Where did the name Sheila come from? Also, who started the band?
– Sheila has been through many iterations to what it is now. We (Courtney and Rhea) started in college with our childhood friend Blake (under another name), after college was with our good friend Sha’Air, and now it is with Mendi and Jasmine! Courtney came up with the name Sheila. The concept was this powerful black woman whose full name was Sheila Antwanette Langsley. There was to be a full backstory about her life but the project kind of fizzled out. Maybe a project for the future though!
What are some of the influences that got you all creating music?
– Any and everything early 2000’s pop punk, pop punk adjacent and emo (Paramore, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, blink-182, Taking Back Sunday). But also, there were other artist that we admire so much that didn’t necessarily translate into the type of music we made but just appreciated them for their artistry, talent and showmanship (Dance Gavin Dance [pre-scandal], Janelle Monáe, The Gorillaz, Death Cab for Cutie, the Cranberries)
How does it feel with your debut album dropping soon?!
– It feels surreal to be dropping this lengthy of an album and our most creative album to date. This has been a long time in the making and for it to be in the homestretch is so exciting for us.
Were there any struggles creating this new album?
– Oh yes! To keep a long story short our first session we had with recording the album did not deliver how we wanted it to. We did not feel in our spirit putting out a product that we were unsatisfied with to the people we love who have been waiting for this for so long. We got sidelined for a few months with the recording process but we are back on track and will be ready for release in a few short weeks.
Who are some bands/artists you would like to tour with?
– Definitely would love to tour with Soul Meets Body and Mint Green.
What city/state/country would you really like to play?
– California, Montreal, Japan
To each band member, what is your favorite dinosaur?
Courtney – Pterodactyl & Saurolophus
Mendi – Triceratops
Jasmine – T-Rex
Rhea – Pterodactyl
Favorite heroes or villains from any film?
Courtney – Femme Fatale from Powerpuff Girls & Clifford from Spice Girls Movie
Mendi – Yzma from the Emporers New Groove
Jasmine – The Bride from Kill Bill
Rhea – Hades from Hercules
What is the scene like in the DMV?
– The DMV music scene is always surprising us because there is ALWAYS new talent popping up and new opportunities to network with people. From our experience up until this point, we have met some of the coolest and most talented people in the DMV music scene and hope to keep it alive for years to come.
What would you like to say to all of the black women coming up in the music scene?
– At times you will feel isolated and underestimated. But in the words of our lord and savior Kendrick Lamar, “Sometimes you gotta pop out and show niggas.” Show up and show out every time because when you step into a room everyone is going to notice you. Give them a reason to talk.
