Event Description

Sheila E., widely known as the “Queen of Percussion,” has built a trailblazing career on one simple principle: follow the beat. Music and rhythm were constants from an early age. She grew up surrounded by musical legends, and Bay Area sounds shaped her distinctive approach to percussion, rhythm, and performance.

By the late 1970s, Sheila E. had begun amassing an impressive body of work, performing with music heavyweights. Her solo career launched in 1984 after joining Prince on the Purple Rain sessions. Her debut album, The Glamorous Life, spun off Grammy-nominated hits, and she followed with Romance 1600, Sheila E., and the iconic “A Love Bizarre."

Sheila E.’s virtuosity extends beyond the stage as a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, actress, mentor, and philanthropist. She received Emmy nominations in 2010 and 2020 for Outstanding Music Direction, and her autobiography, The Beat of My Own Drum, chronicles both her artistic journey and personal resilience.

Her work with the E-Train, founded in the early 1990s, showcases the jazz-infused side of her artistry, while her new album, Hella Fonk E, continues to captivate audiences worldwide. Sheila E. performs solo and with ensembles, blending jazz, R&B, pop, and Latin influences with her signature rhythmic precision. She has also paid forward her influence through mentorship, speaking at schools, colleges, shelters, and clinics to share music’s transformative power.

Philanthropy and activism have long been central to Sheila E.’s life. She founded Elevate Hope and staged the first “Elevate Oakland” benefit concert in 2014 to support student achievement through music and arts programming.

Today, Sheila E. continues to record, perform, and innovate. With decades of experience, she has mastered the balance of honoring her roots, expanding her artistry, and giving back to the community that shaped her. Her drive remains the same: music from the heart, performed for the world.