Prince’s Dressing Room Was a Sanctuary, Even From Peers

According to his former drummer Bobby Z, Prince maintained a strict boundary around his dressing room, a policy that applied even to fellow superstars. In a reflection for The Guardian marking ten years since Prince’s passing, Bobby Z noted that Bruce Springsteen and Madonna were among those not permitted to use the artist’s private bathroom.

Bobby Z, who played in The Revolution from 1978 to 1986, framed this not as mere diva behavior but as a symptom of a deeper unease. He explained that Prince found encounters with other celebrities deeply uncomfortable unless he was already a fan of their work. The dressing room served as a necessary sanctuary from those interactions.

The anecdote offers a small, humanizing glimpse into the psychology of a famously private icon. It underscores how the barriers Prince erected were less about status and more about managing a palpable shyness or embarrassment in the spotlight he commanded.