At Paisley Park, Prince’s essence permeates every corner. As you step into the lobby, characterised by a curved desk adorned with chunky black studs, a luxurious purple settee, and a carpet depicting astrological symbols, you can’t help but notice the large painting of the iconic artist’s kohl-lined eyes over the building’s entrance.
There’s an almost mystical feeling as you walk beneath Prince’s gaze – an unspoken initiation, a subtle yet profound inaudible baptism. The moment you cross beneath it, a palpable change can be felt, sending a thrilling chill down your spine.
Venturing further into the atrium – different vibes meet you. They are flavours of artistic innovation, elements of amusement, but most notably, a truly vibrant atmosphere pervades. Legend has it that the atrium, dedicated in 1987, was Prince’s most cherished room. It’s a microcosm of the joys of his life. The heart of the room features a floor adorned with marble tiles, once a dance floor for guests during Prince’s life until his death on April 21, 2016, at 57. The surrounding rooms are brimming with memorabilia from his various albums. The quaint eatery, aptly named ‘The Little Kitchen, was Prince’s spot for enjoying sporting events or whipping up pancakes. Adorning the walls are countless mementos of Prince’s illustrious career, with the sextuple platinum disc for Purple Rain taking centre stage – its status has now risen to an impressive 13x platinum, marking it as one of the most successful albums ever.
Following Prince’s passing, the estate – comprising four studios, two venues and his living quarters – was swiftly transformed into a museum. There were already plans in the works, hence, much of the curated tour (the only option to explore Paisley Park) reflects Prince’s own vision. His ashes used to lie here in the atrium but were removed in 2019 due to the emotional reactions they induced in visitors. To a fan, it felt like grief was being robbed of a tangible outlet. However, standing on that dance floor, in the abundant natural light filtering in through a skylight on a bright Minnesota spring day, surrounded by the joys and successes of Prince’s life, the decision seems appropriate. Paisley Park serves as a testament to the beauty of life.
Although I wasn’t an ardent fan, I recall distinctly the feeling of awe as I attended Prince’s legendary gig at Malahide Castle in 2011. As someone who was merely acquainted with his singles, I came in that cloudy afternoon with a level of trepidation about surviving his notoriously extensive performances; considering my own attention wanes after a mere 60 minutes of even my preferred bands. However, from the very commencement, I found myself mesmerised in the vibrant energy radiated from the familiar tracks.
Prince audaciously combined the majority of the tracks I recognised into a single medley, an action that caused me no irritation. His colourful declaration of having too many successful tracks, twice uttered, was taken as an amusing apology.
In facilitating the journey from Dublin to Prince’s hometown of Paisley Park, Aer Lingus and Delta are re-establishing their pre-Covid era direct flights to Minneapolis St Paul. Keeping both corporate travellers and Prince enthusiasts in mind, the flight promises some competition for business class tickets but plenty of space for ordinary passengers.
Minneapolis makes for an ideal base for Prince admirers. Being a mid-sized city, it doesn’t boast the expanse of New York nor the traffic congestion witnessed in Los Angeles. Instead, it garners admiration for presenting an unfiltered view into American lifestyle, accentuated by its gleaming skyscrapers symbolising the city’s upward growth. Contrasting this are old brick warehouses, bohemian structures and repurposed mills along the Mississippi river that are discovered just around the corner.
While Minneapolis is mostly known among generic tourists for housing the United States’ largest mall, the Mall of America in Bloomington, it remains noticeably popular among teenage visitors. The gigantic shopping mall includes a Nickelodeon theme park offering various exciting rides, numerous shopping outlets such as Macy’s and Nordstrom, and enticing attractions like the FlyOver America simulation.
Minneapolis also takes pride in being the hometown of the well-known musician, Bob Dylan – he spent his youthful days here and later co-owned the Orpheum Theatre, amongst the primary venues for Broadway shows on tour. However, no individual remains as endearingly etched in the heart of the city as their long-standing resident, Prince. Owing to his enthusiastic local involvement, there are various spots scattered across the city for Prince’s admirers to pay their respect.
Paisley Park, an inconspicuous structure that could easily be mistaken for a paper storage depot, is situated half an hour from the city. It is only distinguished by the Love symbol sign installed in 2020, a marker of its significant role in rock and roll history.
