If you were to write a movie script about a young female singer making it, you would not come up with the real-life story that is Shontelle’s. No one would believe it. It’s maybe too Disney for Disney.
Born Shontelle Layne in Barbados 25 years ago, she grew up playing sports, studying hard, writing songs and singing.
While studying entertainment law in college, she recorded a couple of songs that garnered some attention in the West Indies.
She also wrote a song called “Roll It Gal” for a fellow Bajan artist. American producers Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers heard it and set out to find the writer. They tracked down Shontelle and discovered she could sing as well.
“They invited me to New York and surprised me by having a guitar ready when I walked in to the interview,” she said.