‘We Are the World’ comprises the greatest musicians of the 1980s singing under one roof, altogether, for a noble cause. It featured the voices of 40+ artists including Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Cyndi Lauper, Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, and many others. The charity song could have had Prince on it too — but he didn’t want to participate.
During the Los Angeles premiere of ‘The Greatest Night in Pop,’ a documentary chronicling the creation of the iconic 1985 charity single, Sheila E., who also lent her vocals to the song, spoke with PEOPLE, discussing her participation in the project and shedding light on Prince’s choice not to join the mix, which aimed to donate millions of dollars in humanitarian aid for famine relief in Africa.
The iconic singer-drummer said that the ‘When Doves Cry’ singer, who left us in 2016, never once regretted the decision of not joining the song. “No. I talked to him all through the night. I was the only one speaking to him throughout the entire night, and that was me speaking with him, talking with him and figuring out what he wants to do,” adding, “and I think he made the right decision.”
His reason for not joining wasn’t because he didn’t like the song. Sheila said, “It’s really not just about the song, it was really about the camaraderie of everyone coming together for that reason.”
Not long before the song’s recording, Sheila E. had joined Prince on his ‘Purple Rain’ Tour. “We were already giving to so many,” she explained. “Not just foundations, but a lot of the times on that tour before we even got to that night, we were already stopping at children’s hospitals and doing free concerts for the kids who have cancer and disabilities.”
She continued, “So, it’s not like he missed out or anything like that. That was his decision, and that’s fine. It’s not like he hated it or loved it or anything like that. It was just too much.”
Even in the documentary, Sheila E., who dated the late musician on-and-off, said that she already knew Prince wouldn’t show up because there were “too many people and he would feel uncomfortable.” Though she admitted to feeling “used” at the time because everyone kept asking her to get Prince to the studio, she now said that she feels “no ill will” towards anymore.
‘The Greatest Night in Pop’ is available to stream, only on Netflix.
