For dancehall artiste Shaneil Muir self-actualisation is inextricably linked to her vision of a successful career. So when things began to get a little too overwhelming for the Confident singer, she made the all-important decision of temporarily walking away from the limelight to refocus.

Now, with a new EP locked and loaded for release Friday, April 4, the entertainer says she is returning to the music space refreshed and re-energised about her professional journey.

“I needed to take some time to myself to regenerate and refresh. I felt it was necessary at the time to take a step back and regain my focus, because I knew I would need that going forward. Behind the scenes during that period I was working, listening to beats, writing, and of course spending much-needed time with family… And I came out of that season feeling so centred and renewed,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

The EP is distributed by the renowned OneRPM and already available for pre-order.

“Art was created, and time definitely gave way to a new horizon,” she said. “It really opened my mind to writing again and getting back to full work mode.”

Muir, who once entertained thoughts of calling quits on her career, shared that she understands all too well the pressure artistes face to maintain a certain standard of work.

She shared that the latter can cause artistes to become anxious about the future and so she encourages her colleagues to take breaks when they feel burdened.

“I understand the pressure that comes with being in the spotlight and it doesn’t just go for artistes, it goes for anyone in the creative industries. It is necessary to take a step back, so don’t hesitate to do that if you believe that’s best. Physical and mental health go hand in hand, and if you feel like you’re on a roller coaster, that’s unhealthy,” she said.

The artiste shared that she has grown in emotional intelligence in this season, and her audience will see and hear it in her new music.

The first track out on the EP is called Secured and it’s a reflection of “my current state of mind”, she said. “I am happy, I’m confident, and just looking forward to all the good things that will happen as a result of that.”

According to Muir, Secured, produced by Damage Musiq is a relatable track which speaks to “maturing to a place where you are so confident in yourself and that the security that comes with that just gives you an unwavering sense of peace.”

“I have blossomed, I have learnt, and it was the perfect song choice to introduce my new body of work, because it shows my transition into this new space of maturity,” she continued. “As a writer, I embrace all my emotions and it just flows through when I’m in my element, and this catalogue is a great body of work in my opinion.”

The EP, dubbed Echoes of Her, includes songs such as Next Flight, Tell Me, Disguised (featuring Chronic Law), Conflict of Interest, and Protected and follows her 2015 release.

“It was an amazing experience working with Chronic Law, because I was first hand witness to his writing and recording as an artiste. I had to admire… his talent and uniqueness…” Muir said.

The artiste explained that each track gives a different version of her, hence the title.

“When you think of every element of me and what I want to do with my music, I want it to echo. I wanted the project to show in the same way an echo does, that when you hear Shaneil you’re not always gonna hear the same sound or get the same message,” she added.

Born and raised in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Muir carved out a place for herself in the dancehall industry with hits like
Yamabella, Top Gyal, and 3D. Her music is known for its raw storytelling, blending themes of female empowerment, personal struggles, and triumph.

Muir said that, based on the reactions to the first single from the project, she knows the body of work is poised for greatness.

“Fans have really been ‘showing out’ on the song so far. On TikTok persons have been doing their videos, different vlogs have also been giving reviews, and so I’m just really excited to see how far it goes,” she said. “It makes me even more excited about the EP.”

She is scheduled to perform on April 20 at Key Largo Beach, St Ann. On April 26 the artiste will be performing at Atlanta at Pandemonium — Jahshii is also billed — and then May 3 at Linden, Guyana.

— Additional reporting provided by Kediesha Perry