She is best known for opening & featuring on HBO's Def Poetry Jam as well as in a promo for the 2007 NFL Draft. She was a member of the 2006 Nuyorican Poets Cafe National Slam Team and a competitor in the 2007 Individual World Poetry Slam Competition. She has performed and worked with artists such as Les Nubians, Erick Sermon, Nas, and others. can hear her voice as the narrator for Jennifer Hudson's "I Got This" audiobook and also catch her acting in Q-Tip's video for "ManWomanBoogie."
Shanelle presently tours the US and abroad, facilitates creative writing workshops, and she promotes Lupus awareness (a disease she herself has). She is finishing the follow up to her amazing debut album, Start Something (winner of the 2008 Atlantic City Alternative Soul Best CD Award) while traveling back and forth between her home in New York City and her home in Lithia Springs, GA. Shanelle's tenacity has allowed her to become a shining star in any path she treads.
vanity
Shanelle Gabriel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
life in your palms/ taken over my body.
you think you are me/ Lupus/ you think because you've hijacked this
vessel that you're captain/ you think you can get away with mutiny/
but see/ I'm still the same me/ the same beautiful butterfly floating
on the breeze/ I ain't scared to
wrestle the wind/ to battle raynaud's thorns/
Not afraid to diss this disease/ to find peace/ be at ease with this
one with this disease/ in no way am I saying this is easy/
The way my cells fight themselves/ that my chest being in a cage of
pleurisy/ that my scalp crying strands of my hair/ that the pain in
my knees which interfere with my prayers/ makes it hard to sometimes
find the joy in life/ makes the sun less bright/ but I know no matter
what there's nothing that'll take away my fight/ When it seems to
make my day feel like night/ I'll still reach for a star / when it
seems my world spins left/ I've resolved to force it to revolve
right/ and even if my limbs refuse to move/ my spirit will still
dance/ Every day I'm going to choose to enhance
this universe with my presence in any way I can/
Lupus is not me/ but it's the spark that created a flame/ my disease
is not me/ but it's the source of my vanity lupus you can't damage
me/ cause my body isn't all I possess I still have a
purpose a reason to smile I'm still living my life with no regrets.
In the song "Vanity" by Shanelle Gabriel, the artist speaks about her experience with lupus and the ways in which the disease has affected her life. The lyrics convey a sense of struggle and defiance as she describes how lupus has "hijacked" her body, causing pain and interfering with her daily activities. Despite these challenges, however, she refuses to be defeated, asserting that she is still the same person she always was, with the same determination and fighting spirit.
Gabriel's use of metaphor is particularly effective in conveying the emotional impact of the disease. She likens lupus to a mutinous pirate, seeking to take over her body and replace her own identity. Yet, she defiantly resists this takeover, asserting her right to exist as she chooses. She also speaks of her body as a "cage," highlighting the ways in which physical pain and discomfort can constrain and limit a person's sense of agency.
Line by Line Meaning
You think you own me/ squeezed my life in your palms/ taken over my body.
The singer feels that her Lupus disease controls her life and body, but acknowledges that it does not define her entirely.
you think you are me/ Lupus/ you think because you've hijacked this vessel that you're captain/ you think you can get away with mutiny/
The singer acknowledges that her disease is a part of her, but it does not define her as a person, and she is determined to fight back against it.
but see/ I'm still the same me/ the same beautiful butterfly floating on the breeze/ I ain't scared to wrestle the wind/
The singer declares that she is still the same person, and will not let her disease break her spirit or stop her from living her life.
to battle raynaud's thorns/ Not afraid to diss this disease/ to find peace/ be at ease with this disease/
The artist will not let her disease control her, and instead chooses to confront it head-on, finding peace and acceptance in her struggle.
I miss my old life but I'm fashioning a new one with this disease/ in no way am I saying this is easy/
The artist acknowledges the difficulties of living with a chronic illness, but is determined to adapt and create a fulfilling life regardless.
The way my cells fight themselves/ that my chest being in a cage of pleurisy/ that my scalp crying strands of my hair/ that the pain in my knees which interfere with my prayers/ makes it hard to sometimes find the joy in life/ makes the sun less bright/
The singer details some of the physical symptoms and pain associated with her disease, and how it can make life more difficult at times.
but I know no matter what there's nothing that'll take away my fight/ When it seems to make my day feel like night/ I'll still reach for a star / when it seems my world spins left/ I've resolved to force it to revolve right/ and even if my limbs refuse to move/ my spirit will still dance/
The singer is determined to maintain her strength and optimism in the face of adversity, and will overcome any obstacles in her path.
Every day I'm going to choose to enhance this universe with my presence in any way I can/
The artist is committed to making a positive impact on the world, despite the challenges she faces with her disease.
Lupus is not me/ but it's the spark that created a flame/ my disease is not me/ but it's the source of my vanity lupus you can't damage me/ cause my body isn't all I possess
The artist separates herself from her disease, acknowledging that it is a part of her but does not define her completely. She refuses to let it control or defeat her.
I still have a purpose a reason to smile I'm still living my life with no regrets.
The artist is determined to live her life to the fullest, finding happiness and purpose despite the challenges she faces with her disease.
Contributed by Wyatt D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
TOMOLYN
Hi Shanelle, I just saw your spoken word piece on the television program: SECOND OPINION. I was inspired by your interVIEW, and your BEAUTIFULLLLLLL presentation. Also, it was such a blessing to hear you say right out loud on a SECULAR show: "PRAISE THE LORD"!!!:) As you shared about your diagnosis and DANCE- I happened to think of Carrie Ann Inaba, the celebrity from Dancing With The Stars. As you probably know, she is a dancer too. Did you know that she also battles LUPUS? I am reaching out to you to send some enCOURAGEments for you to consider connecting with Carrie Ann. You may also know that she is also on the daytime talk show called: THE TALK. You could find THE TALK episodes right here on YouTube. Shanelle, I TRULY believe that she would be SO BLESSED to hear your story! PLEASE PLEASE reach out to her...