Grammy-nominated dancehall artist Shenseea shared her insight into the internal calculus of today’s global music industry in a candid TikTok Live, —balancing independence, label relationships, and dismissed self-made success. Her remarks follows her quiet exit from Rich Immigrants and Interscope Records last November which was first reported by World Music Views.
“It wasn’t on no weird vibes,” she said plainly, referring to her departure from the imprint founded by longtime collaborator Rvssian. “I’m independent now, and I’m enjoying my independence to the fullest, I must say but I am not gonna be independent for long because where I want to go…like yeah.”
Yet in contrast to the popular narrative by experienced music executives like Steve Stoute that independence is the ultimate goal for artists navigating the streaming era, Shenseea was clear-eyed and critical of what she described as the “broke mindset” behind glorifying solo efforts in the business of music.
“Anybody weh tell you say it’s fun doing it alone—A lie them a tell, and let me tell you this: come out of that broke mindset,” she said. “If you don’t have to do it alone, don’t do it alone. You just a waste of energy, you just a waste of time,” she said with annoyance. “You can get so much more done when you put so many people on different projects.”
She added, “Anybody you hear say ‘me a do it by myself’ and they are bragging about that, straight up dumb to me. That’s not something to brag about, brag about people actually wanting to work with you. Only do it alone if you have to, if you don’t have to do it alone, please, don’t do it alone.”
Shenseea, 28, also rejected the romanticized notion of the self-made mogul, pointing out that scale and success have always depended on collaboration.
“No superstar or no one who is a billionaire ever did it alone. Nobody did that shit,” she said. “They started alone, and then other people believed in them and believed in their vision. But they never did it alone.”
The comments come as major labels continue to retool artist deals in the face of declining streaming margins and competition from independent distributors. At the same time, artists like Shenseea—who has straddled Caribbean, U.S., and global pop markets—must navigate complex decisions about creative control, ownership, and the long-term viability of independence.
As for her next steps, while her statements clarify that her break from Interscope was amicable, she left open the possibility of signing a new deal.
“The amount of deals I have on the table I don’t know which one to choose,” she stated.
“I don’t want to rush anything. I’m trying to see what I really want and how I really want to move next,” she said. “But I’m not going to be independent for too long. Maybe. Who knows? I might wake up tomorrow and sign a deal, and then tomorrow, tomorrow, I’ll still get up and say, I don’t want any of this.”
Currently, Shenseea who dropped two albums with Interscope Records says she is focused on creation, describing her mindset as peaceful, clear, and productive. “I’m making great music. My health is okay, my skin clean, no makeup. Like, I’m so stress-free. I am happy. I’m in such a happier space now. More mature. More focused.”
Her reflections underscore an evolving awareness among next-generation artists: that independence is not a virtue in itself, but one option in a broader, more nuanced strategic toolkit. Shenseea’s pause, then, is not retreat—it is recalibration.
