I had intended to write this in June 2015. Sometimes delays happen for a reason. I would like to think that my delayed delivery helped me craft a timelier message, albeit one that comes on a sad day.
Let me share something that you might not know about me. I LOVE Prince. His Royal Badness. His Royal Purpleness. The Artist Formerly Known as Prince (the symbol). That Prince. My sister and I tore his posters from Right On! magazine, plastering our bedroom wall with his likeness. The first time I saw him perform live was March 6, 1983. I screamed and swooned in awe near the stage, mesmerized by his genius. After dancing on top of the piano, leaping in the air and sprawling in a signature split, he snatched his guitar from its stand, shredded it and brought it into submission. You see, Prince did not play the guitar; he owned it and every other instrument he touched. He flung his Fender guitar pick in my direction (I know it was for me) and for the first time in my life, I was convinced that God stopped my height at 5’2” solely to be able to scoop up that goodie quicker than anyone else huddled with me at that stage. I still smile whenever I come across it.
The last time I saw Prince perform live was June 14, 2015. Billed as the HITnRUN Tour, the show was announced on a Tuesday, tickets went on sale on Thursday at noon and the show was on Sunday. After scrambling for tickets, thinking I was going to miss out, I noticed a second show had been added. There was no price too steep for me to experience Prince in an intimate setting with just over 1800 other attendees. I WAS IN! While I will spare you the playlist details and how I was drenched from dancing without sitting for over two hours, I must share what I learned from that indescribably awesome experience.
- When you do something you love, time is secondary. Prince and his accompanying musicians played for 2.5 hours. When it was over, I lingered, hanging onto the music that still danced in my ears. The experience seemed too great to simply walk away.
- Your next best move might simply require tweaking the original to make it even better. Evolve your delivery to fit where you are right now. Prince reshaped his old songs with a new twist, creating exhilarating unpredictability with a hard rock flair or slowing formerly fast-paced rhythms to a romantic groove. He did not simply regurgitate the music we have come to know and love. He elevated it.
- Leave those you serve on a high note, completely satisfied and wanting more but not overwhelmed. Extended, thunderous applause and deafening cheers did not result in Prince’s immediate and desperate rush to return. Just when it seemed as if the energy was boundless, he hit the stage and turned up the musical heat to levels unheard of.
- Be humble enough to not only share the spotlight but to give the stage to someone else. Unlike the first show, another musical genius surprised us with his presence. Just when it seemed as if the energy could not rise any higher, without announcement, the incomparable Stevie Wonder lit up the stage with several timeless tunes while Prince stood in the shadows. I thought I was in heaven. Seriously.
- Acknowledge those who have helped you get to where you are. You will never reach higher heights alone. Prince proudly spoke about the greats who helped shape his sound including James Brown, Stevie Wonder and George Clinton’s Parliament Funkadelic.
- Give others an opportunity by shining light on less exposed talent. Just because no one knows who they are now does not mean it has to stay that way. Prince has routinely introduced the world to rising stars.
- Do not be afraid to be radical. Beyond his musical genius, I LOVE Prince’s activism and courage to stand up for what he believes in. From record label disputes to his faith to his fierce privacy to demanding equitable treatment, WHO Prince is still teaches lessons that expand far beyond the music.
- If you deliver value, your customers will make the investment, regardless of the price tag. If someone values an experience they will make the sacrifices for it. The premium priced tickets sold out in MINUTES. Why? Because Prince’s reputation precedes him. He has proof to back the price tag. The experience lives on well after the money has been invested.
- Maturation is a must for longevity. There is nothing like seeing a 50 year-old trying to act like a 25 year-old. While there is nothing wrong with either, different seasons require different suiting.
- Be unapologetically brilliant. Live fully without apology. That’s Prince.
“Despite everything, no one can dictate who you are to other people.” Prince
“This is what it sounds like when doves cry.” Prince, When Doves Cry
My heart is broken by Prince’s physical death yet my life will forever be changed by the inimitable brilliance, boldness and energy he so graciously shared with the world.
