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.
T-Shirt
Shontelle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tryna decide tryna decide
If I really wanna go out tonight
I never used to go out without ya
Not sure I remember how to
Gonna be late gonna be late
But, all my girls gon have to wait 'cause
I Tried everything in my closet
Nothin' feels right when I'm not with you
Sick of this dress and these Jimmy Choos
Takin' them off 'cause I feel a fool
Tryna dress up when I'm missin' you
Imma step out of this lingerie
Curl up in a ball with somethin' Hanes
In bed I lay
With nothin' but cha T-shirt on
With nothin' but cha T-shirt on
(Hey)
Gotta be strong gotta be strong but I'm
Really hurtin' now that you're gone
I thought maybe I'd do some shoppin'
But I couldn't get past the door an
Now I just don't know, now I just don't know If I
Ever really gon' let cha go
And I couldn't even leave my apartment
I'm stripped down, torn up about it
Nothin' feels right when I'm not with you
Sick of this dress and these Jimmy Choos
Takin' them off 'cause I feel a fool
Tryna dress up when I'm missin' you
Imma step out of this lingerie
Curl up in a ball with somethin' Hanes
In bed I lay
With nothin' but cha T-shirt on
With nothin' but cha T-shirt on
With nothin' but cha T-shirt on ('cause I missed you, 'cause I missed you)
With nothin' but cha T-shirt on (said I missed you baby)
Now I just don't know now
I don't just know if I ever really gon let you go
And I couldn't even leave my apartment
I'm stripped down torn up about it.
Nothin' feels right when I'm not with you
Sick of this dress and these Jimmy Choos
Takin' them off 'cause I feel a fool
Tryna dress up when I'm missin' you
Imma step out of this lingerie
Curl up in a ball with somethin' Hanes
In bed I lay
Nothin' feels right when I'm not with you
Sick of this dress and these Jimmy Choos
Takin' them off 'cause I feel a fool
Tryna dress up when I'm missin' you
Imma step out of this lingerie
Curl up in a ball with somethin' Hanes
In bed I lay
With nothin but cha T-shirt on
With nothin' but cha T-shirt on
With nothin' but cha T-shirt on
With nothin' but cha T-shirt on
(Nothin' but your t-shirt on )
(Nothin' but your t-shirt on)
In the song T-Shirt by Shontelle, the singer is struggling to decide whether or not she should go out without her significant other. She feels like she doesn't know how to have fun without him and is unsure of her outfit choice. She eventually decides not to go out and instead stays at home alone feeling stripped down and torn up about the situation. She chooses to curl up in bed wearing nothing but his t-shirt, which provides her with a sense of comfort and closeness.
The chorus of the song expresses her frustration with trying to dress up and feel good about herself when she's missing her partner. She feels like her outfit choices and high-end clothing are pointless without him around. In this way, the song explores the idea of identity and how it can become intertwined with another person, making it difficult to exist independently.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey
The singer is contemplating whether or not to go out tonight without the person they usually go out with.
Tryna decide tryna decide
The singer is trying to make a decision about going out without their usual companion.
If I really wanna go out tonight
The singer is questioning if they truly want to go out without their usual companion.
I never used to go out without ya
The singer was used to going out with their usual companion and is unsure about going out without them.
Not sure I remember how to
The singer is unsure how to have fun without their usual companion.
Gonna be late gonna be late
The singer is running late.
But, all my girls gon have to wait 'cause
The singer's friends will have to wait a little longer for her to arrive.
I don't know if I like my outfit
The singer is uncertain if they like the outfit they chose.
I Tried everything in my closet
The singer has tried on many outfits but still unsure of what to wear.
Nothin' feels right when I'm not with you
The singer doesn't feel comfortable or confident when they are not with their usual companion.
Sick of this dress and these Jimmy Choos
The singer is tired of the clothes and shoes they are wearing.
Takin' them off 'cause I feel a fool
The singer is taking off their clothes because they feel silly and uncomfortable.
Tryna dress up when I'm missin' you
The singer can't concentrate on getting dressed up because they are missing their usual companion.
Imma step out of this lingerie
The singer is going to change into something more comfortable.
Curl up in a ball with somethin' Hanes
The singer is going to put on comfortable clothing from the brand Hanes.
In bed I lay
The singer is going to bed.
With nothin' but cha T-shirt on
The singer is only wearing a T-shirt in bed.
Gotta be strong gotta be strong but I'm
The singer is trying to be strong but struggling because their usual companion is not with them.
Really hurtin' now that you're gone
The singer is hurting emotionally because their usual companion is not with them.
I thought maybe I'd do some shoppin'
The singer considered going shopping to distract themselves from missing their usual companion.
But I couldn't get past the door an
The singer decided not to go shopping and couldn't even leave their apartment.
Now I just don't know, now I just don't know If I
The singer is questioning if they will ever be able to let go of their usual companion.
Ever really gon' let cha go
The singer is wondering if they will ever be able to let go of their usual companion.
And I couldn't even leave my apartment
The singer is struggling to even leave their apartment because they miss their usual companion so much.
I'm stripped down, torn up about it
The singer is emotionally raw and devastated by the absence of their usual companion.
Nothin' feels right when I'm not with you
The singer feels uncomfortable and out of place without their usual companion.
Sick of this dress and these Jimmy Choos
The singer is tired of the clothes and shoes they are wearing.
Takin' them off 'cause I feel a fool
The singer is taking off their clothes because they feel silly and uncomfortable.
Tryna dress up when I'm missin' you
The singer can't concentrate on getting dressed up because they are missing their usual companion.
Imma step out of this lingerie
The singer is going to change into something more comfortable.
Curl up in a ball with somethin' Hanes
The singer is going to put on comfortable clothing from the brand Hanes.
In bed I lay
The singer is going to bed.
With nothin' but cha T-shirt on
The singer is only wearing a T-shirt in bed because it reminds them of their usual companion.
Nothin' but cha T-shirt on
The singer is wearing only a T-shirt to feel closer to their usual companion who is not with them.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., BMG Rights Management
Written by: ANDREW FRAMPTON, WAYNE WILKINS, SAVAN KOTECHA, TERIUS NASH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lorna O'Brien
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