Shontelle

It's easy to compare singer-songwriter Shontelle Layne to Rihanna, if only because they're both from the small island nation of Barbados. But it's not accurate. "Our music is very different," says Shontelle, adding: "I bring a lot more of my West Indian background to my music."

On tracks like the icy Focus pon me and the infectious Naughty featuring Beenie Man, the 24 year-old Shontelle shows off her mastery of both Caribbean hustle and American flow. But this leggy beauty didn't dive into the music scene with her eyes closed. She studied entertainment law at the University of the West Indies while mastering her songwriting craft.

It was after writing the soca jam Roll it Gal for Alison Hinds at 21 that she recorded a demo with SRP Records, the same label that helped launch Akon and Rihanna. The following year, she joined her former schoolmate Rihanna on J Status' anthem Roll.

In just a few weeks, Shontelle will launch her debut Shontelligence. Already, the lovey-dovey single T-shirt has cracked the Billboard Hot 100.

See: myspace.com/shontelle