Shenseea Grateful For ‘Album Of The Year’ Grammy Nomination

Dancehall star Shenseea has expressed gratitude for her Grammy nomination for Album Of The Year after she was named among the scores of featured artists, songwriters, producers, mixers, and engineers who contributed to Kanye West’s Donda album.

The 25-year-old, whose given name is Chinsea Lee, has been battling an undisclosed illness for a few weeks, but this wasn’t enough to stop her from making an Instagram post to share her joy.

“Even when I feel low the blessings continue to flow! Who could it be but God? Had to get up out my bed for this one! 4 fxking Grammy nominations!!!!!!!!!! Damn dawg I haven’t even released my debut album yet @kanyewest @masego @majorlazer thanks for trusting me on y’all songs 🙏🏽 #ShenYengz,” she wrote today.

The nominations for the 64th Grammy Awards were announced today and Donda is among the ten projects vying for Album Of The Year.

Shenseea was featured artist on the tracks Pure Souls and OK OK pt 2.

Although the 27-track album was spearheaded by West, the Recording Academy has stipulated that this year, if an album is up for Album Of The Year, then all credited featured artists, songwriters of new material, producers, recording engineers, mixers, and mastering engineers who worked on that album are automatically nominated. Previously, the Grammy rule stated that all of these music professionals had to be credited with 33 percent or more of playing time (on the album), in order to be nominated.

In her post today, Shenseea claimed that she received nominations for Best Rap Album (for her contributions on West’s Donda), Best Progressive R&B Album (for Silver Tongue Devil on Masego’s Studying Abroad: Extended EP), and Best Dance/Electronic Music Album (for Tiny on Major Lazer’s Music Is The Weapon (Reloaded). 

However, the Recording Academy’s rules indicate that featured acts in these Genre categories must contribute more than 51% of playing time on the project, in order to be considered nominated. 

“To be recognized as a GRAMMY nominee, a featured artist must be credited as a featured artist; and make a significant and artistic contribution beyond accompaniment,” the Recording Academy dictates. 

“Featured artists are GRAMMY-eligible in Album Of The Year; they are eligible in the genre album Categories if they perform on more than 51 percent of playing time; and are eligible in performance Categories if they are credited as a featured artist on the track/single.”

Mark “Buju Banton” Myrie, who is already a Grammy holder for Best Reggae Album, is nominated for Album Of The Year, after he was credited on West’s Donda album for the single Believe What I Say.

Jamaican artist BEAM, 26, is also nominated for Album Of The Year, for his contribution to Justin Bieber’s album Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe), on the song Love You Different.

Queen of Dancehall Spice, Sean Paul, Jesse Royal, Etana, Gramps Morgan, and SOJA are the six nominees for the Best Reggae Album Grammy Award.

Meanwhile, in under an hour, Shenseea’s comments were flooded with congratulatory messages from fans. “YESSSSSSS LOVE!!! I live for your music,” said one ecstatic fan.

Another said, “CONGRATULATIONS! GOOD LUCK IN ALL ASPECTS.”

One more excited supporter added, “Yes baby congrats! You deserve it all!”

The Grammy Awards ceremony will be held on January 31, 2022, at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles.

Shenseea, who was also recently nominated for Best Reggae Act at the MOBO Awards, is set to release her debut album in early 2022, under Rvssian’s Rich Immigrants label (a joint venture with Interscope Records).