Sasha Allen

Sasha Sierra Allen is an American singer, actress, and Broadway performer born on June 4, 1982, in Harlem, New York. She attended LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts in New York City. Her maternal grandmother, of Bermudian descent, was among the first people of African descent to attend the Juilliard School of Music. Allen is the elder of two children.

Allen began performing professionally at a young age, starring in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Whistle Down the Wind at 14. While still in high school, she appeared in commercial and print work, including advertisements in TIME magazine for AT&T. At 17, she signed with Elektra Records, collaborating with producers Warryn Campbell and J. Moss. She was subsequently signed to Arista Records during LA Reid's tenure as president, though an album was never released under either contract. She also appeared in the 2003 cult film Camp, portraying a character named Dee, and was featured on VH1's Born to Diva.

Her career as a backing vocalist brought her into collaboration with a wide range of prominent artists. She contributed to Christina Aguilera's Back to Basics Tour and its accompanying DVD, John Legend's album Once Again, and Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds' album Playlist. She served as the featured vocalist on Babyface's Playlist World Tour and also toured with Alicia Keys, Leona Lewis, and John Legend, while performing with Usher and David Bowie and recording with Celine Dion. Television work as a vocalist under musical director Rickey Minor included performances alongside Jessica Simpson, Patti LaBelle, Yolanda Adams, Fantasia, and Clint Black. Allen released her first single, "Let's Fly Away," on July 4, 2008, followed by a cover of Joan Osborne's "One of Us" in September 2008. Among her charting songs, "Ain't No Way" reached number 17 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs chart.

Allen's Broadway career spans from 2009 to 2022. From March 2009 to March 2010, she portrayed Dionne in the Broadway revival of Hair at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. The production subsequently transferred to London's West End, where Allen continued in the role at the Gielgud Theatre from April to September 2010. Between September 2014 and July 2015, she toured the United States as the Leading Player in a revival tour of Pippin, a role she had previously played on Broadway.

In 2013, Allen competed on the fourth season of the American version of The Voice. Her audition performance of "Not Ready to Make Nice" by the Dixie Chicks prompted all four coaches to turn their chairs. She initially joined Adam Levine's team but was stolen following the battle round, ultimately choosing to join Team Shakira. Allen became the last remaining member of Team Shakira and the first stolen contestant in the show's history to advance to the semifinals.

In January 2016, Allen joined the Rolling Stones as a backing vocalist on their América Latina Olé Tour 2016, filling the role previously held by Lisa Fischer since 1989. Her duties included duetting with Mick Jagger on "Gimme Shelter." In May 2020, she joined The Pussycat Dolls touring band.

From November 2023 to January 2024, Allen appeared in the world premiere of Gavin Creel's Off-Broadway musical Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice at the MCC Theater. She then joined the Broadway cast of MJ the Musical, playing Katherine Jackson at the Neil Simon Theatre.