Sheila E. appeared on American Bandstand on October 26, 1985 (Season 29, Episode 8), performing “A Love Bizarre” and “Sister Fate” from her album Romance 1600. This was a classic Dick Clark-hosted episode promoting her Paisley Park/Warner Bros. material during the peak of her association with Prince and the Minneapolis sound. Performance: As was the longstanding format of American Bandstand, the segments were lip-synced to the studio tracks while Sheila E. and her band executed energetic choreography for the teenage studio audience and dancers. The visual style stood out: the group wore elaborate, colorful costumes inspired by Miloš Forman’s film Amadeus (period-drama flair with ornate detailing). The look matched the theatrical video for “Sister Fate” (directed by Prince), which used similar Amadeus-influenced aesthetics and fake newspaper headlines teasing a “mystery lover.” “Sister Fate” (the earlier single) and the longer, funkier “A Love Bizarre” (a co-write and co-production with Prince that features his prominent vocals on the record and interpolates “Frère Jacques”) highlighted the blend of Latin percussion, tight Minneapolis funk, and sensual energy that defined her Romance 1600 era. Band members visible/introduced included Stephan (Steph) Birnbaum, Kenneth Gray, Eddie Mininfield (Eddie M.), her brother Juan Escovedo, Carl Perazzo, Susie Davis, and Levi Seacer. The presentation emphasized fashion, precision movement, and Sheila’s commanding stage presence as the “Queen of Percussion,” even in a pre-recorded format typical of the show (and many contemporaneous programs like Soul Train or Solid Gold). It was promotional rather than a live musical showcase—the focus was the hit records, visual spectacle, and dance-floor appeal—but it effectively captured the glamorous, high-energy aesthetic of her mid-1980s peak. Interview: After the performances, Dick Clark interviewed Sheila E. The exchange is light, promotional, and revealing: • She introduced the band members one by one. • When asked about the costumes, she confirmed they were inspired by Amadeus. Clark asked (somewhat cheekily) about the cost; she replied that they were “more than a thousand dollars.” • Clark pressed her to clear up the “mystery lover” rumor from the “Sister Fate” video. She confirmed on air that it was Prince, drawing applause (“The truth will out”). • Discussing the album (credited as written, produced, and arranged by Sheila E., with heavy Prince involvement on tracks like “A Love Bizarre”), she explained they recorded it while on the Purple Rain tour: after shows ending around 1 a.m., she would shower, eat, and head to the studio around 3 a.m., working until roughly 6 a.m. before the next performance. Clark reacted with amused disbelief (“That’s impossible… Really glamorous”). • She mentioned her role in the then-new film Krush Groove (in which she plays a version of herself and performs “A Love Bizarre”; the club scene became the core of the official video) and said she expected to do more acting without giving up music. • On “A Love Bizarre,” she confirmed the duet was with Prince (“me and Prince wrote this together”) and noted that band member Steph would handle the corresponding part for the television performance. The interview is warm, efficient, and characteristic of Clark’s style—curious about the visuals, the Prince connection, and the grind of the road/studio life. #PrinceRelatedOnThisDay