Sheila Cecilia Escovedo, known under the stage name Sheila E., is an American singer and drummer. She began her career in the mid-1970s as a percussionist for the George Duke Band. After separating from the group in 1983, Sheila began collaborating with Prince and launched a solo career, starting with the release of her debut album in 1984, which included her biggest hit "The Glamorous Life". She also saw a hit with the 1985 single "A Love Bizarre". She is sometimes referred to as the "Queen of Percussion". In 2021, she received a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Purple Rain is a 1984 American romantic rock musical drama film scored by and starring Prince in his acting debut. Developed to showcase his talents, it contains several concert sequences, featuring Prince and his band The Revolution. The film is directed by Albert Magnoli, who later became Prince's manager, from a screenplay by Magnoli and William Blinn. The cast also features Apollonia Kotero, Morris Day, Olga Karlatos and Clarence Williams III.
Patricia Apollonia Kotero is an American actress, songwriter, singer, producer, director, podcast host and former model. She is known for co-starring in Prince's 1984 film Purple Rain and for having been the lead singer of the girl group Apollonia 6.
Purple Rain is the sixth studio album by the American singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Prince. It was released on June 25, 1984, by Warner Bros. Records as the soundtrack album to the 1984 film of the same name. Purple Rain was musically denser than Prince's previous albums, emphasizing full band performances, and multiple layers of guitars, keyboards, electronic synthesizer effects, drum machines, and other instruments.
"When Doves Cry" is a song by American musician Prince, and the lead single from his sixth studio album Purple Rain. According to the DVD commentary of the film Purple Rain (1984), Prince was asked by director Albert Magnoli to write a song to match the theme of a particular segment of the film that involved intermingled parental difficulties and a love affair. The next morning, Prince had composed two songs, one of which was "When Doves Cry". According to Prince's biographer Per Nilsen, the song was inspired by his relationship with Vanity 6 member Susan Moonsie.
Brenda Bennett is a recording artist from Warwick, Rhode Island and is best known as a member of the American musical groups Vanity 6 and Apollonia 6. Bennett was married to Prince's lighting and set-designer/director Roy Bennett, and she had worked as Prince's "wardrobe mistress." Bennett started off as a member of a Columbia Records band called Ken Lyon and Tombstone, which toured with Mott the Hoople and Queen.
Susan Moonsie-Mohan is a Trinidadian-born American singer. She is best known as a member of the 1980s musical groups Vanity 6 and Apollonia 6 that were associated with recording artist Prince.
Vanity 6 was an American female vocal trio that gained popularity in the early 1980s. They were protégées of musician Prince. Led by singer Vanity, they are known for their song "Nasty Girl".
Denise Katherine Matthews, known professionally as Vanity, was a Canadian singer, model, and actress. Known for her image as a sex symbol in the 1980s, she became an evangelist and renounced her career as Vanity in the 1990s.
The Revolution is an American band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1979 by Prince, serving as his live band and later as his studio band. The band's sound incorporated rock, pop, R&B, funk, new wave and psychedelic elements. Along with Prince's other projects, the Revolution helped create the Minneapolis sound. By the time of their 1986 breakup, the Revolution had backed Prince on two studio albums, two soundtracks and two videos.
"Take Me with U" is a song by Prince and the Revolution, and the final US single released from their album, Purple Rain (1984).
"Darling Nikki" is a song produced, arranged, composed, and performed by American musician Prince, originally released on his sixth studio album Purple Rain (1984). Though the song was not released as a single, it gained wide notoriety after Tipper Gore pointed out its sexual lyrics—in particular an explicit reference to female masturbation—and was partly responsible for the creation of the infamous Parental Advisory sticker. The song tells the story of a "sex fiend" named Nikki who seduces the singer.
"17 Days " is a song by Prince and the Revolution, and was released as the B-side of Prince's single "When Doves Cry" from Purple Rain. Intended for the side project Apollonia 6, it was originally recorded with the intention of making it a solo track for Apollonia 6 member Brenda Bennett. Ultimately, Prince would record it himself and release it as a B-side. Despite this, it remained a fan favorite, and it would often appear in Prince's live setlist until the year of his death.
Apollonia 6 is the only studio album by R&B vocal trio and Prince protégées Apollonia 6.
"Nasty Girl" is a song written and composed by American musician Prince. The song was first recorded by his protégée girl group Vanity 6 in 1982, who charted at number one on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart with their version. Prince gave the songwriting credit to lead singer Vanity, although he was the writer and composer. Inaya Day recorded a hit cover version of the song in 2004 that reached number nine in the UK Singles Chart. There have also been several other versions of this song.
Sheila E. in The Glamorous Life, often shortened as The Glamorous Life, is the first album by the singer-drummer-percussionist Sheila E., released on June 4, 1984. The title track, "The Glamorous Life", entered the US top ten, and her second single, "The Belle of St. Mark" charted in the US, UK, Ireland, Netherlands and New Zealand.
"The Beautiful Ones" is the third track on Prince and the Revolution's soundtrack album Purple Rain. It was one of three songs produced, arranged, composed, and performed by Prince, the other two being "When Doves Cry" and "Darling Nikki". The song was recorded at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles by Peggy Mac and David Leonard on September 20, 1983. The song replaced "Electric Intercourse" on the Purple Rain album.
The Purple Rain Tour was a concert tour by American recording artist Prince and the Revolution following up on the success of his sixth studio album Purple Rain and his 1984 film Purple Rain. According to Spin, the tour sold over 1.7 million tickets.
"Sex Shooter" is the debut single by Apollonia 6, released as a single in 1984. It appears on the group's only album. The song reached the top 20 of the US R&B Chart and was written and produced by Prince. A version performed by Prince appears on the 2019 posthumous demo album Originals.
Prince and the Revolution: Live is a live concert video by Prince and the Revolution. Released after the Purple Rain Tour was complete, the video is a recording of the March 30, 1985 concert at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York. The concert was also broadcast live throughout Europe as the final act of the 15th "Rock Night", an all-night show of four concerts staged by West German public broadcaster Westdeutscher Rundfunk as part of its Rockpalast series that was simulcast by the Eurovision network of European TV stations.
