| Sheyla Bonnick | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Sheila Yvonne Bonnick |
| Origin | Jamaica |
| Genres | Dance-pop, dance, soul |
| Occupations | Singer |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Associated acts | www.bnmusic.info |
Sheyla Bonnick is a singer and performer, born in Jamaica and brought up in England. She was a member of an early line-up of pop group Boney M. in 1975. Her name was previously spelled as Sheila Bonnick and Sheila Bonnique.
Sheyla and her friend Maizie Williams answered an advert in The Stage newspaper for a dance contract in Germany in the early 70s. One day in 1975, while at a restaurant, the two were approached by an agent Katja Wolfe, who asked if they were interested in fronting a group called Boney M. for lip-sync performances for television and discothek appearances for a single called "Baby Do You Wanna Bump" which was recorded by producer Frank Farian. The two accepted and went on the road with two other members called Nathalie and Mike. Sheyla, left Boney M 6 months later.[3] To be noted Sheyla was never part of the studio line up and has never appeared on any boney M recording , One year later, in September 1976, Boney M. - still with her friend Maizie in the line-up - were on top of the charts everywhere with "Daddy Cool" and the group became one of the most successful pop acts of the 70s.
In 1977 Sheyla joined Munich disco project Mandrake for the recording of "Its Time For Us" "Dancing The Night Away" and "Disco Magic" [1] topping the charts in Holland and Germany during the disco era. She then signed to Hansa International as a solo artist in 1979. She released a single on Boney M.'s record label Hansa International, a disco cover of "Proud Mary",[2] credited to "Sheila Bonnique". She recorded another track, "In the Shadows" which appeared on the soundtrack album of German film A Woman in Flames (1983)[4]. In the early 90s, she moved to Denmark with her Icelandic husband and manager where she co-wrote a mini-musical called "Money Talks" staged for some months in the Lindenborg inn.
In 1993 when Boney M. were enjoying a revival with their compilation album Gold - 20 Super Hits, Sheyla appeared in a Danish magazine "Se & Hør", promising she'd soon publish her memoires about her time in the group: "There are gonna be a lot of revelations!" She also told she had been offered to rejoin the group but she declined. Although "she still loved the songs", that time of her life was now over.
It was, however, one year later that Sheyla changed her mind and assisted Maizie Williams in starting a Boney M touring show. Original Boney M. members lead singer Liz Mitchell and dancer Bobby Farrell had each formed their respective Boney M. line-up to tour the cabaret circuit, and Sheyla contacted former friend Maizie Williams and encouraged her to re-form a Boney M show. Sheyla accepted the offer to become the lead singer of Maizie's group.[5] The group toured the world for 10 years in a line-up featuring Kelly Rahman and Toyin Adekale. Sheyla left the group and later formed her own tribute show "Sounds of Boney M.",feat. former member Sheyla Bonick [6]. www.bnmusic.info