The late and great pop star Prince hardly needs an introduction. Even nearly a decade after his death at the age of 57 from an overdose, he remains one of the most talented and innovative artists to ever live. With popular songs such as “Nothing Compares To You”, “Purple Rain”, and “Little Red Corvette” to name a few, his impact on the world of music and art continues to delight fans old and new and inspire other artists such as The Weeknd, Janelle Monáe, and Bruno Mars. But despite his immense talent at singing, songwriting, composing, producing, and acting, there were other artists whom he admired, particularly before he became famous. There was one other music legend in particular that Prince admired the most, and the person might surprise you.
Prince Once Revealed That Stevie Wonder Was His Ultimate Idol
Ask nearly any music aficionado who is one of the best musicians of all time, and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who would not name Prince amongst them. It is an accolade not given without merit, as Prince had, during his lifetime, accumulated many awards (including 7 Grammys and 37 nominations), five number one singles, five number one albums, several widely successful films, including “Purple Rain” and “Under the Cherry Moon”, was inducted into the rock n’ roll hall of fame, and had a legion of devoted fans all around the world. But even though Prince seemed to have been born with innate talent, he, like many other famous singers, drew inspiration from other artists and was never one to shy away from giving another artist their flowers. For example, Prince went on record many times, listing artists such as Joni Mitchell, Santana, and James Brown not only as great artists but also as those he admired. But arguably, there was one star in particular, whom he once credited as one of his biggest musical inspirations. And it was none other than Stevie Wonder.
The specific reason Prince admired Wonder was for his exceptional piano playing. “I use Stevie Wonder as an inspiration,” Prince once said during an interview, “whom I look up to a great deal just for the way that he crafted music and his connection to the spirit. And boy, back then, I used him as a role model in trying to play all the instruments and be very self-contained and keep my vision clear.” The two legends had crossed paths many times during their prolific careers, even collaborating on a song titled “So What The Fuss” and performing on stage together. When Prince passed away, Wonder was one of his chief mourners, expressing that he was also inspired by and blown away by his talent. “Prince’s music was so picturesque that even I could see it…Prince’s songs were that vivid, the images were that strong…Prince was so inspired, and so inspiring. He was kind, he was disciplined and he knew where he wanted to go. He was able to make big transitions. If Michael Jackson was the King of Pop, Prince should be the Emperor.”
This musical genius’s generosity knew no bounds.
Why Prince Wasn’t A Fan Of These Two Modern Artists
Even though Prince admired artists like Stevie Wonder, he was not a fan of every musician. And Prince, who was never one to not share his unfiltered opinion on a wide range of topics, once proclaimed he wasn’t a fan of these two artists in particular. But just who were they? According to Prince, they were Ed Sheeran and Katy Perry. According to Far Out Magazine, Prince took particular issue with Sheeran and Perry for their, in his view, generic music and image. “They keep trying to ram Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran down our throats, and we don’t like it, no matter how many times they play it,” said Prince.
However, according to the publication, Prince’s issues with Sheeran and Perry weren’t strictly limited to their brand and music stylings, but also stemmed from his feeling that their position in pop music dimmed the light of more serious artists whose catalog he believed was more profound. There were other modern artists, though, that the “If I Was Your Girlfriend” hit maker approved of. One was rapper Kendrick Lamar, whom Prince praised during a 2015 interview with Medium, “He [Kendrick] just has something to say. It’s pure, and with Thundercat on the album? Come on. You’re not taking ‘Alright’ off my playlist.” Another new artist of the time that Prince praised was Lizzo, with whom he took under his wing at one point.
