Shenseea says new Kartel collab a ‘dream come true’

For the second time in less than a month, Vybz Kartel and Shenseea are set to thrill fans with a collaboration.

The latest one is Talk To Me Nuh, which comes on the heels of their song Panic. Talk To Me Nuh was especially meaningful for Shenseea, who said working with Vybz Kartel was a dream come true.

"It was a dream come true being able to create with one of my inspirations in music. He definitely lived up to his name!" Shenseea told THE WEEKEND STAR, adding, that watching and working with him in person was a great experience."[He's] very creative, very articulate, and extremely talented."

The first time the two appeared on a song together was in 2017 with the single Loodi, which was released while Vybz Kartel was incarcerated. This time, however, Shenseea said the creative process was very different.

"Our minds together made it so easy. It seemed like we could've done more than two songs, seeing how quickly we got them done," she added. Both artistes have been previewing Talk To Me Nuh on their respective social media accounts, with snippets of the studio creation process.

In addition to new releases, the Shenyeng artiste is also back on the awards circuit, earning five nominations for the International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA), including Best Female DJ/Rapper and Most Popular Social Media Influencer/Entertainer. She also picked up two nominations in the Best Collaboration Song category -- for Sugar Sweet with Mariah Carey and Kehlani, and Shake It to the Max with Moliy and Skillibeng. The latter was also nominated for Best Music Video.

Asked whether she has her eyes set on any particular category, Shenseea said she is aiming high.

"I'm hoping to win all!" she added with a laugh. "I'm always excited to see nominations for the work I put in. It always gives me a boost of motivation." The 43rd staging of IRAWMA is set to take place on May 17.

Closer on the horizon are the MOBO Awards, scheduled for March 26 in England, where Shenseea has once again been nominated in the Best Caribbean Music Act category -- the same one she was up for last year. Although she has previously won a MOBO Award in 2021, the entertainer said she is particularly excited about performing at the show for the first time.

"It will be my first time performing and I'm over-elated about it because they have shown me so much love and appreciation over the years. I can't wait to reciprocate," she said.

Asked what fans can expect from the performance, Shenseea kept it simple: "Flavour."

With fans tuning in from all corners of the globe, Shenseea insists her Jamaican heritage is never far from her music.

"It's important to stay true to my roots because it is simply just what makes me who I am. I've been open to other cultures and none quite seemed to entice me like my own. I'm proud to be a product of Jamaica," she explained.

Fans won't have to wait long for what's next, because she is already busy in the studio, teasing new material.

"Let's just say I'm working on new music -- I never stop creating!"

- Annale Bartley