This week on the British reality talent competition, X Factor, contestant Ruth Lorenzo found herself in the bottom two for the week after performing I Can’t Stop Loving You for “Michael Jackson week”. In the sing off to decide who would go, Lorenzo sang Prince’s iconic hit Purple Rain. I watched it and thought it was excellent and I’m a rabid Prince (the music, not so much the man) fanatic I’m usually extremely critical when anyone else attempts one of his more original songs. The judges, however, weren’t as enthusiastic and were deadlocked on who would go home. But the voting public loved it and Lorenzo lived to sing another week.
As all performances are, Lorenzo’s version of Purple Rain was posted on YouTube. I think Prince employs someone who’s full time job is to scour the internet looking for anything remotely connected to Prince and cause grief for whomever posted it. As is the modus operandi for the Prince people, in what might first appear to be a fit of possessiveness and jealousy, they demanded YouTube take the video down, which they have.
Ruth found herself in the bottom two this week, and as her second song, she did her own rendition of Prince’s famous song, which was, quite frankly, amazing. So amazing, that by yesterday, her version had had 100,000 hits on YouTube – and Prince’s people took it down! Someone a bit jealous, are they? Luckily, it’s back up now – so check it out while you can right here.
[From Heat Wave]
Only it’s not. While it may have temporarily reinstated on YouTube, when I went to find it today, it’s gone again. It can be viewed at AOL Television for now, and I recommend checking it out.
Prince, however, is crazy like a fox, I suspect. Whenever he does one of these public hissy fits about his music or his image, a renewed interest in the originals surges forth. So it’s no surprise Prince’s original 1984 Purple Rain re-entered the top 50 yesterday.
The man is a genius!
Prince is shown performing at London Fashion Week on 9/19/07. Credit: Solarpix / PR Photos
He can’t be both?
maybe he’s both?
He let Foo Fighters do “Darling Nikki” which was a very impressive cover.
He also let Sinead O’Connor cover “Nothing Compares to You”. Everything else that he’s done indicates genius, including that name change that everyone found so funny before realizing that it got him out of a contract that he hated.
Agree, Wif, genius. And entitled to be picky and protective about who enhances (or murders) his songs. And I’m sorry but I thought Lorenzo’s version of Purple Rain was just abysmal….
So I finally got the time to watch Lorenzo (?) sing it, and can anyone answer me…how do they mic. that? She’s moving that microphone back and forth, but there is no inconsistency in volume or vocal quality. So are their bodies or the stage mic’d and the one they hold is just a prop or something?
um, as far as having employees scour the internet – there is actually a program that does that for you. my friend has it – NOT that it ever gets a ping. he’s not famous or anything. he’s just convinced that one day people will start noticing his coolness. anyway, it checks search engins and blogs and youtube and everything!
Genius.
Purple genius in cha cha heels!
He is definitely a front runner for Biggest Douche in the Universe.
he is a genius who likes artistic control.
Did anyone catch the “An Evening with Kevin Smith” series? In one segment, Smith talks about the time he helped film a “private documentary” for Prince, up in the Twin Cities.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gy_cLJ19HMg
It’s in four parts on Youtube. If you have the time, I highly suggest you partake. It sheds some light on the “crazy” controversy. . .
Yes, he let Sinead cover his song, but after it was a huge hit, he invited her to his home and treated her horribly – she spoke about it in interviews. Not that she’s the most stable person in the world, either.
I LOVE Kevin Smith and that story about Prince is classic!
Howard Stern was talking about a recent private concert he went to where Prince performed. The entire performance, Prince demanded that the lights be shut off in the room. Stern said the room was pitch black and when people started to complain, someone turned the lights on. Prince stopped the music and wouldn’t go on until the lights were turned off again!
I think he just likes to F with people- and since he’s famous, people put up with it. If he were a regular guy these antics would get his tiny butt kicked.
I hate this insufferable man. If it was really about the music and image, that’s one thing, but to me he comes off as a petty eccentric. I remember after Coachella when he wanted all videos of him performing a Radiohead song taken down because of “artistic rights”…rights which he DIDN’T OWN.
I love Prince. He is genius. I don’t care how eccentric he is, it’s his music, his vision. Give em’ hell I say!
hes starting to look like an ACTUAL muppet
i just saw the clip and he has no reason at all to be jealous in fact i doubt he is.
He’s just being a businessman. It’s his song. Does the show or contestants pay royalites to use famous songs?
He’s concerned about artists rights not just for himself but for other artists. They usually end up with the lowest share from their albums so why not try to dissuade people from getting it for free?
Speaking as a 51 year old. Who is this Prince chappie?