Shaneil Muir Talks Quitting Dancehall “I Rather Be Rich In Christ” – Watch Interview

While Shaneil Muir was on her ‘A’ game in Dancehall, she decided to close her Dancehall chapter to live a Christian life. The Top Gyal artiste, who is among the most prominent female artistes in the dancehall genre, announced her departure from the genre a week ago after accusing her manager of mishandling her finances, which left the internet buzzing.

Appearing on Winford William’s Onstage, she elaborated on her decision, saying that she has always been a spiritual person, holding dear to her faith even as she went deep into the raunchy category. She confidently expressed that her experiences showed her that she was on the wrong path, hence her decision to reclaim her spiritual journey.

When asked if she believed that she had been at war with herself, she gave an affirmative response. “In a previous interview, when I just started, about three years ago roughly, I also stated to you that I was strongly in my faith, and then I stepped into the world of Dancehall, but now I think that I am able to strongly make that decision once again, and you know just pick my pieces here on after and move forward,” she stated.

The Yamabella hitmaker went on to say that her expectations when she entered the world of Dancehall were not met, thus leading to many disappointments. She advised aspiring entertainers, saying, “I would want them to know to learn as much as they can before going into that business.” She added that for creative people who write their own songs, as she does, it consumes a lot of energy. Therefore, creatives must be in places and surround themselves with things that contribute to their positive thinking to continue producing good material.

“If you don’t know what needs to be done or what other people duties are, for example…anybody on your team, then when they are not doing their duties you may be at risk of…distrupting your creative space. So they have to learn, I would advise them to learn as much as they can, when they can, while they can, before taking on…any genre whatsoever and especially dancehall music,” She continued, hinting at the problem she had with her ex-manager, Richie Flores. She, however, refrained from giving further details on the issue because legal actions were being taken. She commented on the matter by saying that she hopes to provide deeper insight in the future.

As she continued to speak about her experience, she emphasised that it is vital to gain as much knowledge about all aspects of the business as possible and create a reliable team. She pointed out her mistake of not setting a “proper foundation for what was yet to come,” which she noted is important in Dancehall. The Hype and Boasy singer described the dancehall genre as being “ego-driven,” which sets artistes apart from other entertainers after they have reached a certain point in their career.

“Yuh see if you are the artiste, you are the boss, yuh hear dat. Don’t mek nobody think that they are going to come and make you belittle yourself and think that you work for them because you don’t. You are your boss. You are the one that creates an environment where other jobs come into play because no artiste, no team,” she advised, and stressed the importance of developing oneself educationally and financially.

She expressed that the issue has affected her mental state and created a “mental gap.” She highlighted that she has no concern over the money or the fame if her mental health and spirituality are being affected. “I rather be rich in Christ,” she went on, as she explained that she would be singing gospel songs in the future. While her family is supportive, she said they were hurt by what was happening because they knew just how much she invested to reach where she is.

Watch Shaneil Muir’s interview below.