Sean Paul applauds women of dancehall for experimenting with genre

As a prolific songwriter, producer and performer, Sean Paul has successfully explored many ways to introduce reggae and dancehall to his international fan base, despite some labelling it as "not dancehall".

Speaking to THE STAR about Shenseea's album Alpha, he said: "As I have said in recent times, I do dancehall. My dancehall goes pop and no matter what people want to think of my music, that is how I look at it. How Shen is looking at it, is a little different. She wants to do dancehall and also other things."

He believes in the talent of the Interscope-signed artiste, who he said is talented enough to make it wherever she aims to be.

"It's always great working with her. I worked with her producing songs that have not come out yet and we also worked on a previous release, Rolling, produced by Romeich Entertainment-signed producer Khalfani. She has shown she is versatile. All the best to Shen and I love the effort she has been making, and her team as well," Sean Paul shared.

"Also, in the past couple of years, we see most of the women are doing their thing, like Shenseea. You have Koffee, Spice, Ishawna, Jada Kingdom and then females like Lanae and Naomi Cowan, dem a come up -- all of them singing and writing their hearts out -- by experimenting and I encourage it fully. I love how it's developing," he continued.

The Get Busy hitmaker has demonstrated that he is not opposed to working with his female dancehall counterparts, or women in the music industry in general. He has collaborated with international acts like Beyonce, Kelly Rowland and Sia, and has also worked with local acts in and out of studio like Spice on Go Down Deh, which is on her Grammy-nominated album 10, and now on Shenseea's album with Lying If I Call It Love.

"We need to support them 'cause if we just bun dem out, it leaves space for the real haters for dancehall who don't want to see us shine or get any radio or club play. It gives those people room to say 'See, we were right about dancehall'," Sean Paul said. "Big up the women of dancehall and reggae... it's been like a male-dominated sport, so to speak, for years and to see the younger ladies taking up to the steps of Sister Nancy, Lady G and Lady Saw, is amazing."

Sean Paul's long-awaited Scorcha album will feature several female collaborators, including a track with both Shenseea and international pop superstar Gwen Stefani, which he said has a reggae-rock flavour. His 'Scorcha' tour, which will traverse parts of the US and the UK, started last Friday and will end on May 29.