Upon arriving in the heart of Minneapolis, I first pay a visit to First Avenue, a concert venue. Its façade and inside are known worldwide from Prince’s 1984 musical drama, Purple Rain, which won an Oscar. As you walk around, you see stars representing artists who performed there – Nirvana, Björk, Jeff Buckley, Coldplay, plus George Floyd who became the catalyst for the Black Lives Matter movement, even after his tragic death in Minneapolis. Finally, Prince’s singular gold star supremely shines.
Opposite is a towering 100ft wall in a car park, upon which a mural is painted, portraying the Purple One in three separate periods of his life. A comparable mural can be found in Minneapolis’s Hennepin District, showcasing a young, middle-aged and aged Dylan.
In this city, it seems everyone has their unique Prince tale. At Electric Fetus, a vast record shop housing an extensive selection of Prince vinyls (although merchandise is scarce due to the vigilant oversight by Prince’s estate), they’ll narrate how Prince was a regular customer, even purchasing items a week before his demise.
In the lively North Loop neighbourhood, I enjoy a divine meal at the vibrant Spoon & Stable. Gavin Kaysen, the James Beard recognised owner and chef, reminisces about cooking for Prince. “Prince was a pleasure to cook for, as are most of the famous ones. Mick Jagger included. He did not have any demanding requirements and left without any hassle,” shares Kaysen, while meticulously creating a Penicillin cocktail – a flawless blend of rum, ginger, apple cider, honey, and chai spices.
On another occasion, I savour dinner while a blues band plays at Dakota Jazz Club, a bustling venue where Prince frequently slipped in through the back entrance to watch performances unnoticed. Only two days before his passing, he was here enjoying an act. According to a past employee’s interview with People magazine, “He would arrive before the show commenced. He moved freely; it’s quite challenging to explain his aura. He moved in the club like a butterfly in the wind.”
Paisley Park shines brightly as Minnesota’s gem coloured in magnificent purple. I continue exploring this maze-like estate, venturing through hallways filled with discs, leading to studios and then more corridors. They’re dotted with opulent furnishings in shades of purple and gold, reflecting Prince’s personal aesthetic and symbolic choices – a tasteful blend of quirk and style.
Although his residential space remains sadly inaccessible, we get a glimpse of the renowned Studio A – a top-tier recording facility that got lauded as “the finest studio beyond New York and LA” by Michael Stipe. This acclaim came when REM chose this place to record Out of Time. We then enter the vast Purple Rain room (formerly Studio C), which showcases clips from the movie on one side. The room also displays his motorcycle from the film and, quietly placed in a corner, an item that stuns me: a purple piano, marked from his dance moves. The conversation of the group ebbs away, and I could almost envision his small stature on it, captured in the spotlight, gifting his private audience a memorable night but also thoroughly enjoying himself.
What stands out from this journey through Prince’s living and working environment is his unrivalled passion for music. Having heard tales of his legendary three-hour concerts followed by surprise intimate gigs, one can only wonder who else would voluntarily do this often? His love for music seeps through every corner of Paisley Park, from the worn marks on the piano to the keyboard-inspired trimmings at the entrance and the Influence Wall, a testament to his musical influences and those he influenced.
The tour culminates with a visit to the NPG Music Club – Paisley Park’s in-house club where his band, the New Power Generation, and other acts would entertain small, fortunate audiences. Locals in Minneapolis would share tales of how you could potentially be forewarned if Prince was scheduled to join them. Even on the days when he wasn’t performing, he was said to descend from his residence and soak in the energy and music from the club’s shadows, much like at Dakota Jazz Club.
Upon selecting a plush, purple booth at the NPG Music Club in Paisley Park, one can’t help but notice an intriguing detail added to the mural portraying the cover art of the 2001 album, ‘The Rainbow Children’. Within the boundaries of the painting, which features an all-female band portrayed in an Afrocentric style, lies a subtle figure of Prince, rendered stylistically identical and clearly visible. Unarguably, Prince’s presence is omnipresent at Paisley Park, keeping a watchful eye, affirming without a doubt, that he is still part of the scene.
For those wishing to visit, direct flights between Dublin and Minneapolis St Paul are serviced by Aer Lingus and Delta Air Lines. To discover more about what Minnesota has to offer, please visit exploreminnesota.com. The original text was written during Shilpa Ganatra’s visit to Minnesota, who was the guest of Explore Minnesota.