Sparks was born in Phoenix, Arizona, to Jodi (nee Wiedmann) Sparks and former professional football player Phillippi Sparks. Sparks has a younger brother, Phillippi "PJ" Sparks, Jr., who plays football at Arizona Christian University. Her father is African-American and her mother is Caucasian. She grew up in the suburbs of Ridgewood, New Jersey, while her father played as a defensive back for the New York Giants.

In 2009, she made her acting debut on Disney's The Suite Life on Deck, guest starring as herself in the "Crossing Jordin" episode. The episode aired on October 23, 2009. Sparks also guest starred on the hit Nickelodeon show, Big Time Rush. The episode aired on June 18, 2010. On May 3, 2010, it was announced that Sparks would join the cast of the Broadway show In the Heights as Nina Rosario. Sparks took part in the production from August 19 through November 14 for a consecutive 12 weeks. In addition, Sparks did a voice over on Team Umizoomi as the Blue Mermaid. The episode aired on May 13, 2011.  In 2012, Sparks made her film debut in Sparkle. Following the release of Sparkle in 2012, Sparks began auditioning for several television and film roles while also receiving scripts from companies interested in having her apart of their projects. First of which was an indie drama film titled The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete which follows two inner-city youths left to fend for themselves over the summer after their mothers are taken away by the authorities. Sparks plays Alice a neighbor and friend of character Mister. She will also be in the film, The Grace of Jake, which follows ex-inmate and wandering musician Jake who travels to a small town in Arkansas intent on exacting revenge from his father, but begins to unravel a complicated family history as he befriends the locals. The film was in post production and was set for release on October 3, 2014. Sparks plays Nicole Lovely the preachers daughter.  Sparks played the part of Abby in Dear Secret Santa, a Lifetime Television romantic Christmas film that premiered on November 30, 2013. Sparks will play Shasta Carvell in Left Behind, an apocalyptic thriller, based on the novel series of the same name, and is a reboot of Left Behind: The Movie, which is based on the idea of a pre-tribulation Rapture. The film is currently in post production and is set for release in early 2014. In November 2013, Sparks guest starred on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Sparks plays Alison Stone, a high school teacher who somehow finds herself scared and covered in blood in a hotel room crime scene. The season episode, titled "Check In & Check Out" aired on November 20, 2013.

Did Sparks act on Broadway
Sparks would join the cast of the Broadway show In the Heights as Nina Rosario.