Shenseea Sets Her Sights On The Billboard Hot 100

Shenseea Appl
Shenseea. Photo contributed. (Apple Music)

Jamaican star Shenseea has shared one of her goals for the first quarter of 2022 ahead of the release of her debut album Alpha next month. Speaking with Apple Music 1 host Nadeska, as part of the platform’s Up Next program, the Sure Sure artist said that dominating the various music charts was high on her list this year.

“I wanna hit the charts.  I wanna be running the charts.  I feel like that is my goal for the first part of the year, and then to have just hits on the Hot 100,” the 25-year-old said.

“I just want my music to be heard all over the world… my main focus is to get my music out there to everybody and everything will fall in place after that,” she added.

The Manchester native already has a headstart on the goal she has set for herself, after scoring major points last August with her appearance on two tracks off Kanye West’s Donda.

She was credited for her songwriting and vocals on the tracks OK OK Pt 2 and Pure Souls featuring Roddy Rich, which peaked at No. 12 and 52 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively.  She was the first female Jamaican Dancehall artist to hit the Hot 100 in 17 years, following Miss Thing’s entry with Beenie Man on Dude in 2004.  Additionally, she joined Shaggy and Sean Paul as the only Dancehall artists to have two Billboard Hot 100 entries in the same week.

Shenseea’s contribution to West’s album has since earned her a Grammy nomination for Album Of The Year at the upcoming 64th Annual Awards in April.

AM Up Next Shenseea Image
Shenseea. Photo contributed (Apple Music)

In response to the question of what it was like for her to be featured on Donda, Shenseea said that it had never remotely crossed her mind that the Mercy rapper was interested in her work.

“I did not see that one coming; that’s for sure.  That wasn’t in my mind at all. I felt like the album was already complete.   And then on top of it, he called me.  Then I did the song, and to know that two days later it got released and not only one, but two songs?  That’s like a different type of blessing and opportunity that was granted to me,” she said.

“So I’m extremely grateful to God, and to Kanye because he believed in me.  I did not see him or meet him before Donda.  I met him the day that I went to work.  He took onto my vibe and he told me.”

Meanwhile, Shenseea’s Lick collab with Megan Thee Stallion peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, following its release on January 21.

Her latest song, R U That with ‘a lot‘ rapper 21 Savage, was released two days ago.

Alpha is due out on March 11 via Rich Immigrants/Interscope Records.