Sheila E.

Sheila E. is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and actress who has built a career as one of the most acclaimed percussionists of her generation, sometimes called the Queen of Percussion. Born in Oakland, California, she began as a percussionist with the George Duke Band from 1976 to 1980. Her 1984 debut album The Glamorous Life earned four Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist, and its follow-up Romance 1600 produced the international hit A Love Bizarre. She also appeared as the female lead in Krush Groove (1985). While touring and recording, she served as music director for Prince's Sign o' the Times and Lovesexy tours and, in 1998, became the first woman to work as a music director on television with The Magic Hour. Her honors include a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021, a 2023 Hollywood Walk of Fame star, and a Grammy for Bemba Colorá from Bailar.