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A30    PEOPLE & ARTS
                   Saturday 10 June 2017
               Sheila E. on political album, Prince and performing




            MESFIN FEKADU                show at The Apollo Theater
            AP Music Writer              in  New  York  City  on  Mon-
            NEW  YORK  (AP)  —  Sheila  day.
            E. is booked. The Grammy-    TEARS FOR PRINCE
            nominated  performer  is  A  year  after  the  death  of
            keeping  busy  by  record-   her mentor, Prince, Sheila E.
            ing two albums, performing  said it’s been hard to move
            shows  around  the  country  on.
            and  working  on  a  docu-   “I  try  to  celebrate  his  life.
            mentary.                     ... He would not want us to
            She  recently  spoke  to  The  mourn  him,  he’d  want  us
            Associated Press on a num-   to celebrate. But it’s easier
            ber of topics, including her  said  than  done,  absolute-
            late mentor Prince and her  ly.  With  the  support  of  my














                                                                      In this June 26, 2016 file photo, Sheila E. poses in the press room at the BET Awards at the Microsoft
                                                                      Theater in Los Angeles.
                                                                                                                                            Associated Press

                                                                      family  and  the  fans  and  the musical director.        which also features a cover
                                                                      my friends, it’s been better,  Proceeds  will  support  the  of  Stevie  Wonder’s  “Jesus
                                                                      time  does  heal.  But  there  nonprofit   organization’s  Children of America” and a
                                                                      are some days when I go,  arts,  education  and  com-     James Brown medley. Spe-
                                                                      ‘This  doesn’t  even  make  munity programming.           cial guests include Freddie
                                                                      sense,’” she recalled.       “The  Apollo  Theater  has  Stone,  Bootsy  Collins  and
                                                                      Sheila  E.  was  engaged  to  been  home  to  legendary  Israel Houghton.
                                                                      The  Purple  One  and  they  and  up-and-coming  artists  “The  racism  and  the  ha-
                                                                      worked  on  a  number  of  alike,  serving  as  an  ever-  tred  in  our  country,  (it’s)
                                                                      memorable  songs,  includ-   changing  driving  force  in  overwhelming  to  see  how
                                                                      ing  the  funky  ‘80s  hit  “The  popular  music  and  cul-  many  people  hate  each
                                                                      Glamorous Life.”             ture  not  only  in  Harlem,  other, and it’s sad. I look at
                                                                      She  said  it  felt  strange  re-  but across the world,” said  it  as  this:  One  person  can
                                                                      cording  the  song  “Ameri-  Jonelle  Procope,  the  the-  change  the  atmosphere
                                                                      ca”  without  Prince  beside  ater’s president and CEO.   to something good ... and
                                                                      her.                         Sheila  E.  said  she  doesn’t  love is something that can
                                                                      “I kind of broke down dur-   remember  her  first  perfor-  change things.
                                                                      ing that session, like, ‘This is  mance  at  the  Apollo,  but  And  it  also  takes  one  per-
                                                                      weird, strange.’             she  walked  around  the  son to destroy something as
                                                                       There are those moments,  venue recently to soak up  well, as we know, as we’re
                                                                      and  some  days  I’m  OK,”  the history.                  seeing,” she said.
                                                                      she said.                    “You  kind  of  walk  around  “So  my  mission  ...  is  to  al-
                                                                      She said his death has been  backstage and think about  ways bring people togeth-
                                                                      “an emotional roller coast-  the stories or the things that  er, and through music I am
                                                                      er” for her and his fans.    have gone on (there), and  able to do that.”
                                                                      SHOWTIME AT THE APOLLO       that’s what I did,” she said.  She  is  currently  fundraising
                                                                      Sheila E. will help The Apollo  LET’S GET POLITICAL       for “ICONIC” on the crowd-
                                                                      Theater  raise  money  for  its  Sheila E. planned to release  funding site PledgeMusic.
                                                                      2017  Apollo  Spring  Gala  a dance album called “Girl  BEHIND THE SCENES
                                                                      with  a  performance  Mon-   Meets  Boy,”  but  with  the  When Sheila E. released her
                                                                      day at the famed venue in  current  political  climate,  autobiography,  “The  Beat
                                                                      Harlem.                      she  decided  to  switch  of My Own Drum,” in 2014,
                                                                      “We’re  going  to  have  a  gears.                        she  said  she  wanted  to
                                                                      good  time  and  it’s  for  a  Now she’s recording an al-  make the book into a film.
                                                                      good  cause,  and  Apollo’s  bum of songs that “has lyri-  She had already spoken to
                                                                      been  there  so  long,  you  cal  content  that  are  rele-  the  actress  she  wanted  to
                                                                      know,  it’s  a  place  (where)  vant to the times that we’re  portray her on-screen.
                                                                      so  many  greats  have  per-  in  right  now.”  The  project,  While she still plans to make
                                                                      formed on that stage so I’m  originally  titled,  “Politically  a film, at the moment she’s
                                                                      honored to be a part of it,”  Correct,”  but  now  called  working on a documentary
                                                                      she said.                    “ICONIC,”  will  be  released  about her life and career.
                                                                      Cedric  the  Entertainer  will  later this year.          “We’ve  been  working  on
                                                                      host  the  event;  CeeLo  She  and  Ringo  Starr  both  a  documentary  that  will
                                                                      Green  and  We  McDonald  play  drums  on  “Come  To-     come  out  in  2018,”  she
                                                                      will  perform.  Ray  Chew  is  gether”  on  the  album,  said. “It looks great.”q
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