Women power! Wendy Shay back to her fearless best on Enigma EP

Released via RuffTown Records, Enigma is Wendy Shay’s first mid-length project, following her previous albums Shay On You (2019) and Shayning Star (2021). It features no guest artists, instead blending a wide array of pop forms including highlife, Afrobeats, R&B and dancehall.

According to Wendy Shay, the new project is her way of reintroducing herself; an improved version that seems to say: “this is how far I have come, this is how far I’ve explored my sound.”

Toughened by difficult personal experiences over the years, the singer-songwriter has constantly projected an image of confidence, and her recent releases have been particularly cathartic, essaying her journey through heartbreak and depression.

Assisted by industry vet Ricky ‘Bullet’ Nana Agyemang, who introduced her to the mainstream in 2018 with ‘Uber Driver’, Wendy Shay’s music has often demonstrated clever penmanship in tackling serious issues like domestic violence and women’s mental health. The songs on Enigma find Wendy Shay sticking to the script.

“I wanted to send a message across, but in a way that everybody can relate to and feel in their souls,” the singer says.

When it comes to an issue like domestic abuse, the musician, behind the humanitarian agency Shay Foundation, feels a strong sense of responsibility to speak up, particularly for victims who are afraid to talk because of fear of being stigmatised.

“As an artist who has a voice, why not speak up for such people? I may not have been in abusive relationships per se, but I’ve had my fair share of men not treating me how I’m supposed to be treated as a lady, and I use those experiences to speak for people in such situations or even worse.”

Contrary to the notion that “women are the weaker vessels”, the songstress believes that they are a repository of infinite strength, for which reason she preaches women empowerment in her music.

“We are nowhere close to weak. We are the very source of life, and I’m on a constant quest to help women see their value. Without them, the world cannot function, so I want them to know that. We play a vital role in this world, and must be proud of it and move with dignity.”

On the value of confidence, especially for young girls, Wendy Shay stresses that everyone requires assertiveness to get ahead in any endeavour.

Because of how she has constantly invented herself and thrived in a male-dominated industry, she has also become a role model. She hopes her story will teach other young girls, whether they have ambitions of pursuing music or not, to always do what makes them happy, and believe that they have everything it takes to get to where they want to be.

Beyond achieving commercial acclaim and fame that attends being a successful musician, Wendy Shay hopes her work and life leave a profound impact.

“This is my work on earth,” she says, “to share my gift in different ways to touch lives.”