Sharleen Spiteri was born in Glasgow to father Eddie, a guitar-playing merchant seaman of Maltese descent, and mother Vilma, a singer of German/Irish roots. When she was young, the family moved from the Glaswegian suburbs to nearby Balloch, Dumbartonshire, close to the banks of Loch Lomond. At school her nickname was ‘Spit the Dog’, after the gobbing mutt on the TV show Tiswas.

Spiteri's musical influences range from The Clash (the main reason she plays a black Fender Telecaster) to Blondie, Marvin Gaye and Prince. She is also a dedicated Diana Rossfan. She co-founded the band Texas while still a hairdresser in Glasgow at the Irvine Rusk salon.

Several actors have appeared in Texas videos: "In Demand" featured Alan Rickmandancing the tango with Spiteri, "I'll See It Through" featured French actor Jean Renoand "Getaway" had James Purefoy courting Spiteri.

Spiteri supported German Industrial metal band Rammstein by supplying guest vocals in their ballad "Stirb Nicht Vor Mir (Don't Die Before I Do)" on their album Rosenrot (2005). She also sang backing vocals on the Gun albums Taking On The World and Gallus from 1989 and 1992. She is the cousin of Gun singer Mark Rankin. Spiteri additionally sang backing vocals on "Bad Time" by Jayhawks on their album "Tomorrow the Green Grass" from 1995.

On the 6th of July 2008 she entered the UK charts at number 47 with her first solo recording "All the Times I Cried". The following week, the song rose to #26, giving Sharleen a top 40 single. "All the Times I Cried" is currently at number #33.

Sharleen released her debut solo album "Melody" on 14th of July 2008. It debuted strongly at number 3 on the UK album chart, behind Coldplay's 'Viva la Vida' at number 2, and Basshunter, who entered at number 1.

Spiteri landed the part of a detective opposite Edward Furlong in the thriller Three Blind Mice, but backed out due to pregnancy. She was also cast in Moulin Rouge! starring Nicole Kidmanand Ewan McGregor, but she told Jonathan Ross on his show on 4 November 2005 that she declined because she did not want to move to Australia for a year.