When I hop on the phone with Shenseea, it’s evening in Montreal, where she has a show in just a couple hours. She doesn’t seem stressed or phased; it’s clear she’s ready for this, even though it’s one of her first stops in her tour promoting her sophomore album, “Never Gets Late Here.”
Shenseea, born in Jamaica as Chinsea Linda Lee, has been a fixture of the dancehall scene for nearly a decade, though she’s only 27 years old. She’s been nominated for four Grammys, and features heavy hitters like Coi Leray and Anitta on her latest album. She released her first studio album, “Alpha,” in 2022.
Despite her clear excitement about getting to perform her latest music, Shenseea’s days on tour aren’t what you might expect from one of the world’s biggest dancehall artists. “After my shows and it’s late at night, I like to unwind by watching some series until I fall asleep,” she tells me. “Then I wake up the next day, do my meditation, and catch up on some business and watch series again if I have time.”
The most hectic part of that whole schedule might be the TV show she’s currently watching – “S.W.A.T.” “My second career choice was to be a police officer, so I’m living my life through that,” she laughs.
I think it’s a privilege to be representing for one of the most influential countries in the entire world.
Of course, performing in front of thousands of fans can be heart-thumping, too. But when she’s preparing to get on stage, she returns to the calm center that mindfulness and meditation can provide. And in everything she does, she says, “I try to stay close to God.” “When you’re trusting Him, it’s almost like you’re just going with the flow, to be honest,” she says. “It’s the best way to keep my anxiety down.”
Representing dancehall – and Jamaica – on the world stage is a job she takes extremely seriously. “I feel chosen, hand-picked to be amongst the greats and the people who are representing and doing great things for the culture over the years,” she says, mentioning other Jamaican superstars like Bob Marley, Sean Paul, and Shaggy. “I think it’s a privilege to be representing for one of the most influential countries in the entire world – the most entertaining countries in terms of food and the culture and the aesthetic and the environment.”
This desire to represent her country has also translated into Shenseea being committed to giving back. As she tells it, she’s always been interested in philanthropy because of how she grew up. “I wasn’t the richest kid, I wasn’t the most fortunate, but I was for sure blessed – my mom used to do live-in jobs, and she would take hand-me-downs from her bosses’ kids because we were so limited on clothes,” she remembers. “So I know what it feels like to be helped. And I know how great it made me feel and how great it made my mom feel that we’ve always had people helping us out.”
Back in July, when Jamaica was hit by Hurricane Beryl, Shenseea started organizing efforts for aid, and she’s currently working on launching her own charity foundation this year. As she says, “If I’m in a position to help others, that’s what I’m definitely going to do. And I think God has risen me to this position so I can do that as well.”
The other big part of Shenseea’s life outside of music is her 7-year-old son, Rajeiro Lee. Of course, touring is difficult because they’re apart. FaceTime helps them bridge the distance, she says; they talk every day, two to three times a day, and sometimes he’ll even read to her over the phone. “I just work with what I need to work with until I can see him again,” she says.
Motherhood has completely transformed Shenseea, she says, by giving her “so much empathy.” Where she used to “cut people off” and “have little patience” for others, her son has taught her the true meaning of love and compassion: “I have accepted that people make mistakes, because of him.”
Whether in motherhood or her career, Shenseea is clearly committed to growth. And she says building up her confidence has been a lifetime in the making. In the end, it comes back to how she grew up in Jamaica. “I was raised by two women, so I don’t think I know anything else but to be a strong, independent person,” she says. “And I have no regrets, because I think everyone has a purpose in life, and how I was raised has definitely informed who I need to be in this world.”
Lena Felton is the senior director of features and special content at PS, where she oversees feature stories, special projects, and our identity content. Previously, she was an editor at The Washington Post, where she led a team covering issues of gender and identity.
