Lenny Henry shares Prince story and music past on Capital XTRA
Sir Lenny Henry has revealed a rare behind-the-scenes story about making Prince laugh, during an appearance on Capital XTRA Breakfast.
Joining Robert Bruce and Shayna Marie on the show, the comedian and actor reflected on his lesser-known music career and shared memories of working with major artists, alongside a standout moment involving the legendary singer.
Speaking about his time in the industry, Lenny Henry explained that music had always been a passion, even if it was a short chapter in his career.
He said: “Nobody asks me about that. It was like two minutes, but I loved it. I got signed and made a couple of records, and I was always interested in singing.”
He recalled how his early experiences in clubs helped shape his path, often standing by DJs and suggesting tracks before being invited to perform, which led to his first opportunities on stage.
His music work also brought unexpected collaborations, including recording with Kate Bush and performing alongside Paul Weller, moments he described as “the stuff of dreams” for a comedian.
Lenny said working with Kate Bush led to an unforgettable studio session that also involved Prince, who contributed to the track.
“It was a whole afternoon of me and Kate Bush and Prince. You don’t get days like that very often. It was fantastic,” he said.
The conversation then turned to his personal encounters with Prince, including a moment when the artist recognised him backstage but quickly moved on when Lenny Henry was too starstruck to respond.
However, it was a later meeting that left a lasting impression, when the two sat down together and discussed the singer’s dispute with his record label.
During that conversation, Lenny made a joke about Prince’s famous ‘slave’ protest marking, which unexpectedly broke the ice.
“I joked and said, ‘You know that says salve, don’t you?’ and he laughed. He was really cool and really funny,” he recalled.
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Tune into Capital XTRA Breakfast with Robert Bruce & Shayna Marie weekdays from 6:30am-10:00am, also available on the Global Player app.