Shenseea Explains Why She’s Intent On Changing Her Sound
Having mastered the Jamaican music market, Shenseea is focused on finding the missing link that will make her career take off in the United States.
Speaking to fans on Instagram on Sunday, the Blessed singer opened up about starting a new chapter, from immigrating to the US to changing her sound.
“If I’m uncomfortable doing it, then I’m not gonna do it, but once I feel like I have the potential to do it and I sound great, then I’m gonna do it because I’m really trying to find my lane right now,” she shared. “I mean, I know who I am and I know what I stand for, but when it comes on to my sound, yeah, I wanna change it. I’m trying to find the sound that complements me perfectly.”
It’s a portrait she’s been painting since before the release of her debut album Alpha in 2022. The project, a melting pot of dancehall, hip hop, R&B, reggae and pop, peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart. It was also the second best-selling album by a Jamaican artist that year, copping 63,000 units in combined sales and streams in The States, according to data provided to DancehallMag from Billboard’s sales tracker Luminate.
In promoting Alpha, Shenseea told fans she’d be experimenting with new genres to showcase her versatility and musical direction, echoed again in a recent interview surrounding her upcoming sophomore album.
In recent years, Shenseea has given fans an inkling of her artistic dimensions with audio-visual projects, including Lick (featuring Megan Thee Stallion), Be Good, Run Run and You’re the One I Love. She’s also done collaborations with Kanye West, Major Lazor, The Chainsmokers and Masego, and fiery freestyles that have been picked up by American platforms. Furthermore, she’s increased her invisibility on mainstream stages like Rolling Loud and award shows like the VMAs.
While part of her musical exploration is rooted in finding a new sound, Shenseea also revealed that doing the same genre can become mundane.
“What I expect on this project is versatility, always,” she said. “I get so f**king bored with singing the same and sounding the same… That’s why when people are like ‘make another Good Comfort or another Foreplay’, I cannot. I already gave you guys that vibe.”
Some fans are still adapting to her creative freedom. Her latest release, Waistline, coincides with the sensual dancehall-flavoured songs in her repertoire. She encouraged fans to stream the single, now close to 240,000 listens on Spotify.
“I want to do the Waistline video too; I’m in love with that song… But y’all gotta run up the streams before we shoot it. Well, so they say,” she said, seemingly referring to her label, Interscope Records.
Despite the reset on her style of music, Shenseea thanked fans for staying the course, and remains confident in her vision to be an international superstar.
“I see myself doing stadiums and that’s why you see me learn how to dance and all of that sh*t because my vision is so big,” she said. “I know I’m from a small island, but my vision is so big bro, and right now I’m trying to achieve what I’ve always wanted to achieve in my life and it’s just a blessing to even have the opportunity to even try.”