The iconic artist and musical genius once known as “His Royal Badness,” is said to have new music released this summer.
According to Prince‘s official YouTube channel, the never-before-heard release Welcome 2 America will be released by the estate on July 30. The work is a 12-track album that was recorded at Prince’s Paisley Park Studios in 2010.
According to the description box on the teaser upload, the album focuses on “Prince’s concerns, hopes and visions for a shifting society, presciently foreshadowing an era of political division, disinformation, and a renewed fight for racial justice,” and explores “golden parachutes, the superficial nature of social media, reality TV-fueled celebrity culture, and corporate monopolies in the music industry, ultimately concluding that America is the ‘Land of the free/home of the slave.”
Some of the artists featured on Welcome 2 America with Prince include bassist Tal Wilkenfeld, drummer Chris Coleman and engineer Jason Agel, along with contributions from New Power Generation singers Shelby J, Liv Warfield and Elisa Fiorillo, and longtime NPG keyboardist Morris Hayes, Prince’s music director, who he recruited to co-produce the album.
Fans who purchase the deluxe edition of Welcome 2 America will receive a combined 2LP and CD version of the album, with a never-before-released Blu-ray of Prince’s full April 28, 2011 performance at The Forum on Los Angeles.
The entire package will be presented in a luxe gold-foil package designed by Grammy-nominated artist Mathieu Bitton and Grammy-nominated creative director Trevor Guy. It comes complete with a 12”x12” 32-page companion book and embossed vellum envelope containing exclusive Welcome 2 America era ephemera.
Even before the album drops in July, the world will get a preview as CBS is reporting that music from Welcome 2 America will debut on this Sunday’s episode of 60 Minutes.
2021 marks five years since the musician died of an accidental opioid overdose on April 21, 2016. As theGrio reported, the Minnesota residence and recording studio turned museum will be open to fans on the fifth anniversary of Prince’s death.
-theGrio