WorldWide Entertainment TV Exclusive interview with Barbadian singer Shontelle from Akon’s Konvict Kartel Tour in United Kingdom in 2017. She speaks about comparisons to Rihanna in early days.
Shontelle and Rihanna have a past. Other than the fact they’re both from Barbados, they were in Cadets Corp together in Barbados. But not only were they in the cadets together, Shontelle was actually the one giving Rihanna orders. he wrote on her website bio, “‘Shontelligence’ merely defines the knowledge that I have acquired throughout my life, the knowledge yet to be absorbed and ultimately the product of all my experiences which I then translate into my music.” “Roll It Gal” (otherwise known as “Roll It”) is a song written by Shontelle Layne and Sheldon Benjamin, containing a sample of Benjamin’s “Big Love”.
The song was originally recorded by soca singer Alison Hinds and was taken from her debut album Soca Queen. The single was released by Hinds in 2005 in Barbados and in the United Kingdom in 2007. A music video was produced for Hinds’ version of the song in 2005. The Hinds version of “Roll It Gal” shot to the top of the charts in Barbados, Trinidad and throughout the Caribbean. In 2007, a re-worked cover of the song entitled “Roll It” was released in several European countries. This version was performed by J-Status and featured Shontelle, who assisted in writing both versions of the song, and Rihanna.
