Shontelle - T-Shirt

January 05, 2017 Critic Jonni 0 Comments

After reviewing "Impossible" earlier this week, I just had to review "T-Shirt" today for my Thursday Revisit. This was her debut single and totally launched Shontelle as an artist. The song reminds me a lot of Jessica Simpson's "With You", mainly because of the whole t-shirt theme. I'm glad I chose this as my Thursday Revisit, as I'm more than likely never going to feature Shontelle on my blog again. Watch Shontelle parade around her on-screen boyfriend's flat in nothing but his "T-Shirt" on. She ignores her best friends, who are waiting for her and instead relaxes in the apartment.

Shontelle, full name Shontelle Layne, has had two hit singles, this debut song and "Impossible", which was later covered by James Arthur; he's "Impossible" charted much better globally. She's been away from the music industry for a while, apparently working on a third album. She has released a few singles recently but with next to no promotion. She may never make a full comeback; but, then again, all it takes is another hit song. This one was written by Andrew Frampton, Wayne Wilkins, and Savan Kotecha.

Mike Ruiz directed this music video, which is mainly a performance piece throughout. As if she'd prefer a night in around her boyfriend's apartment than a night out with her friends. She could've at least cancelled or let her friends know that she wasn't going. Seemed very rude to me.

All throughout the flat, she doesn't seem all that into this song. She clearly hasn't fully connected with it, and that is very obvious amongst the visuals. She doesn't have any passion behind they lyrics, and even at times, she is beyond happy to have the spotlight on her. Her face beams when she's in the elevator, losing any emotional pretence towards the song.

The video ends with her on-screen boyfriend returning home. She's taken care of the fish by feeding them, as well as changing into one of his white t-shirts. She's looking over his plans on his desk, or she's redesigning them as he walks in. She unleashes a cheeky smile, yet who knows what she's been up to.

This could've been so much better, but as a debut music video, Shontelle was clearly not prepared to be where she was and at times her excitement flooded over any acting possibility she had. It fails to engage the audience or tell a full story. The performance piece is totally lacking throughout.

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