SAUCEPOT: Kaci Fennell Shirley

NUFF GRAVY (NG): KACI FENNELL SHIRLEY IS A…  

KACI FENNELL SHIRLEY (KFS): entrepreneur, wannabe chef, foodie, lowkey comedian, wanderlust, but most importantly … A HUMAN BEING :)

(NG): What’s one decision you regret making/not making sooner?

KFS: To quit people pleasing, and to quit explaining myself. 

(NG): How do you create space between your private and public lives? 

KFS: Balance is vital for me, and also an everyday struggle. I am super selective about what I share to the public, that’s the only way I can strike some sort of a balance.

(NG): What’s the wildest thing someone has ever said to you on social media?

KFS: My DM’s are atrocious. Men sending unsolicited pictures, people wanting my soiled pads/tampons(I’m serious)…. Those are the top two, I hope they quantify as wild.

(NG): From the perspective of a beauty queen, what do you think about contemporary/media beauty ‘standards’?

KFS: I feel like the “standard”, whatever those used to be, are slowly being erased and I am currently LIVING for this new era where all these younger people are challenging the status quo, trends are dying and you are finding more people living in their true uniqueness. Listen, I am pro what makes YOU happy, I cannot emphasize the “YOU” enough. The idea of beauty is ever-evolving and I consider myself lucky to witness the freedom/inclusivity of it all, however, I do believe media has its downfalls by making a lot of young girls believe their bodies need to look like a Coca-Cola bottle shape, makeup must be done 24/7 and if you don’t wear certain brands you are irrelevant …. It's a “is the glass half full or is it half empty?” situation. 

(NG): BTW your skin is gorgeous– what's your skincare routine like?

KFS: Thank you! It’s an extensive routine…. I use vitamin C serums, retinol, hyaluronic acid, glycolic acid, good moisturizers, and sunscreen every day. I also do masks weekly, and occasionally I will get a chemical peel done.

(NG): What are three things about marriage that nobody warned you about?

KFS: There are quite a bit of things I have learned in this journey; one of the more important points is that there is no user manual for this, and no matter the amount of time that has passed you will always be learning something new about each other, it can only be a beautiful journey if you want it to be, it is handwork but in a good way.

(NG): If you could live anywhere else in the Caribbean, where would it be?

KFS: Barbados! She is the moment right now.

(NG): One lesson, if any, that you learned during the pandemic

KFS: That time flies, sometimes I put things off with the thought of having all the time in the world but the pandemic got rid of that foolish thought.

(NG): What’s your go-to scent?

KFS: I have this Arabic perfume oil I got from a souk in Dubai back in 2015, it is delicious and the only scent in my collection that will last for the entire day. I literally cannot finish it! It has an Arabic name so I can’t even share the name :(

(NG): If mental health is important to you, how do you take care of yours?

KFS: Mental health is massively important to me, the everyday battle is sometimes so overwhelming but I make an effort to go to the sources that make me feel light…. going to the beach, reading a good book, cooking, laying on the couch with my partner watching a film/tv series, watching Rupaul's drag race and as cliche as it sounds, working out helps a lot as well. Mental health wellness is not a “one size fits all”, every day I am figuring out how to cope.

(NG): You’re going on a road trip: 1) will your friends give you the aux, 2) what’s getting played if you are

KFS: Yes, because I am a DJ, and I’m playing Beautiful by Snoop Dog and Pharrell (it just makes anyone feel good), Bank On It by Burna Boy, Curves by Skeng, and Loving You by Minnie Riperton. 

(NG): You get a one-way ticket to a destination of your choice and you can only bring one book:: where are you going and what book are you bringing? 

KFS: First of all, I am on a mission to visit every country in this world so this is difficult! Hmmm lets go with Provence, France … I am imagining myself laying in the lavender fields on a blanket with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc reading “ When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi.

(NG): If I’m drinking _____ then it’s going to be a wild night 

KFS: Champagne… do not engage 

(NG): What’s the best meal you’ve ever had and where was it?

KFS: I have been to so many countries, and eaten the best of food but nothing compares to the moment I returned back to Jamaica from South Africa and my mom cooked my favorite meal, Stew Peas :). Sitting at my family dining table and finally eating my mom's cooking, which I missed so much, was just perfect.  

(NG): If you weren’t doing what you’re doing now, what would be your dream job?

KFS: I think I would love to be a Psychologist, the human mind is so interesting. 

(NG): What are three things on your bucket list you’ve yet to do?

KFS: 1. Dance in the rain in Spain (don’t laugh at me). 2. Act in a film/tv series. 3. Create a hit song (this has been on my list since I was 10 LOL, no I can’t sing… will figure this out) 

(NG): My food haffi come wid: nuff gravy, likkle bit ah gravy, or no gravy?

KFS: NUFF, all over the rice and the meat please and tanx.