366Art | Prince

Today, June 7, is the birthday of Prince, one of the most innovative and influential artists of his generation. The edit above and his portrait on the musical references/birthday calendars below, are made by me, Frieke.

Prince Rogers Nelson was born on June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis. He grew up in a musical environment. His father, John L. Nelson, was a jazz musician and bandleader of the Prince Rogers Trio. Prince was named after his father’s stage name. His mother, Mattie Shaw, was a jazz singer. This musical milieu ensured that Prince was exposed to music from a young age. The house was filled with music, and Prince learned to play the piano at a young age. When Prince was about ten years old, his parents divorced. This was a difficult moment for him and significantly influenced his youth.

Prince was a talented student, but his main focus was always on music. During high school, he started playing in various bands and developed his own musical style. He formed his first band, Grand Central, with his cousin Charles Smith.

At the age of 19, Prince released his first album, For You (1978), featuring the hit Soft and Wet, marking his first step in the music industry. On this album, Prince played all 27 instruments himself, showcasing his musical versatility and talent. His second album, titled Prince (1979), included the hit single I Wanna Be Your Lover, which reached the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the R&B charts. His musical breakthrough came with the bold album Dirty Mind (1980), featuring explicit lyrics and a mix of rock, funk, and new wave. Although it was not as commercially successful as his later work, it received critical acclaim and was considered groundbreaking. The album included tracks such as When You Were Mine and Uptown. The album Controversy (1981) further cemented Prince's reputation as a provocateur and innovator. The title track, Controversy,  became a hit, and the album reached a broader audience. Prince's major commercial breakthrough was his fifth studio album 1999 (1982).. The double album included hits like 1999, Little Red Corvette, and Delirious. The album reached the top 10 of the Billboard 200 and made Prince internationally famous. The album Purple Rain (1984) was both an album and a soundtrack for the film of the same name in which Prince starred. The album became a cultural phenomenon and included iconic hits like When Doves Cry, Let's Go Crazy  and Purple Rain. The album sold over 25 million copies worldwide and earned Prince two Grammy Awards. The film won an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score.

With the support of his band, The Revolution, Prince created a unique sound and performance style that transcended genres. The Revolution was an integral part of his live performances and music productions during the 1980s. Prince was known for his innovative approach to music production. He used the latest technologies and was one of the first artists to prominently use a drum machine in his music. His musical style varied greatly, from rock and funk to pop and jazz, earning him a broad and diverse audience. Prince was known for his unique and androgynous appearance, and his openly sexual lyrics and stage acts. He frequently changed his stage name, including to [Love Symbol] , which is a combination of the male (♂) and female (♀) symbols. The symbol was officially unveiled with the release of his 14th studio album in 1992. In the 1990s, Prince had a conflict with his record label, Warner Bros., over artistic freedom and ownership of his music. This led him to change his name to an unpronounceable symbol and often be referred to as The Artist Formerly Known As Prince (TAFKAP). Despite these controversies, he continued to produce groundbreaking work in the music world.

Prince’s career spanned dozens of albums, countless hits, and a lasting influence on the music industry. He was a pioneer who constantly pushed the boundaries of music, fashion, and identity. His ability to mix genres and his bold artistic choices made him one of the most respected and admired artists of his time. His influence on music and pop culture is immense. He has inspired countless artists, and his innovative approach to music production and presentation has left a lasting mark on the industry.

Prince was known for his enormous archive of unreleased music, which he recorded throughout his career but never officially released. After his death, there was much speculation about the release of this music. Prince's last studio album, released during his lifetime, was Hit n Run Phase Two  (2015), a sequel to Hit n Run Phase One. The album is characterized by a mix of funk, soul, and jazz, and includes several social and political themes, as well as Prince’s signature musical versatility. As usual with Prince, he played most of the instruments himself and had full artistic control.

Little is known about Prince's private life because he kept it very private. He rarely gave interviews. It is known that Prince was married twice and was a vegetarian. In his first marriage, he had a son who died after a week due to Pfeiffer syndrome, a condition that caused skull deformities. It is believed that Prince became deeply religious after the death of his son.

Prince passed away on April 21, 2016, at the age of 57, from an accidental overdose of fentanyl, a powerful painkiller. His body was found at his Paisley Park estate in the studio in his home in Minnesota. Prince was 57 years old. His death was a great loss to the music world and led to global mourning and tributes.

After Prince's death, several posthumous albums and compilations have been released, containing unreleased material, live recordings, and rare tracks. Some of these include: Prince 4Ever  (2016), a compilation album that features 40 of Prince's greatest hits as well as the previously unreleased song Moonbeam Levels; the album Piano & A Microphone 1983 (2018), which includes recordings of a solo piano session from 1983, providing an intimate insight into Prince's creative process and talent as a pianist; and the album Originals (2019), a collection of Prince's original demo recordings of songs he wrote for other artists, such as "Manic Monday" (The Bangles) and "Nothing Compares 2 U" (Sinéad O'Connor). Prince’s musical legacy remains a source of inspiration and admiration for music lovers around the world.