Shontelle

Shontelle is a pop-oriented singer and songwriter whose sound combines many styles including R&B, reggae, and hip-hop. She launched her career as co-writer of Alison Hinds’ empowerment anthem “Roll It Gal,” and co-wrote the revenge fantasy “Man Down” for another fellow Barbadian, Rihanna. Her solo hits include “T-Shirt” (2008) and “Impossible” (2010), both of which went Top 40 in the U.S. and Top Ten in the U.K. Shontelle has re-emerged as an independent artist in the 2020s with singles such as “Remember Me” and a popular club remix of “Impossible.”
It was in 2005 that Shontelle (born Shontelle Layne) gained notice as the songwriter behind Alison Hinds’ Barbadian hit “Roll It Gal.” She attracted SRP, an artist development company known for discovering Rihanna — an acquaintance of Shontelle since her time as an army cadet — and consequently landed a recording contract with the Universal-distributed SRC label. Shontelligence, her debut album, was released in November 2008 and given a second push the following February. The single “T-Shirt” became her first solo hit, reaching number 36 in the U.S. and number six in the U.K. No Gravity followed in September 2010, a couple months before the arrival of Rihanna’s Loud, featuring a song Shontelle co-wrote, “Man Down.” Shontelle’s second album yielded another hit, “Impossible,” which went to number 13 in the States and returned her to the U.K. Top Ten. Shortly thereafter, a third album was in the works, but it didn’t materialize.
After a handful of featured appearances and stray tracks through the remainder of the decade, Shontelle became more active as an independent artist, and released a handful of singles in 2020 and 2021. Among these songs were the theatrical ballad “Remember Me” and uptempo numbers such as “House Party” and Coco & Breezy’s remix of “Impossible.” The latter quickly surpassed half-a-million streams. ~ Andy Kellman