Shontelle Singer and songwriter from Barbados Date of Birth: 04.10.1985 Country: Barbados

1. Biography of Shontelle
2. Early Career
   

   
   Shontelle began working on her first studio album in early 2008, which was completed within six months. The title of the release, 'Shontelligence,' was inspired by her sound engineer, who playfully combined the words 'Shontelle' and 'intelligence.' The debut single, 'T-Shirt,' was released in July 2008 and gained attention from American listeners, reaching number 36 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the United Kingdom, the song reached the 6th position on the charts. 'Shontelligence' was released on November 18, 2008, and entered the US Billboard 200 chart at number 115, selling 6,200 copies in the first week. The album also made it to the 24th spot on the R&B/Hip-Hop album chart. The reissue of 'Shontelligence' took place on March 10, 2009. The second single from the album, 'Stuck with Each Other,' was a collaboration with Senegalese-American rapper Akon. The single was released in the US in February 2009 and in the UK in May 2009. Although the song did not chart in the US, it reached number 23 in the United Kingdom.

   

   Career Highlights

3. Success and New Album
4. Current Work

Biography of Shontelle

Shontelle Layne, a singer and songwriter from Barbados, was born on October 4, 1985, in Saint James, Barbados. She released her debut album, 'Shontelligence,' in November 2008. Her second album, 'No Gravity,' was presented in November 2010. Her singles 'T-Shirt' and 'Impossible' gained some attention from the international audience.

Shontelle began working on her first studio album in early 2008, which was completed within six months. The title of the release, 'Shontelligence,' was inspired by her sound engineer, who playfully combined the words 'Shontelle' and 'intelligence.' The debut single, 'T-Shirt,' was released in July 2008 and gained attention from American listeners, reaching number 36 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the United Kingdom, the song reached the 6th position on the charts. 'Shontelligence' was released on November 18, 2008, and entered the US Billboard 200 chart at number 115, selling 6,200 copies in the first week. The album also made it to the 24th spot on the R&B/Hip-Hop album chart. The reissue of 'Shontelligence' took place on March 10, 2009. The second single from the album, 'Stuck with Each Other,' was a collaboration with Senegalese-American rapper Akon. The single was released in the US in February 2009 and in the UK in May 2009. Although the song did not chart in the US, it reached number 23 in the United Kingdom.

Career Highlights

As part of the world tour of the boy band 'New Kids on the Block,' Shontelle joined the group for their UK performances in January 2009. She also performed as the opening act for Beyoncé Knowles during her tour in June 2009. Shontelle was the host of the project 'My Prom Style!' and the fashion reality show 'Ultimate Prom' by Universal Motown. She performed at a high school prom in New York City in 2009, after organizing a fashion competition among three students who created their own dresses, one of which was worn by singer Kat Deluna during the final concert of the reality show 'Ultimate Prom.'

Success and New Album

By 2012, 'Shontelligence' had sold around 50,000 copies in the United States. Shontelle released her second album, 'No Gravity,' in the United States on September 21, 2010. She stated that her new album would be experimental, with influences from rock music. During the recording process, she aimed to change her original sound to a more balanced one. She explained that the title, 'No Gravity,' symbolizes her motivation to keep rising higher, to not stay in one place, and to resist falling down. In the first week of its release, 'No Gravity' sold approximately 7,000 copies. The album reached the 81st position on the Billboard 200 chart and received mixed reviews from critics. Charlotte Andrews from 'The Guardian' claimed that 'No Gravity' lacked originality and that the powerful vocals and catchy gimmicks couldn't save it from having shallow lyrics and being disposable. Shontelle later co-wrote a song for Rihanna's fifth studio album, 'Loud,' in 2010. The first single from 'No Gravity,' 'Impossible,' was released digitally in February 2010 but only made it to the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the spring. The song reached number 30 on the chart and remains Shontelle's most successful song to date.

Current Work

As of 2012, 'No Gravity' had sold around 150,000 copies in the United States. Currently, Shontelle is working with the label 'Republic' and preparing her third album. The premiere of the new single, 'Reflection,' took place on the online platform 'SoundCloud' in September 2011. The songs from her new album were planned to be performed at Shontelle's birthday party.