Sheila E.

Sheila Cecilia Escovedo (born December 12, 1957), known under the stage name Sheila E., is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actress. Regarded as one of the greatest percussionists of her generation, she is a multi-instrumentalist known for playing drums and percussion. She is sometimes referred to as the "Queen of Percussion". Her music incorporates a wide variety of styles, including R&B, funk, jazz, pop, synth-pop, latin pop, and salsa. Born and raised in Oakland, California, Sheila began her music career as a percussionist for the George Duke Band from 1976 to 1980. She rose to mainstream success with release of her debut album, The Glamorous Life (1984), on Warner Bros. Records. The album's singles "The Glamorous Life" and "The Belle of St. Mark" became international hits. The album earned four Grammy Award nominations, including one for Best New Artist. Her follow-up album Romance 1600 (1985) produced another top-charting international hit called "A Love Bizarre". She released two more albums on Warner Bros. Records: Sheila E. (1987) and Sex Cymbal (1991). In 2021, she received a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In July 2023, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In April 2024, she released her tenth album, Bailar. The album's single "Bemba Colorá" won a Grammy Award for Best Global Music Performance at 67th Annual Grammy Awards.