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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