How a multi-platinum artist is weaving her Guyanese heritage into every beat, step, and stage she touches
By Shaniya Harding

WHEN Kira Divine choreographed a music video for Alison Hinds’ hit Faluma, years after dancing to the same song at a childhood friend’s family reunion, she realised the power of manifestation. In an interview with Pepperpot Magazine, Kira shares her journey as a Broadway performer turned multi-platinum songwriter who carries her Guyanese heritage into every creative endeavour.

Real name Shakira Marshall—named after Guyanese beauty queen Shakira Baksh, who married actor Michael Caine. Kira’s work highlights just how well ancestry and artistry can dance in perfect rhythm.

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Queens, New York, Kira is the daughter of two Guyanese immigrants; her mother is from Kitty, and her father is from Agricola. As a first-generation American, Kira has been immersed in the arts since she was four years old when her parents enrolled her in dance school after noticing her natural affinity for singing and dancing around the house.

“I am a professional singer, songwriter, actor, choreographer, model, and dancer. All of the above,” she says—her résumé as diverse as her talents. Her professional journey began in her teenage years and has taken her to impressive heights, including a stint on Broadway.

Today, Kira has evolved into a multi-platinum singer-songwriter, primarily in the electronic dance music realm, though her versatility knows no bounds. She’s written for soca artistes and collaborated with Caribbean music royalty like Alison Hinds and Elephant Man. Her choreography skills have been sought by music icons, including Lauryn Hill and Jill Scott.

Caribbean Influences in the Concrete Jungle

Growing up in Queens shaped Kira’s artistic identity in profound ways. “New York is like the Caribbean outside of the Caribbean. What’s really cool is that it’s a melting pot of all of the Caribbean cultures,” she explained.

Her neighbourhood was particularly influential—a vibrant Caribbean community where her neighbours represented Panama, Haiti, Trinidad, and beyond. This multicultural environment provided her with an expansive view of Caribbean culture beyond her Guyanese heritage.

“The dance schools that I first attended were run by women from St Lucia, Barbados, Guyana. Dancing to soca and music of the Caribbean started in my dance school training as well,” she shared.

This early exposure planted seeds that would later blossom in her professional career. “I’ve always seen the value and known the value of my culture in a classroom setting from a very young age. It’s something that definitely inspired me and made me want to pursue it later in life,” Kira stated.

One particular full-circle moment stands out in her memory: “As a kid, my best friend is Panamanian. And at her family reunion, we choreographed a dance to Faluma. Years later, I ended up choreographing the music video for Faluma. Manifesting is a real thing, even when you don’t realise it.”

Heritage as Creative Compass

Though she grew up in the United States, the essence of Guyanese culture runs through her veins and is represented, seen and felt in her work. “It may not be the full Monty, but the remnants of the culture are inside of me,” she said.

“My work is heavily influenced by my heritage. Everything I do, I inject who I am into it. And by parentage, I am Guyanese, right? So the culture is embedded in me,” she added.

Kira described her first visit to Guyana as transformative. Despite wanting to connect with her ancestral homeland since her youth, it was not until 2013 that she came to Guyana. “I remember for my sixteenth birthday all I wanted to do was to come to Guyana,” she recalled.

Coming to Guyana, although she was already an adult, proved to be a refreshing and grounding experience—one that Kira says highlighted and reinforced parts of her heritage she was not even aware of.

“It was such an enriching experience for me because it made me realise a lot of the things that I learned as a kid that I didn’t realise were Guyanese,” she reflects. “Little things like ‘make haste’ or, you know, little proverbs that I heard or songs that my parents taught me like satira; just words that we use in our colloquialisms that I didn’t realise were a Guyanese thing until I came here. I’m like, oh, okay, I definitely am Guyanese,” she explained.

This cultural identity has become a cornerstone of her artistic expression, with Kira bringing her unique Guyanese flair to every stage.

“Every stage, every performance, every opportunity—people will know that that’s where I come from because it’s the truth. That is my history. That is my ancestry,” she shared.

In today’s global entertainment landscape, Kira views her heritage as a distinctive advantage. “It’s also what makes me unique, especially on the world stage. We have a very beautiful, diverse, and unique culture that the world is just getting to know,” she stated.

Inspired by Guyana’s Creative Landscape

Having experienced Guyana’s creative scene first-hand, Kira is enthusiastic about its potential. “I think that there’s so much talent here in Guyana. There’s a lot that has been tapped into, and there’s a lot of untapped talent,” she shared.

She noted positive developments in recent years. “I love that within the recent years, we have been investing more into the arts because it was needed. That was something I saw in 2013—that it was needed. And I committed myself to coming back and teaching and sharing, building, organising workshops,” she said.

Her recent experiences attending cultural events like the Dancehall Monarch competition during Mashramani celebrations have reinforced her optimism in the vibrancy of Guyanese creativity.

“It was really nice to see all the local artistes, how hard they’re working on their craft,” she added. However, she emphasises the need for continued investment, especially as Guyana’s global notoriety rises following oil discoveries and increased social media visibility. “We are being watched by the world now,” she cautioned.

The connection between cultural development and tourism is particularly important to Kira, and she sees Guyana’s culture as a major addition to our tourism capacity.

“Tourism is a big thing, but people come to a country based on the culture. Tourism and culture go hand in hand, so we need to continue to develop the cultural arts because that is what’s going to make people want to come here and explore even more.”

Drawing from her own travel experiences, she adds, “Even if I was never Guyanese, I know the places that I go on Earth, and when I go to travel is because I want to experience the culture, the music, the food, the entertainment, the art,” she shared.

New Horizons and Upcoming Projects

Kira’s creative output shows no signs of slowing down. Her collaboration with local artistes continues to bear fruit, including a 2020 release with Guyanese producer Joey Tukul called My Season.

Recently signed to an Australian record label, she released her first EP, Bird of Paradise, in March 2025. “It’s mostly electronic disco dance type music, and I’m excited for that. It’s a long time coming,” she shared.

Looking ahead, Kira is exploring opportunities to perform at Guyana’s upcoming EDM festival in August. “We’re in the talks to have me perform. So hopefully, it works out. And if it doesn’t work out this year, we’re definitely going to try to make it happen for next year.”

Between studio sessions at Rough Cut Studios with producers Cody and Andre and promoting her recent single Superficial with Marcus Oliver, Kira maintains connections to both her American career and her Guyanese roots.

“I’ve got some really nice things coming out next year,” she teased, inviting followers to stay connected across social platforms.

Moving forward, Kira aims to continue the legacy of bringing Guyanese heritage and individuality to the world stage.