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Sheila E.

Sheila E. is an American percussionist, singer and songwriter, often called the "Queen of Percussion." She is the daughter of Mexican-American percussionist Pete Escovedo, and Tito Puente was her godfather.

Origins

Born Sheila Escovedo in Oakland in 1957, she grew up around her father's Latin music and left high school to perform with Azteca. She debuted on record in 1976, played with George Duke and Marvin Gaye, and became a close collaborator of Prince.

The sound

Her playing is rooted in timbales, congas and Latin percussion, carried into funk, pop and R&B. Her later work returns to Afro-Cuban and salsa rhythms, as on the album Bailar (2024).

Legacy

She earned four Grammy nominations in 1985, including Best New Artist, and won Best Global Music Performance in 2025 for "Bemba Colorá" with Gloria Estefan and Mimy Succar. She received the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021 and a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2023.