June 3rd was an ordinary Monday across London except for the team assembled at 8 am in West London's Qube studios. Up bright and early and ready to shoot our latest cover star, the team gathered and prepped for the arrival of Dancehall and GRAMMY Nominated songstress Shenseea. Having delivered a sensational performance at the City Splash festival the previous weekend, she took a trip to Seychelles for another performance before flying back into London for a brief window, especially for our shoot.
As everybody knew, to say there was time pressure was an understatement. Yet in the moments of extended hair and makeup, three outfit changes, and the corresponding set changes, a calmness surrounded her as she arrived and left with eight minutes to shoot the final look.
The results captured three distinctive looks, each portraying a different facet of Shenseea. Her remarkable ability to adapt to each look and embody its unique vibe is a testament to her versatility. This adaptability, evident in her countless fashion looks over the years, is just one part of her artistry that she has displayed and evolved throughout her career. Her willingness to experiment and try something new has enabled her to sustain and thrive throughout her almost decade-long career.
Arriving at this point has been nothing short of hard work for Shenseea, who began her career in Jamaica and has grown into one of the biggest Dancehall artists from the Caribbean Island. Her ability to embrace and carry her heritage everywhere she goes has made her identifiable, catapulting her to international stardom across the globe.
Yet, when speaking to her a few weeks after the shoot when she is back in London again, it doesn't feel as if I am conversing with somebody I know to be one of the biggest Dancehall artists I know. Instead, the conversation naturally flows through various topics with a few laughs here and there. Throughout the conversation, there is a palpable humility that exists in terms of her artistry and her career thus far, along with all she has been able to achieve. This humility, a quality she has been able to hold through detaching herself from the pressures and titles around her name, is a refreshing aspect of her personality. Although she is very much aware of her musical impact and its effect on the Jamaican Dancehall scene, it's also something she doesn't pay too much attention to. "I try not to soak it in too much. I'm grateful because I told God I would love to be a global artist that people can relate to and enjoy worldwide. He has helped me carry out that task. However, I try not to soak it in because I don't want to get ahead of myself." Rather than staying complacent in her cultural status, it is more about her evolution and growth and how she can continue to do so in a way that keeps her going, "I'm always in a state of wanting to grow and to try to make an impact on new people. I don't dwell on what I already have. As grateful as I am, because I don't want to get lost in what I have, I want to constantly see myself as a person who needs work and who wants to put in work because I'm not where I want to be in life, and I don't ever want to get caught up because of how far I am in life."
One way in which she has been able to display this growth is evident in her musical offerings. From the beginning of her career, which began when she released her 2016 single 'Jiggle Jiggle' until her most recent release, one only has to listen to the catalogue she has accumulated to hear what that growth has been like. Never one should shy away from trying new things and experimenting beyond what one expects from dancehall and its traditional sounds; she has always been able to expand beyond and, in doing so, bring a uniqueness to her sound. 'Never Gets Late Here' displays this perfectly and is rooted in her ability to infuse multiple genres and intentionally sets out to capture global audiences in the way in which she touches on a variety of sounds, but also doing so in a way that makes sure that is still staying true to herself and what people know her for. "Even if I'm doing something new, I try to infuse myself in a way that ties to my culture, whether it be keywords, my accent or drums we use in Dancehall and Reggae. So, it still feels authentic, even if I'm trying to branch out into a different genre for others to enjoy. It's like a fusion, and it's something new.
Coming off the back of ALPHA, her 2022 debut album Never Gets Late, Here is an ascension in her career journey. The album itself is a sonic departure from its predecessor. It puts her at a level where you can see her global reach through her collaborations, ranging from Anitta, Coi Leray, Wizkid, Masicka, and Di Genius. The musical pallet infuses Afrobeats, R&B, and Pop, which still marry into her Shenseea-esqe vibe.
The album has something for everyone and, in so, seems very palatable across the board. Yet it is tied together in a way that makes sense for her in the current position she is in her career: "In every record I put on the album, I try to make it feel like me. Even if I'm mixing it with Reggaeton, Afrobeats, R&B, or Pop, you can still hear my accent, which will bring them back to Jamaica."
She acknowledges where this album stands in its place within her discography and how she is very much in the space of figuring things out and playing around with different sounds. And whilst people tend to place a lot of pressure on one's Sophomore album, she realizes that in the journey of things, it's what's coming next that she is looking forward to in terms of what's next for her musically. "Even while curating this album, I was still all over the place because I was dabbling in different genres then. I was still trying to find my niche. The third album will probably be the best one I will create because now I know the business behind the albums and what to put in it—no more of the overthinking I was doing on the first two. Now I see that it's not even that serious. It's still about enjoying and making great music and just having fun, most of all." Even though there are no current plans or anything towards said album, it is more of a prospect of what it will indicate for her and the place she is in. Taking all the lessons and experiences she has had over making the previous two, both of which came at different points in her career, the third one will continue in the vein of growth and evolution, which is something that stands strong to her. "My third album is even more exciting than the first two because I've been learning so much from them. The good thing is that I'm constantly evolving, and people see that's what's important to me."
