Meet Shanelle Genai

Shanelle Genai is a freelance Entertainment and Features Writer living and working in Los Angeles, CA. 

 Hailing from Little Rock, Arkansas, she currently serves as an Entertainment Writer for The Root, a digital outlet that provides thought-provoking and entertaining commentary and news from a variety of Black perspectives. In this role, her oft-humorous and insightful pieces sit at the intersection of race and pop culture.

Harnessing over 5 years of experience and a love for all things entertainment, celebrity news, TV, film and music, Shanelle has made her mark as an established voice and creative in the industry. Notable interviews include Mahershala Ali, Yahya-Abdul Mateen II, Hillary Clinton, Samuel L. Jackson, Idris Elba, Taraji P. Henson, Issa Rae, Quinta Brunson, Sterling K. Brown and Oprah Winfrey. She’s also covered several of Hollywood’s biggest events such as the Sundance Film Festival, Emmys and the Oscars as well as provided thought-provoking reviews and analysis on many of today’s top celeb news, TV, and film projects.

In addition to her work at The Root, she’s also been featured in other publications and platforms like the BBC, MSNBC, ESSENCE Magazine, Fortune Magazine, Revolt, Blavity and more. Further bylines include Netflix, EDITION by Modern Luxury, xoNecole, Blavity, and Shadow and Act. With nearly 9K followers across Twitter and Instagram, her social commentary has also been featured in numerous platforms such as Variety, BET, CNN, USA Today, Uproxx, New York Post, Buzzfeed, Newsweek, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and more and afforded her the opportunity to collaborate with brands such as Peacock and Amazon Prime Video. In 2022, she founded Thee Media Mavens, a collective of Black Women professionals across various creative industries and hosted nearly 100 women for the inaugural Thee Media Mavens x ESSENCEFest Takeover, sponsored by VH1.

With regard to future opportunities, she’d love to translate her interviewing and cultural commentary skills to more opportunities as on-air talent for event hosting, guest panels, podcast spots, red carpet and live event correspondence both via in-person and social media.