Career
When she was 15, Ama was singing to herself on a platform at Hammersmith tube station, and was overheard by Kwame Kwaten, a producer at the FreakStreet record label.[1] In 1995, an unknown independent label released a single titled "Celebrate", which was a ballad produced by D'Influence. Although the single was not a commercial success, it did draw attention to Shola Ama as an artist. On her 16th birthday, she signed a recording contract with WEA.
The single "You're the One I Love" was Ama's first single release for WEA in 1996; it barely made an impact on the charts, only managing to reach No. 85. Her second WEA single, "You Might Need Somebody", remains her biggest hit. This Turley Richards cover reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart[2] in April 1997. It remained in the top 40 for almost two months, becoming one of 1997's biggest hits. A re-release of "You're the One I Love" followed in August 1997 and reached No. 3.[2] Her third single "Who's Loving My Baby" was released in November 1997 and reached No. 13.[2] At the age of 18, Shola Ama released her debut album Much Love (1997).
In May 1997, Ama performed her single "You Might Need Somebody" at Wembley Stadium as part of the build-up to the rugby league Challenge Cup Final.
On the success of the album, Ama won a Brit Award for Best British Female and two MOBO Awards for Best Newcomer and Best R&B Act.[3]
In 1999, Ama released her second album In Return. The project saw her working with the record producers Fred Jerkins III, Stargate, Shaun Labelle, Full Crew, D-Influence Productions and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (formerly of A Tribe Called Quest). Co-writers included Angie Stone and Babyface with David Foster.
Despite having support from her record label, In Return was a commercial flop. Following this, Ama took a break from recording.[4][5]
In 2002, Ama went back into the recording studio to record her third album, Supersonic. Unable to obtain a major label deal, she instead formed a distribution deal with Pony Canyon.
In 2004, Ama featured on the track "You Should Really Know" by the Pirates, a response in song to Mario Winans' "I Don't Wanna Know" which reached No. 8 on the UK chart.
Ama also mentored her sister Sadie Ama, who signed her own recording contract and released "So Sure" (2004) and "Fallin" (2007).
Ama featured as vocalist on the Perempay & Dee single "DJ Play". The song was released in October 2009 and received heavy rotation on the radio.[6] She also featured on one of rapper Giggs' songs, "Cut Above the Rest", and later featured on the bonus disc to his album, Let Em Ave It, on a song called "Blow Em Away".
In February 2010, Ama joined a new collective group formed by Wiley called A-List, alongside her sister Sadie Ama and grime musicians Roll Deep, Mz. Bratt, Wrigley, Margs, Young Kye and Kivanc.[7]
In 2013, Ama narrated on the show My Crazy Jamaican Life.
In October 2015, Ama released a new 8-track EP featuring new reggae influenced tracks titled Surreal on Necessary Mayhem Records, 13 years after her last album Supersonic in 2002.
In April 2016, she featured on the album System Killer by Frisco on the song "Rocket"
Can't Have You
Shola Ama Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why are you constantly on my mind
When I know
I cannot have you
Why do I have to think
I need you here with me no
I can't go on cos I cannot have you
How it would be
If we tried to talk about me
Being with you would there be us?
And will it be true?
But I shouldn't even let my mind go that far
Cos it's not right
Cos you have her and she trusts us
She knows we're friends
But I love you so much
It might help if I knew
That I'd find myself with you
But that's so wrong
I should move on
It's just not right
Cause you're not mine
Boy you've always been
Be my side
A friend of mine for a very long time
So why can't you see
Just what it could be
Cos I dream about you being with me
So baby tell me how you fell inside
If you want me baby don't lie
Cos I dream about us all of the time
Makes me mad
Cos you're not mine
In Shola Ama's song Can't Have You, the singer expresses her feelings of longing and despair for someone she knows she cannot be with. The lyrics reveal that the subject of the singer's affections is already in a relationship, and therefore, she acknowledges that her desires are not possible to fulfill. The singer describes the struggles of her mind as she constantly thinks about this person even though she knows it's wrong to do so. The song reflects the universal feeling of unrequited love, where one is forced to accept the sad truth that the person they love cannot be theirs.
Throughout the song, the singer expresses regret over the situation and expresses a desire to move on from it. She recognizes that her feelings are wrong, given the other person's relationship status, and ends up asking the subject of the song to be honest with her if they feel the same way. Shola Ama's powerful vocals perfectly capture the emotional turmoil of this situation, leaving the listener with a lasting impression of the pain of unrequited love.
Line by Line Meaning
What makes me feel this way
I am trying to understand why I have these feelings for you.
Why are you constantly on my mind
The thought of you never leaves my mind.
When I know
I cannot have you
I am aware that we cannot be together.
Why do I have to think
I need you here with me no
I cannot help but want you to be here with me.
I can't go on cos I cannot have you
I am unable to move on because I cannot have you.
The thought has always crossed my mind
I have wondered before.
How it would be
If we tried to talk about me
What would happen if we talked about me being with you?
Being with you would there be us?
If we were together, would there be a chance for us?
And will it be true?
Could it become a reality?
But I shouldn't even let my mind go that far
I should not even entertain the idea because it is not right.
Cos it's not right
Cos you have her and she trusts us
She knows we're friends
It is not right because you are committed to someone else, who trusts us as friends.
But I love you so much
Despite everything, I still love you deeply.
It might help if I knew
That I'd find myself with you
Knowing that we could be together might give me some comfort.
But that's so wrong
I should move on
However, I know that it is not right and I need to let go.
Cause you're not mine
Because you belong to someone else.
Boy you've always been
Be my side
A friend of mine for a very long time
You've been my friend for a long time.
So why can't you see
Just what it could be
Why can't you see the potential of what could be between us?
Cos I dream about you being with me
I often dream about us being together.
So baby tell me how you fell inside
If you want me baby don't lie
Please tell me honestly how you feel about me. If you want me, don't lie.
Cos I dream about us all of the time
I constantly fantasize about us being together.
Makes me mad
Cos you're not mine
It frustrates me because I cannot have you.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SHOLA AMA, LASHAWN AMEEN DANIELS, FREDDIE D III JERKINS, HARVEY JAY MASON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind