Lady Shakespeare is entering a new chapter with music rooted in resilience, identity, and creative freedom. In this conversation, she reflects on the personal experiences and cultural influences.
Your latest singles, “Tentación” and “No Pressure,” introduce fans to different sides of your artistry. What inspired these songs, and how do they connect to the story you’re telling with your upcoming album?
“No Pressure” tells the story of how I deal with societal expectations and how I refuse to let them affect me. I was writing it around the time I was caring for my mother. I took a break from my first EP to focus on her health. Dealing with the pressure of continuing to write songs while she was ill—and then adding the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic—was immense. When she passed, I decided it was time to tell my story.
I’ve been through a lot, from losing people I considered friends and family who turned against me, to being treated as “Lady Shakespeare” rather than “Jasmine,” a human being. It was difficult, but I found redemption, which is why I wrote “No Pressure.” Tentación
means temptation in Spanish. I love the language; I’ve been speaking it since I was six, and it’s part of my heritage—my grandfather was Afro-Bohemian with Venezuelan and Cuban roots. I was struggling with writer’s block after the success of my song Mi Reina from my second EP. I wanted to create something that addressed the negative temptations I’ve faced—people who only wanted to be around me for money or the status of knowing “Lady Shakespeare.” After watching Bad Bunny’s final performance of his Puerto Rico residency, I finally found the fuel to write Tentación in 15 minutes.
Your music blends personal experiences, cultural influences, and different genres. How would you describe your artistic identity?
I would say I’m just me. I like to wear different styles and colors to stand out because I want to show that I am versatile. I don’t like being put in a box—I’m claustrophobic, for one thing! I don’t want people to label “Shakes” as only one type of artist. I create music that resonates with me, influenced by what I grew up with. My mother introduced me to Motown and classical music. My father, who is from the Bahamas, introduced me to reggae and classic artists like Bob Marley and Michael Jackson. I love being versatile—it shows you can do many things. If you are stuck in one genre, you can’t get very far. I look up to producers like Pharrell Williams, who is incredibly versatile across hip-hop, funk, soul, and gospel.
How do your Baltimore upbringing and Bahamian heritage influence your sound and your approach to storytelling?
People can usually tell I’m from Baltimore by how I speak, but my Bahamian heritage is just as strong. My mother sent me to live in the Bahamas with my aunt and grandmother when I was 11, and that dialect stuck with me. Baltimore is unique; we are like our own island. We have our own style and flavor. People try to claim club music, but Baltimore did that first—I grew up listening to it on 92Q FM. Combining that Baltimore energy with my Bahamian roots makes me stand out. Being mixed-culture can be exhausting, though. It feels like the movie Selena—I feel like I have to be twice as Bahamian and twice as American to be accepted. Sometimes people in the Bahamas judge me for being American, and people in America say I’m not “B-more” enough because of my accent. It’s exhausting, but it’s beautiful.
What can fans expect from your upcoming album, and how does it represent your growth as an artist?
This album is something they won’t expect. It’s like a big gumbo of different sounds I’ve always wanted to explore. I don’t think they’ll expect to hear as much singing, which is something I know I’m great at. I prefer to “move in silence” and watch people’s reactions when they realize the range I have. I want this album to show kids that they don’t have to stay in one box. I want people to dance, enjoy it, and learn to live life like it’s their last day.
When creating this album, what came first—the vision, individual songs, or the emotions?
A bit of each. Usually, it starts with the vision or beats I’ve leased. If I can listen to a beat on repeat in my headphones while I’m working and it stays stuck in my head, I know it’s a hit. I intended to release this in 2021, but after I lost my mother, I focused on my second EP, “Carpe Diem II,” which served as a preview for 999.
How important is it to create music that connects emotionally while bringing people together?
It’s vital. Right now, in this country, people are being told they don’t belong or that their history doesn’t matter. I’m not afraid to show my Bahamian flag or be my authentic, openly gay self. I want to be a messenger, like Bob Marley. My only goal is to spread the message of “one love”—that we are all one, we all breathe the same, and we all believe the same.
Looking at your journey, what has been one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned?
Put God first. I’ve dealt with people I considered family turning against me for entitlement, and I’ve had managers who stole from me. Through it all, I’ve learned to stay on the path and not worry about negativity. If you put God first, you don’t have to worry about what the devil tries to do—he cannot stop what God has for you.
I met you at the Juneteenth concert in Harrisburg. What did it mean to be part of that historic celebration?
It meant a lot. Winning that showcase alongside Lil Tim was a pivotal moment. Seeing a diverse crowd—Black, Hispanic, and White—all celebrating together was exactly what Juneteenth is about. Standing there as a Black Caribbean-American woman, on my own two feet, was mind-blowing. That performance represented strength; even though I was in physical pain that night, I pushed through. It was God showing me that if I can perform like that in pain, I can do anything.
Be’n Original
