Meet Shanae Dennis - Agent, Wasserman Music
Describe your career in 5 words or less:
Purpose-driven, evolving, dynamic, challenging.
Winning Best Agent at the YMB Awards highlights your ability to champion others—who or what has championed you along the way, and how has that shaped your approach to nurturing talent?
I’ve been blessed with genuine relationships in what can often feel like a fickle industry. I have good friends and mentors who’ve encouraged me along the way, and together we’ve built a family-style support system.
I was simply trying something new and looking for change, and they saw my vision before it was fully formed. That kind of belief built my confidence and taught me the power of creating space for others.
Now, I lead with that same energy—protecting my artists’ creative integrity, pushing boundaries with them and ensuring they’re seen and heard on their own terms.
What does it mean to build a legacy in an industry that often moves at the speed of trends—and how do you ensure your impact endures beyond the moment?
Legacy building matters deeply to me for two reasons.
First, I’m Jamaican. For a relatively small island, Jamaica has had a massive global influence—especially in music and sport. Legacy, to me, is about intention: doing the work with cultural respect, long-term vision and real care. It means building platforms for artists from underrepresented communities, not just moments.
Second, it’s for my son. I had Jayden when I was 20, so we’ve practically grown up together—and everything I build, I build with him in mind.
After independently building a roster rooted in African electronic music, how are you bringing that same vision and cultural authenticity to your work on a global stage with Wasserman?
It’s been a journey of building a roster that reflects not just talent, but culture, energy and vision. Artists like Uncle Waffles and Spice aren’t just acts I represent—they’re female forces reshaping what’s possible for African and Caribbean sounds on the global stage.
I’ve learned that being an agent isn’t just about deals, logistics, or calendars. It’s about belief—often long before the rest of the world catches on. Above all, it’s about service: to the artist, to the culture and to the communities we represent.
How do you spend your down time away from work?
If I get a weekend with no shows, I usually bully my dad into cooking some of my favourite Jamaican dishes—and if the sun’s out, he might even fire up the jerk pan! Those are the moments that bring me back to myself.
