Rob Verhorst/Redferns/Getty ImagesPrince performs in the Netherlands. 1995.
Prince could do everything.
A drummer, singer, songwriter, prolific guitar player, keyboardist, producer, sex symbol, pop artist, rocker, funk master, and style icon — his life would forever shape the music industry and popular culture.
“Few artists have influenced the sound and trajectory of popular music more distinctly, or touched quite so many people with their talent,” President Obama said in a statement after the artist’s unexpected 2016 death. “He was a virtuoso instrumentalist, a brilliant bandleader, and an electrifying performer. ‘A strong spirit transcends rules,’ Prince once said — and nobody’s spirit was stronger, bolder, or more creative.”
Prince created most of his music without anyone else’s help — playing every instrument, singing background vocals, composing and producing, and finally performing.
Much like David Bowie, Prince stretched the boundaries of sexuality and masculinity — adopting a sparkly, androgynous look filled with bell bottoms, sequins, flowing sleeves, and eyeliner.
“I am the latest fashion,” one of Prince’s lyrics says. Here are the photos to prove it:
Want more Prince? Watch these videos paying tribute to the sorely missed singer:
After viewing these Prince photos, check out these 50 David Bowie photos guaranteed to make you miss him all over again. Then, see the rock and roll groupies who changed music history.
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Based in Brooklyn, New York, John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of expertise include modern American history and the ancient Near East. In an editing career spanning 17 years, he previously served as managing editor of Elmore Magazine in New York City for seven years.
