Shenseea

Songwriter/vocalist Shenseea blurs the line between dancehall and pop, creating tracks with uniquely effervescent energy and collaborating with well-known names from reggae, rap, and R&B circles. Along with multi-million-streaming tracks like her high-energy, Tyga-featuring 2019 single “Blessed,” Shenseea also released softer material such as 2020′s “Sure Sure,” and more tracks that leaned into a more traditional dancehall influence like 2021′s “Run Run.” She released her debut album, Alpha, in 2022, followed in 2023 by collaborations with the Chainsmokers and Lola Brooke. Her second album, Never Gets Late Here, arrived in May 2024. Shenseea was born Chinsea Lee in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1996. She began making music early on, issuing some of her first singles when she was still a teen, including “Tell Me,” a 2013 collaboration with Jahmiel. Her fan base grew as the years went on and she gained exposure from constant performing, some product endorsement deals, and several high-profile collaborations. Two such big-name collabs came in 2017 in the form of the single “Loodi” which featured Vybz Kartel, and “Rolling” which boasted Sean Paul as a guest star. Shenseea joined Sean Paul for part of his European tour that year. With lyrics encouraging hard work and positivity and delivering them with a down-to-earth demeanor, Shenseea inspired her fans and admirers with her ability to tap into commonplace struggles while still making celebratory fun-loving music. She stayed busy throughout 2018 and was featured on “Right Moves” from Christina Aguilera’s Liberation album. She released her own singles “Body Good” and “I Can” (the latter featured a guest spot from Dani Alo). Early in 2019, Shenseea signed to Interscope’s Head Concussion label and began work on her debut album, a collaboration with producer Tarik "Rvssian" Johnston (Bad Bunny, Shaggy, Juice WRLD). In May of that year, she issued the single “Blessed” featuring Tyga. The song was one of her biggest breakthroughs up to that point and would go on to be streamed tens of millions of times. This led to further success in 2020, as Shenseea appeared on Rvssian’s “IDKW” alongside Young Thug and Swae Lee, contributed to Masego’s “Silver Tongue Devil,” and released singles of her own like “Wasabi,” “Upset,” and “Bad Alone.” That year also saw the release of “Lighter,” a smooth single that incorporated elements of electronic production into a dancehall instrumental and included contributions from Rvssian and Tarrus Riley. In 2021, Shenseea released the songs “No Limit” and “Run Run,” and appeared on one of many remixes of SpotemGottem’s signature single “Beat Box.” She teamed up with Megan Thee Stallion in early 2022 for the single “Lick,” which appeared on her first full-length effort, Alpha, released later that March. The album hit number two on Billboard’s Reggae chart and she followed it later in the year with “Rain” (with Skillibeng) and “Hallelujah.” In 2023, Shenseea guested on the Chainsmokers’ track “My Bad,” then collaborated with Lola Brooke on “Beama.” A year later, songs like “Die for You” and “Hit & Run,” featuring Masicka and Di Genius, paved the way for her follow-up full-length, Never Gets Late Here. ~ Fred Thomas