Without Love, It Ain’t Much

The world knows her as Sheila E., the legendary Latina recording artist who rose to superstardom in the 1980’s alongside Prince, her closest musical collaborator. But contrary to common perception that she was simply a “Prince protégé,” Sheila Escovedo was in fact a child prodigy who began playing percussion at the age of three and was already performing alongside her father, Latin Jazz legend Pete Escovedo, by the time she was five years old. Sheila spent her teen years touring and collaborating with many musical legends including Lionel Richie, George Duke, Herbie Hancock, Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross. Today, with a career spanning over 50 years, she is considered by many to be the best female drummer in the world.

This film will follow now-59-year-old Sheila E. over the course of a year. We have exclusive, intimate access, hanging out with Sheila both at home and backstage on her tour, where we will observe as she reminisces on the roller coaster ride of her extensive musical career and personal life. The film will interweave current day moments with her historical life story as told through archival footage, never-before-seen footage from her personal archives, interviews with her family, close friends, and many of the celebrity musicians she has collaborated with over the years.