Dancehall artist Shenseea announces “Never Gets Late Here North American Tour,” her first multi-city solo headlining tour.
The tour supports her second studio album “Never Gets Late Here” which debuted at #4 on the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart and is set to begin on August 16 in Chicago and end September 6 in Las Vegas. It is organized by WME (William Morrison Endeavor) with the shows being promoted by Live Nation and other promoters.
In an interview with WMV, Shenseea says she is happy Voice Of Jamaican artist Buju Banton is back in the US and on tour, as she prepares to go out on the road.
“Bwoy Buju as the face of reggae music, make me join you upon the stage. I’ll just really like to be there, my favorite song in Champion- the remix call me,” she says laughing.
Banton is set to make history with his first two shows in the US in 15 years at the UBS Arena in Queens New York City July 13 and 14. Both Shenseea and Buju earned their first Billboard Hot 100 singles by way of a collaboration on Kanye West’s 2021 album Donda. Shenseea on the singles OK OK and Pure Souls debuting at No. 12 and No. 52 respectively and Banton’s vocals on the single “Believe What I Say” which peaked at No. 28.
“I am very happy for him, you know he deserves it because he did great things for our culture back in the days and him being relate and being back in the US I can’t imagine what next is to come for him, I just wish him all the best,” Shenseea said.
Buju is the first roots reggae artist to headline a solo concert in New York City in a 20,000 capacity venue. He previously had four sold out Mother’s Day shows at Madison Square Garden between 2006 and 2009.
Shenseea’s tour takes her to New York City on August 22 and will take her “Never Gets Late Here Tour” to Jamaica in September.
“Any Jamaican out there, I am wishing you the because because I really want our culture to be recognized more and get the credit that we deserve and we can’t do it one by one, we have to do it all together,so I support all my Jamaican acts,” Shenseea says.
The American music market is seeing a surge in demand for niche music concerts with major festivals experiencing a decline in sales. Darryl Eaton, CAA’s co-head of North American music, told Billboard that talent is the key driver of music festival success.
As the 2024 festival season begins, notable trends include Coachella only selling 80% of its tickets and the cancellation of Lovers & Friends due to severe weather. Meanwhile, niche genre festivals like Chicago’s Sueños are gaining popularity, reflecting a shift in fan preferences. The music festival market is evolving in the US, with promoters, agents, managers, and artists seeking the optimal mix of talent and vibe to create successful events.
Eaton, who books major acts like blink-182 and The Weeknd, says he has seen the festival scene grow and diversify over the years. He said, “you can have as much vibe out there as possible, but it’s really about who you book that drives sales.”
