The hugely popular and acclaimed musician Prince has died at his home in Minnesota at the age of 57, his publicist has said.
“It is with profound sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince Rogers Nelson, has died at his Paisley Park residence this morning at the age of 57,” said his publicist Yvette Noel-Schure.
Police were called to a medical emergency at his Paisley Park estate earlier on Thursday, US media reported. An investigation is underway.
Prince became a global superstar in the 1980s, with albums such as 1999, Purple Rain and Sign O’ the Times.
He sold more than 100 million records during his career.
A singer, songwriter, arranger and multi-instrumentalist, Prince recorded more than 30 albums. His best known hits include Let’s Go Crazy and When Doves Cry.
In 2004, Prince (Prince Rogers Nelson) was inducted into the Rock and Roll of Fame with the Hall saying he
“rewrote the rulebook”.
Last week he was rushed to hospital hours after performing on stage, but was soon released.
A musical prodigy from a broken home, Prince famously wrote, arranged, produced and played almost all of his hit records.
But the Purple man’s purple patch really came with his first band The Revolution.
With them by his side, he wrote more than two dozen rock classics in a five-year flurry.
Purple Rain, Little Red Corvette, 1999, Raspberry Beret, When Doves Cry, Kiss… At the same time, he dashed off Manic Monday for The Bangles and Nothing Compares 2U, made famous by Sinead O’Connor.
In the studio, he was unstoppable. But the magic really happened on stage. He would vamp, preen and tease and audience into a frenzy, then slay them with a quiet moment of crystalline beauty.
