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Meet Universal’s Newest Songstress Shontelle

Until Rihanna washed up on our shores, the success of singers from Barbados has been spotty. Where are you Rupee? But now, Rebel-One Management (the same folks who back Rihanna) are are hoping to duplicate their success with a new Bajan good girl by the name of Shontelle.

After writing the crossover hit “Roll” for soca singer Alison Hinds, 23-year-old Shontelle Layne signed a solo deal with SRC/Universal. Her forthcoming album, Shontelligence is expected to hit shelves this year, led by her cutesy ladies-anthem”T-Shirt.” This week, one of her inspirational tracks “Battle Cry” appeared on Yes We Can: Voices Of A Grassroots Movement, a compilation album for the Democratic National Convention. But with politics pushed to the side, we got Shontelle’s feedback on her modeling debut at fashion week, being obsessed with her labelmate Akon, and repping her country right. Get familiar by reading our exclusive interview below…

Interview by Richard “DJ Treats” Dryden

Complex: How’d you get your start?

Shontelle: I wrote a song called “Roll,” which was performed by Alison Hinds. Evan Rogers, who’s from SRP, my production company, just happened to hear the song ‘cause his wife is from Barbados. So they wanted to know who the writer was and then they contacted me. After the meeting, they literally brought out this guitar and they were like, “Sing for us!” [laughs]. By the end of the meeting they wanted to sign me to their production company and we put together a demo. We shopped it around and eventually ended up with Steve Rifkind at SRC/Universal.

Complex: Congrats.

Shontelle: One day [I’m] in Barbados just writing songs for local artists and the next thing you know, I’m in New York signed to a major label.

Complex: Alison Hinds is kind of a big deal I bet?

Shontelle: Yeah, she’s like a huge soca artist in the Caribbean. They call her the Queen of Soca.

Complex: So where does your sound fall?

Shontelle: It’s a blend of both, I would say. Growing up, I was always into all kinds of music. I always used to write pop and R&B. Being from Barbados, our local music is soca, and that was really the way to get recognized the easiest—that’s our mainstream music. So, I kind of got a lucky break and the song did really well.

Complex: It’s been a minute since any major crossover from the soca world…

Shontelle: Yeah. Rupee, he’s from Barbados, Kevin Little with “Turn Me On,” and I think Michael Montano who had like a couple songs too.

Complex: I thought he was going to make it big last year. A lot of people were checking for him.

Shontelle: My album is definitely pop. But there are a few songs that you will hear the island vibes—some reggae and songs with a soca feel to it. Fear not. [Laughs]

Complex: So are you living permanently in New York?

Shontelle: Yeah, although I always tell everyone New York is like my second home, because growing up, I would always be in New York, and I have so much family here. Every time there was a break from school I would spend all my vacation time in New York.

Hit “NEXT” to get Shontelle’s thoughts on being an authentic Bajan, and loving Akon..”