The trajectory that has gotten Shenseea to arrive at this point in her career has not been without its challenges. There is an element of sacrifice that one has to go through when embarking on the path of being an artist, let alone being on the level she has reached. Between navigating one's personal experiences alongside the pressures and realities that come with the artist's life, there is a lot for one to reconcile with, and staying true to oneself is an important part of making it through all the challenges. The separation between business and creativity has a distinction and shows how she balances both. "The way I view things is more as half and half. You can't take anything too personally because it is a business. It has been hard having to hold back my true feelings because of the business. At the end of the day, we as artists are emotional, but we can't be too emotional because sometimes that does more damage than good and can ruin our reputation if we share our feelings. There is something within this that she has reconciled with, and it is evident in the way she carries herself, protecting herself from the emotional challenges that come with her reality.
On set, one thing evident as she had her breakfast and sat in her hair and makeup, getting ready for the shoot ahead, was the silence and calmness she stayed in as she read her bible. This gave her a continued stillness and calmness that followed her throughout the shoot. Speaking about this and finding peace amongst its chaos is a big part. "I do have my moments of meditation, and I give my thanks daily to God. However, I can also see how prideful and egotistical can destroy an artist and cause them to lose everything. So, I still try to remain humble. It is being able to stay true to yourself amidst the chaos." This is important, especially in the conversation of identity and what it means to be yourself and exist as a human being before anything. In addition to being an artist, the person exists; part of that identity is another part of what makes the artist. "My identity and who I am are also a part of how special I am, what people gravitate towards, and what they fall in love with; I don't want to rob them or myself of that and change myself into someone completely different because I don't have to."
This journey is of constant self-reflection and awareness, especially with all the changes and shifts. Not to mention the pressure that exists. There is something to be said about being the representative or viewed as a representative of a specific genre or culture that exists, which takes you beyond yourself. As anybody knows, the name Shenseea is synonymous with dancehall and Jamaican culture, and what it represents in terms of Jamaican and dancehall culture is very apparent whether or not you are into her music. So naturally, carrying that weight of pressure is something that is felt whether or not it's welcomed in the way that it aspects. Very often, a byproduct of the fact that you're creating art and expressing yourself comes with a sense of representing and speaking for a culture that people view you as, especially on a global scale and with social media that is only amplified to another level. However, getting to this point of this next phase of her career and looking to the future is about removing that pressure and those expectations. "I feel like people have been putting pressure on me, what I've done for Jamaica and the culture, and what I'm supposed to do for Jamaica and the culture. Now it's almost like I took that jacket off and been like an artist, and I just want to be an artist. I don't want to have this huge responsibility. For a long time, I tried to meet other people's expectations. And I don't want to do that anymore. I want to have fun."
Fun is the theme of the next chapter and the next phase of her career journey. Currently embarking on her first North American Tour with no plans of what the next single or anything musical will sound like, it's all about creative freedom, getting the chance to let go, not overthinking and holding onto things, and trusting that everything that is in store will only continue on the path of growth and elevation.
Creative Director & Photographer: Satori Cascoe - @toricascoe
Photography Assistant: Lana Obied - @interludelanna
Producer: Seneo Mwamba - @seneomwamba
Production Assistant: Tahirah Thomas - @tahirahtho
Movement Director: Anaïs Watson - @anaiswatson
Fashion Stylist: Jadzia Scott - @jadziascott_
Fashion Stylist assistants: Marilena Angelides - @lenaangelides, Yasmyn Ntege - @y.asmyn and Chrisleine Correia - @reiastyle
Project Manager: Zekaria Al-Bostani & Roderick Ejuetami - @zek.snaps & @deeds_art
Set Designer: Shania-Mae Wright - @shaniam00
Art Assistant: Davinia Clarke - @daviniadesigns
MUA: Marshayna Suban - @marshayna_
Hairstylist: Sheree-Jourdan - @x_sjourdan
Hair Assistant: Jaki Henry - @jakihenri
Gaffer: Alex José - @alexjose.photo
Lighting & Studio Asisstant: Tobi King - @tobikingsphoto
Design: @deeds.studio @dianeadanna
Studio: Qube West London - @weareqube
BTS Video: Shot by Faces - @shotbyfaces
Writer: Seneo Mwamba - @seneomwamba
Publicist: Aarti Popat @aartipopat @alwaysprotectedpublicity & Tammy Brook @tammybrook
Glam Products being used: MUA Brand: Charlotte Tilbury - @charlottetilbury
Hair Products: John Frieda- Curl Reviver Moouse, Avlon Keracare - Oil sheen & using Boho locs brand to refresh locs
Styling:
Look 1 - Bra: Claudia Pink @claudiapink Top and Skirt: Grete Henriette top @grete.henriette Choker: Shedean @shedeanjewelz_ Necklace: Shop the mood club @shopthemoodclub Earring: Claudia Pink @claudiapink Nose cuff: Stylist own @jadziascott_ Left side hand: Green and Gold cuffs: Dinosaur Designs @dinosaur_designs Silver Cuff: Claudia Pink @claudiapink Pinky ring: Dosisg6c @dosisjewelry Middle finger ring : mi manera @mimanera_jewelry Index finger ring : Shedean @shedeanjewelz_ Right side hand: Silver cuff : Claudia pink @claudiapink Gold Cuff : Dinosaur designs @dinosaur_designs Middle finger ring : dosisg6c, @dosisjewelry Index finger ring : Shedean @shedeanjewelz_ Pearl belt : Dosisg6c @dosisjewelry
Look 2 - Latex Dress and stockings by Elissa Poppy @elissapoppy Crochet Dress by Korlekie @korlekie
Look 3 - Custom Pierced Bodysuit : Cameron Hancock @cameronhancock.studio Dress : Ellis Jaz @ellis_jaz Jewelry : Mi Manera @mimanera_jewelryy
