Shenseea: Up close and personal

SHE’S dancehall’s it girl, a bubbly personality who has racked up 4.2 million followers on Instagram. Shenseea (given name Chinsea Lee), is 24 years old, born in Mandeville and raised in St Elizabeth before moving to Kingston at an early age.

Fame came to her door in 2016, with Loodi featuring Vybz Kartel. Her hits include Love I Got For You, S henyeng Anthem, Side Chick Song, Sure Sure and Blessed featuring American rapper Tyga. In 2018, she collaborated with pop singer Christina Aguilera on the track Right Moves which was featured on Aguilera’s 2018 album Liberation.

Last Friday, Shenseea released Run Run, the first single and video from her highly anticipated début album for Interscope Records. All Woman’s Kevin Jackson sat down with the singjay to get a closer look at the woman behind the music — and what we can tell you is that she’s all fun, with just the right amount of saucy.

KJ: You’re super confident and positive, what drives you?

Shenseea: My passion. I love what I do. I can’t stop! For example, when I’m working hard, you can see the tiredness in my eyes. I love that feeling.

KJ: How do you balance being a single mother and artiste, especially one who’s on the road a lot?

Shenseea: Thank God for technology, I can still see and keep in touch with my son. He’s always calling me. I feel safe because he’s with someone who raised me when I was growing up and she did a pretty good job. I don’t worry about my son at all. My son is everything to me.

KJ: How important is it for you to be a strong female role model for your son?

Shenseea: I want him to be able to recognise a good woman when he sees one. I have to show him love, care and respect. I want the best for my son.

KJ: What do you eat for breakfast? How do you feel about this organic craze?

Shenseea: I’m really a picky person and I love food, so it’s like it has to be right and it’s always a mood with food. If I wake up in the morning and I feel for tea, it’s just tea I’m gonna have. Sometimes I feel for leftover food from two days ago, that me ago have. I hardly eat eggs in the morning. It’s never my go-to thing.

KJ: What do you listen to when you work out?

Shenseea: I listen to a lot of rap music when I’m working out. I listen to Lil Baby, Biggie Smalls, Drake and a few others.

KJ: Coffee or tea? Wine, liquor or beer?

Shenseea: I am going to say tea. I’m not a liquor person, not so much.

KJ: What stresses you out? You always look like you are in control

Shenseea: I’m an overthinker. I will ruin my own mood just by thinking. That’s why I have to pray so much — like sometimes I forget to let God take over.

KJ: Would we see you at the supermarket, wholesale or PriceSmart? What do you buy? Do you even shop for yourself?

Shenseea: I do go to PriceSmart. The people who I send sometimes take so long! I prefer to shop for myself because I know exactly what I want. Sometimes I send [to purchase] downtown to get it cheaper, and get fresh vegetables, fresh meat and ground provisions.

KJ: How does it make you feel when people are constantly commenting on your appearance?

Shenseea: Me nuh feel no way! A my appearance. Me haffi live with it. I just feel like once you’re comfortable, it’s [all that’s] important. You are the one who has to get up and look at yourself in the mornings. Anything weh mek you, you, be you. Your mind has to be strong.

KJ: Which singer, living or dead, would you want to invite to your house, and what would you cook?

Shenseea: Me love Rihanna, but if me invite her to me house, she naw get nuh food cause we ago siddung and chat. I would say Beyoncé. I feel like we could sit and have a chill conversation, talking about whatever, while eating food. I’d introduce her to authentic Jamaican food from a Jamaican weh can cook. I love Beyoncé and I admire her.