By Suelika N. Creque
Editor-SKNVibes.com

BRIDETOWN, Barbados – SHONTELLE’S claim to fame could be of one that dreams do come true. Not to be taken as a cliché, but her call to fame was definitely her destiny.

With a Law degree, the singer and songwriter is not only signed to a major recording label, but to the label of her dreams - Universal/Motown Records.

She recently performed at the Spring Groove Concert in Japan alongside Akon, T-Pain, John Legend and other major Asian acts, and told SKNVibes exclusively about her debut album, her hit single (T-Shirt) and her call to fame.

Like any other child from the islands, Shontelle Layne enjoyed the beautiful beaches her home in Barbados had to offer. She also enjoyed sports and was academically inclined.

She however recalled that music was all around her and said that her aunt, Kim Derrick, was one of the top artistes in Barbados.

“Music has always been in my family. I knew that was what I wanted to do…I love music more than anything,” she said.

Although being signed to a major label was the ultimate dream come through, growing up in the Caribbean with limited opportunities, ‘getting signed’ was not an everyday occurrence.

With the exception of her fellow Bajan singer Rihanna, who was discovered at a school talent show, Shontelle knew that Caribbean artistes being discovered and getting signed is very rare and, unfortunately, does not happen often enough.

“So I just decided to do my best locally. Sonia Mullins, who is now one of my managers, took me under her wings in Barbados and I became friends with Nathalee. She’s a big artiste at home and we wrote a song called ‘Colours’ which became a big hit,” she said.

Shontelle explained that ‘Colours’ won a number of awards and was followed closely by the Caribbean woman’s anthem ‘Roll’, which was sung by another Bajan artiste, Allison Hinds.

Shontelle penned that song which peaked the interest of New York-based songwriter/producer Evan Rogers.

“I was in New York at the time and I got a random call from Evan Rogers, and I knew his company was responsible for getting Rihanna signed with Def Jam. So, in my head, I was like why is he calling me,” she recalled.

“He told me that he was on a long chase to get in touch with me and that he wanted to meet me as a songwriter and if I could write songs for their company, because he heard ‘Roll’ and thought it was a great song.”

Eventually, she met with Rogers and his business partner Carl Sturken. On arrival at their studio in New York, Shontelle was met with another surprise.

“When I walked in, they kinda tricked me. They put me on a spot and brought out a guitar and started playing and they told me to sing and I was like…whattt…And they were like, ‘yeah we heard, you got some pipes there’. So I thought this was the opportunity of a lifetime and I can’t back down.”

Shontelle impressed them so much with her talents that she was offered a production deal following her impromptu performance.

“I was like yes, that’s my dream! And following that, we went around shopping for labels and I got signed with my favorite label which is Universal/Motown. How cool was that!”

Shontelle explained that she grew up listening to a number of artistes who were on the Motown label, including Stevie Wonder and The Jackson Five.

“It was always my dream to be on that label,” she said.

Immediately after signing on to her dream label, Shontelle began working on material and preparing for her debut album ‘Shontelligence’, which was released on November 18, 2008.

“I wanted to give an introduction as to who I am with my first album. It is a reflection of who I am, even musically.

Although it’s mostly pop and R/B music, there is still a strong presence of reggae, dancehall and soca, which is music from where I come from,” she said.

She said that the music on her album reflects female empowerment and strong uplifting powerful messages. She also enjoys making people happy and giving them hope…inspiring and motivating.

“I guess my music really expresses that and, at the same time, you can dance to it. Caribbean people…our music is colourful,” she said.

The album also features her hit single ‘T-Shirt’, which she said the inspiration came from past experiences.

“I’ve been there! Even though the song wasn’t about a specific experience, girls get mushy and sometimes you can’t be around the specific person that you love. And there are times when you don’t feel like doing anything, you don’t wanna go out etc; and when you miss someone you tend to want to hold on to something, that belongs to them. At the end of the day, a T-shirt is the best thing; it probably still smells like the person and you can wear it. And that’s what it’s about, a girl who cannot be with the person she loves or is missing that person,”

Her new stardom has now grown from a small fan base in Barbados to messages flourishing her Myspace and Facebook pages, to being flooded by fans and camera lights and having less privacy.

“You show up at a hotel and you wonder how the fans know you will be there, or arrive at the airport, etc. It gets crazy with a lot of cameras flashing. But as long as I know I’m making someone’s day, then I’m good,” she said.

Working with Bob Marley would have been another dream come through, but unfortunately the artiste is no longer around.

“But I also would love to work with Alicia Keys. I think she is an incredible artiste. She can do anything; she’s a musician, she’s an artiste, a philanthropist, a real good example of what women should be like, and extremely kind and humble. I draw a lot of inspiration from her music and her as a person.”

Shontelle said that Caribbean people are a force to be reckoned with and that they should not doubt themselves.

“If there is something you are passionate about, read stories about artistes making it, because it will inspire you. Set goals and try to meet and network with people you know are connected; a lot of local producers are connected. Also connect with DJs as well. Always be prepared; if you dream big it gonna happen real quick, and it’s just about preparing for that moment,” she advised.

She said that the situation with Rhianna and Chris Brown was unfortunate and something that women should not experience.

“I knew Rihanna for a very long time when she was just known as Robyn, and it was very sad for me to see what happened to her. Domestic violence is something that should not be tolerated and it shouldn’t happen to anyone…boy or girl, adult, etc. It’s a very unfortunate situation, and I’m glad to see she is somewhat recovering from it and is able to move on. This is something very prevalent in the Caribbean,” she said.

Now residing in New York, she continues to promote her music and doing as many concerts as she possibly can.

Shontelle is now promoting a new release she did with Akon, titled ‘Stuck with each other’, which they will be promoting at an upcoming concert in the United Kingdom.