Shontelle hit songs
fans as Shontelle, doesn’t
only write hit songs; she
sings them, too,” it said,
stating that, in 2008, Layne’s
solo debut single “T-Shirt”
climbed to the top 40 of
the Billboard Hot 100 music
charts in the US.
Two years later, Newsday
said “she would take her single
‘Impossible’ to the chart’s
top 20 and, at the same time,
score a top-ten hit in the UK
(United Kingdom).”
But though Layne’s music
career has taken flight globally,
in the genres of pop
and R&B, her roots are firmly
planted in Caribbean culture,
Newsday said.
“Born and raised in Barbados,
she isn’t hesitant to
let people that she got her
start in soca music,” it said.
“A co-writer on Alison Hinds’
‘Roll it Gal’, Layne credits
the song as a stepping stone
to her breakout success.
“Now, she’s reconnecting
with her soca roots with the
recent release of a soca-infused
‘Sounds of Jamaica’
entertainment company PlaybookMG.
“One method catching eyeballs
is Audiomack’s use of
actual Jamaican DJs to bring
awareness to their narratives,”
she added. “It empowers the
islands’ natives and allows
them to write their histories,
unlike other media platforms
that dedicate general lists to
certain countries.”
Freiseis said the playlists
recently went live and will continue
to be released in that
same vein each Thursday until
June.
The first three DJs are ZJ
Nova (St. Elizabeth), DJ Absolute
(Westmoreland) and DJ
Zen (St. Catherine).
“Since we’re a discovery
platform, we wanted DJs
from various parts of Jamaica
to highlight artists from that
area,” Tanya Lawson, director
of Afrobeats and Caribbean at
Audiomack. “We’re going to be
pushing the playlists periodically
Tia’s hot new track
Caribbean L 30 ife, MARCH 19-25, 2021
throughout our platform,
and it will run from now until
June.
“The DJs with the most plays,
we’re going to do something
special for them and their community,”
she assured.
“Simultaneously pushing
and protecting boundaries,
Audiomack is once again an
ally to the artistry of the Caribbean,”
Freiseis intoned. “Stay
tuned for more ‘Sounds of
Jamaica’ playlists soon.”
duced by Damian Marley is on
the way.
Freiseis said Tia (Tiara Mills)
is “a lover’s rock reggae/dancehall
artist and singer-songwriter
based out of the Virgin Islands.
“Tia has opened for several
artists, such as Beres Hammond,
Etana, I-Octane, Jah
9 and Busy Signal,” she said.
“While still relatively green, she
has already garnered industry
support, and it started with her
debut EP ‘Black Cocoon’ hitting
the Top 5 on the Reggae iTunes
charts.”
Continued from Page 29
Continued from Page 29
song called ‘Tomorrow,’”
it added.
Newsday said the song’s
“emotionally-charged lyrics
were inspired by current global
events, like the COVID-19
pandemic, the global Black
Lives Matter protests and the
farmers’ protest in India.
“I just felt like I wanted to
give everybody something;
not only even hope but like
drive and motivation,” Layne
told Newsday. “It (the song)
really feels like a battle cry,
something to energize and
get you up.”
Newsday said Layne is also
a part of Machel Montano’s
Monk team and writes songs
for the soca star.
She is one of the co-writers
on Montano’s 2019 hit
song “Toco Loco,” Newsday
said.
Singer Shontelle Layne performs
at Arthur Ashe Kids
Day at the USTA Billie Jean
King National Tennis Center
on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2010
in New York. Associated Press/
Evan Agostini, fi le
Continued from Page 29
Sean Paul releases 7th album
By Nelson A. King
Grammy Award-winning
global megastar, philanthropist,
Sean Paul last Thursday
released his seventh studio
album, “Live N Livin,” arriving
on all platforms the next
day.
“Live N Livin is produced
by Dutty Rock Productions
and distributed by ONErpm.
The album features some
of reggae and dancehall powerhouses,
such as Buju Banton,
Damian “Jr Gong” Marley,
Agent Sasco and Mavado,
and newcomers Govana and
Chi Ching Ching.
“With a collection of traditional
and fresh sound of
dancehall ‘Live N Livin’ captures
the essence of dancehall
and the unity, which
exists within the culture,”
said Brooklyn-based Jamaican
publicist Ronnie Tomlinson,
of Destine Media.
She said the 16-track
album was produced with “a
collaboration over confrontation
undertone, 15 collabs
and one single from Sean
Paul.
“In the midst of this great
body of work highlighting
dancehall from Jamaica,
Ghanian dancehall artist
Stonebwoy is also featured on
the album on ‘Guns of Navarone’
remix,” Tomlinson said.
“Stonebwoy, very talented
artist from Ghana who always
pay homage to the dancehall
genre and visits the island of
Jamaica, it was clear to me
when he stated he wanted
to be a part of this project,”
Sean Paul said. “I could not
say no” says Sean Paul.”
With over one year at
home, due to the pandemic,
Tomlinson said, like many
artists, Sean Paul has been
unable to hit the stage and
tour vigorously as he is used
to.
“Using his time to record
two albums, ‘Live N Livin’
and ‘Scorcha’ Sean Paul has
partnered with Dreamstage,
and is set to perform virtually
for his fans Live from
Jamaica,” she said. “Fans
are in luck as they will get
to teleport to the Caribbean
for feel-good music through
Dreamstage’s superior hi-def
visual virtual concert stage
that brings dancehall ambassador
Sean Paul and surprise
musical guests into homes
where fans can dance like
Popular dancehall artist
Sean Paul. Photo by
Georgine Benvenuto
no one’s watching in unison
with others,” Tomlinson said.
She said Sean Paul will
“perform live from the sandy
beaches of Jamaica on Saturday,
April 10 at 4:00 pm
EST.”
Go to www.dreamstage.
live.
/www.dreamstage
/www.dreamstage
