Grammy-nominated singer Shanice Wilson-Knox rose to fame years before social media ever came onto the scene. But she certainly understands its power, now more than ever.
As Shanice explains in the above clip from OWN, even an industry veteran can become overwhelmed by the challenges of making music. “You start to get a little discouraged when things aren’t happening as quickly and how you want it to happen,” she says.
As an independent artist, Shanice points out that not having the backing of a major label as she once did can make the music industry even more challenging to navigate. So much so, she says, that she was ready to call it quits entirely.
“I felt like giving up,” Shanice admits. “I didn’t want to sing anymore.”
That’s when one of her fans on social media changed the course of her career.
“I had this fan post all these YouTube videos about me, and he made me look larger than life. He begged me to continue to sing,” Shanice says. “I said, ‘You know what? Even if I make a record just for him ... you know, I’m doing something.’”
Inspired by her fan’s enthusiasm, Shanice chose not to abandon song-making. “That guy really, really encouraged me to keep singing,” she says. “This is a true story. I was really done.”
Grateful, the singer reached out to her fan to express her appreciation for his role in giving her the strength she needed to keep going.
“I left him a direct message,” Shanice says. “I told him the whole story: ‘I was about to give up, and you’re the reason why I’m still singing. Thank you so much.’”
Shanice, who stars on the series “Flex & Shanice” with her family, is currently working on her new album.
Another career-changing moment:
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