Dancehall heavyweight Vybz Kartel has signed rising singer and songwriter Shenequa as the first female artiste on his GreedyLion / Vybz Kartel Muzik label, the Jamaica Observer reported on 1 September 2026.
Shenequa’s public relations team framed the deal as a major step for an artiste already pushing into dancehall. Kartel said collaborations are in the works. “Shenequa is entering a new chapter. With the backing, visibility and creative energy, the team and I will be taking her career to another level, so stay tuned,” he said, according to the Observer.
She is promoting her latest single, “My Show,” with a new visual. Her catalogue also includes “Emotionally Scarred.” Shenequa told the Observer she wants to challenge the idea that female reggae and dancehall artistes are capped at a fixed level of success. “It’s an amazing feeling to be signed by one of the world’s greats. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity, and it’s only up from here,” she said.
The signing lands in a busy Kartel stretch. After sharing the Reggae Sumfest stage with Mavado in July, the pair bring their Gaza vs Gully show to London’s O2 Arena on 9 September 2026. Label moves and overseas dates are running in the same window.
What this means. A major label stamp does not write the songs. It does change who hears the next single first, who pays for the video, and how fast a female dancehall act can reach diaspora playlists. Kartel’s name still opens doors. Shenequa still has to fill them with records people actually play.
What to do. If you follow her work, stream “My Show” and watch whether a Kartel collab drops after the O2 date. If you book or promote female dancehall acts, treat this as a reminder that the pipeline is still thin at the top: one signing is news because it is still rare. Last fact-checked 2 September 2026.
