Shontelle

“I am first and foremost, a creator. I am also a chameleon; I fit in where I need to,” Shontelle explains. “Some people would call me a pop/R&B artist, but I’m really just a singer sharing my stories.” The gorgeous young singer was born Shontelle Layne on the beautiful island of Barbados, the eldest of three sisters, and still speaks with an intoxicating West Indian lilt. While attending a high school, where she served as a drill sergeant in the Cadet Corps, Shontelle met and became friends with another young talent with dreams of making it big – her name was Rihanna. After writing childhood stories with her sister and chants for her cheerleading squad in school, one of the first songs she wrote, “Roll It Gal,” found its way to Alison Hinds, another prominent singer in Barbados, where the song became a hit. At this point, Shontelle was brought to the world stage by the very same company that discovered Rihanna in Barbados. She went on to co-write “Man Down,” the sixth single lifted from ’s fifth studio album “Loud.” The album was certified platinum in the U.S. and also ranked top ten on Billboard’s year-end album charts. Shontelle’s role on “Man Down” awarded her the title as a Grammy nominated songwriter. She released two well-received albums on Universal Motown, “Shontelligence” and “No Gravity”, including worldwide hits like "Impossible" and "T-Shirt".