics. This is one covenant that we made to the Lord; to write but only for Him and to sing, but only for Him.
“Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy. “ Mark 12:30 MSG

EASTERN MIRROR: Most successful project the team has covered so far?
Shema : The success of Shema, we believe lies in the hearts of the people and not the position we scale on the charts. Shema is and has and will always be about the Gospel and the absolute truth that God loves His children and if that message is conveyed, our purpose is fulfilled.
We released our first song, ‘JUST TO BE YOURS’ on Indihut in March 2017 which is a song in remembrance of all the babies that have been and are being aborted and their mothers who live with trauma and remorse and guilt upon the realization of an act committed out of fear, shame, lack of resources, etc. And the response and testimonies we’ve received from men and women, girls and boys has encouraged us so much; for a debut release, to get 700+ downloads in a month is pretty miraculous to us, if that counts as success.

EASTERN MIRROR: With such kind of projects like shema not very common in the state, what message do you have for all talented musicians who wish to glorify the lord and bring changes in the society through music?
Shema : We believe Nagas are extraordinarily-musically-gifted. The charisma that we emit and taste of excellence we aim to achieve for is unique. In everything that we do, being sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and being aware of the move of God for-a-time-such-as-this, is what we found very profound and helped us a lot. His glory should be our main motive and simply walking in the revelation of His love and grace is all it takes to glorify the Lord and also bring changes in the society. Once we’ve encountered His love and grace and have been awakened to the wonder of who we really are, glorifying God becomes natural. To glorify takes obedience.
Honestly speaking, we were pretty nervous as to how people were going to take the first song. A sensitive issue, not really spoken about, with high tendencies to take sides; but we just obeyed the Lord and dedicated everything to and for His glory, and He just took us from nothing to actually being the voice of many hurting women in our own capacity, and also opened the eyes of many others who do not actually understand the depths of the aftermath of an abortion.
May the sounds of Nagaland be ever pleasing to the ears of our Lord. May our musicians hear and compose from the sounds of Heaven. May every song ever written from these beautiful hills, bring Heaven down to Earth and may our King be glorified and honored in the grandest way ever through the songs that we sing and write!