Shontelle Layne (born October 4, 1985), better known by her first name Shon… Read Full Bio ↴Shontelle Layne (born October 4, 1985), better known by her first name Shontelle, is an R&B singer-songwriter from Saint James, Barbados. She released her debut album Shontelligence in November 2008. Her second album, No Gravity, was released in September 2010.

Shontelle was born in Saint James, Barbados, to Raymond and Beverley Layne, the oldest of three sisters. Shontelle has stated that she was highly athletic when she was young, participating in track & field while excelling in school. Shontelle's aunt, Kim Derrick, a Caribbean singer, encouraged her to pursue singing. While in high school, Shontelle participated in a group called Cadets in which she was a drill sergeant over Rihanna, which sprouted a friendship.

Shontelle began work on her debut studio album in early 2008, and completed the album in six months. The album's title was given to her by the album's engineer who used the word "shontelligence" as a joke after Shontelle and her producers were playing a game that involved making up words from her name. "T-Shirt", Shontelle's debut single, was released in July 2008 and reached number thirty-six on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming a moderate hit. However, it was a hit in the United Kingdom, reaching the Top 10 there.

Shontelle's debut album, Shontelligence, was released on November 18, 2008. The album reached number 115 on the Billboard 200, selling 6,200 records in its first week, and reached number twenty-four on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It was re-released on March 10, 2009, and has since sold 30,000 records in the US.

The second single from the album, "Stuck with Each Other", featuring Akon, was released in February 2009 in the US and May 2009 in the UK. The single failed to chart in the US, but reached number twenty-three in the UK. Shontelle toured as a supporting act for the UK leg of the New Kids on the Block World Tour in January 2009. Shontelle was also Beyoncé Knowles' opening act for her I Am... Tour from May to June 2009 during the UK leg.

Shontelle was also the host of My Prom Style! and Universal Motown's 2009 Ultimate Prom fashion reality series. She performed at a high school prom in New York City in June 2009, but first she led three students in a competition to design the dress that singer Kat DeLuna, the headliner, wore at the Ultimate Prom concert.

Shontelle's sophomore album, No Gravity, was released in the US on September 21, 2010. Shontelle stated that the album would be experimental and that she wanted to change her original sound for the record. While the title 'No Gravity' symbolises a mantra, Shontelle states she has adapted to her life and to her career, to motivate herself to keep climbing higher and to have nothing hold her down or hold her back. Shontelle collaborated with Bruno Mars, Tony Kanal and Darkchild among others for the record.

The lead single from the album, "Impossible", was released in February 2010 for digital download, but failed to garner success until May 2010, when it debuted on the Billboard Hot 100. It has since become her most successful single to date, reaching number thirteen on the Billboard Hot 100. The second single from the album, "Perfect Nightmare", was released in August 2010. In the first week of release, No Gravity placed at number 81 on the Billboard 200, selling 7,000 copies.

The 3rd single will be Say Hello To Goodbye according to the tweet she wrote December 19th.

Superwoman
Shontelle Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When I, was young, and the light, had only begun;
To shine, down on me, I've been blind, now I've started to see

I don't have to be right
There's no power in empty passion
Lots it takes for the fight
Find the strength to be out of passion
Everybody knows me

You're the one who won't hear my story
Give it to ya for free
You're the man who won't share my glory

[Chorus]
Sing it out
Play it out
For the first time these words are spoken
Meet some thin
So I can love again
Shout it out
Turn around
Tell the whole world the spell is broken
Break these chains
I'm only human

[Bridge: x2]
No superwoman
I'm only human

When I show, my true face, give me faith, so I'm not afraid
To take, what you give, when and then, I'm starting to live

I don't have to be right
There's no power in empty passion
Lots it takes for the fight
Find the strength to be out of passion
Everybody knows me
You're the one who won't hear my story
Give it to ya for free
You're the man who won't share my glory

[Chorus]

[Bridge: x2]

And your eyes, when they turn, as they stare, and they burn, but they don't see me
It was geared, and too much, then you started to touch, my amenities.

[Chorus: x2]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Shontelle's song Superwoman speak of the acceptance and recognition of one's true self. The opening lines "When I, was young, and the light, had only begun; To shine, down on me, I've been blind, now I've started to see" convey the idea of newfound clarity and realization. The song emphasizes that it's okay not to be perfect or invincible, as long as one acknowledges and embraces their human nature. This is highlighted in the chorus where the singer urges the listener to break the chains of societal expectations and be honest about their vulnerabilities- "Break these chains, I'm only human". The repetitive lines "I don't have to be right, there's no power in empty passion, lots it takes for the fight, find the strength to be out of passion," suggest that it's better to be true to oneself than to pretend to be something that one is not in order to please others.

The second verse conveys the message that the singer is willing to accept their flaws and faults, and seek forgiveness and redemption. This is reflected in the lines "When I show, my true face, give me faith, so I'm not afraid, to take, what you give, when and then, I'm starting to live." Throughout the song, there is a strong sense of empowerment and self-assurance, which prevails over any external judgment or criticism.

Line by Line Meaning

When I, was young, and the light, had only begun;
As a young person, my life was just starting and I didn't fully understand the world.

To shine, down on me, I've been blind, now I've started to see
As I grew older, I began to see things more clearly and understand the world in a new way.

I don't have to be right
I don't need to always be the one who is correct or have all the answers.

There's no power in empty passion
Having a strong feeling or desire without any substance or action behind it is meaningless.

Lots it takes for the fight
It requires a lot of effort and determination to overcome obstacles.

Find the strength to be out of passion
Focus on finding the strength to move forward despite not feeling a strong passion or emotion.

Everybody knows me
People may think they understand who I am, but they don't really know my full story or struggles.

You're the one who won't hear my story
There are people who refuse to listen to my experiences or perspective.

Give it to ya for free
I'm willing to share my struggles and experiences with others without expecting anything in return.

You're the man who won't share my glory
There are people who refuse to acknowledge or celebrate my achievements and successes.

Sing it out Play it out For the first time these words are spoken
I'm ready to speak up and let my voice be heard for the first time.

Meet some thin So I can love again Shout it out Turn around Tell the whole world the spell is broken Break these chains I'm only human
I need to find someone or something that will allow me to feel love again and break free from my current situation.

No superwoman I'm only human
I don't have superhuman abilities or strengths, I'm just a regular human being trying to navigate life.

When I show, my true face, give me faith, so I'm not afraid
If I show my true self to someone, I hope they can accept me and give me the courage to be myself.

To take, what you give, when and then, I'm starting to live
I'm ready to accept what life has to offer and start truly living in the present moment.

And your eyes, when they turn, as they stare, and they burn, but they don't see me
There are times when people look at me, but they don't really see who I am or what I'm going through.

It was geared, and too much, then you started to touch, my amenities.
Someone in my life was too focused on material possessions, and it affected our relationship negatively.

Chorus
The chorus reiterates the themes of breaking free and being human, and encourages the listener to shout it from the rooftops.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MIKKEL ERIKSEN, IAN DENCH, TOR ERIK HERMANSEN, AMANDA GHOST

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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