Shontelle
Shontelle, aka 'the new Rhianna', or more accurately, 'the female answer to Ne-Yo', is the brightest spark to emerge on the urban music scene for a long while in more ways than one. A singer, songwriter, producer, A-grade student, professional sportswoman, military officer and entrepreneur, there is far more than one talented string to this 23 year olds’ metaphorical bow.
Born and raised in Barbados, Shontelle was encouraged by her father, (who owns a chain of sporting good stores in Barbados), and mother, (who is a marketing executive for Virgin Atlantic airline) to go into any other business than show business.
Both parents were extremely supportive of her burgeoning career representing Barbados in international, swimming and track and field events. They also encouraged her throughout her lengthy stint as an army cadet; and were more than proud of her when she delivered A-grade after A-grade at school.
The music industry, however, was a different matter altogether. And so, as a child, Shontelle learnt to hide her aspirations to follow the footsteps of her aunt, popular Bajan singer Kim Derick, and developed a habit of hiding in cupboards whenever she wanted to sing.
Fast forward several years and Shontelle's love for music became difficult to suppress, even for her parents. In her teens she started to write songs for other people, and then in her early twenties, utilising the business sense drummed into her by her father and everything she'd learnt from her Media Law course at University, she set up her own publishing company.
Shontelle's first break came when she wrote the worldwide hit, 'Roll It'. Recorded by the Soca superstar Alison Hinds, it won a number of prestigious awards at Cropover, Barbados' carnival, and Shontelle attracted the attention of Even Rogers and Carl Struken, managers of her childhood friend and Barbados' hottest export, Rhianna.
Not long after Carl and Even signed Shontelle up to their management company, they secured her a recording deal with SRC, the Island Def Jam imprint run by the legendary music industry mogul Steve Rifkin (of Loud and Wu Tang fame). SRC are now poised to release Shontelle's debut album 'Shontelligence'. Featuring everyone from Beenie Man and Sizzla through to Stargate, ‘Shontelligence’ is a unique blend of reggae, ragga and contemporary R&B. The first cut from which, 'T-Shirt', is already taking the US by storm, soaring up both i-tunes and airplay charts simultaneously.