Legend lives on

0
2349

By Karissa Erven

Prince wowed audiences with his memorable 12-minute performance during the Super Bowl XLI halftime show in 2007. Ironically, he sang his famous song Purple Rain in the midst of a downpour. Photo courtesy of Creative Commons
Prince wowed audiences with his memorable 12-minute performance during the Super Bowl XLI halftime show in 2007. Ironically, he sang his famous song Purple Rain in the midst of a downpour. Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Every once in awhile an artist will come along and change the face of the music industry; music legends are one in a million. The world lost one of those legends April 21 when the iconic Prince passed away at 57 years old.

There is not one music artist that is like another, they all have their own personality and style. Some of the most popular singers have left their marks on the world. Prince was one of many that was loved dearly but taken away from the world too soon. Though his name isn’t on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he was one of the biggest sensations in music.

It seems like an outrage that Prince doesn’t have a star, but that’s because an application was never submitted for consideration. According to etonline.com Prince had been offered the chance to be nominated for a star twice in the past, but he declined both times.

In order to receive a star there must be a “nomination which can come from anyone, from a publicist to a wealthy fan,” etonline.com states. Then the nominee must write that they want the star, and once that is submitted, there is a $30,000 charge to claim the honor.

He will never be able to witness the making of his star, but fans and other artists that he closely worked with would have loved to have seen his name on the historical piece of land.

“For such an iconic singer you’d automatically assume that he would have a star. It makes me kind of sad that he isn’t going to get recognized for his works in that way,” Maureen Dunn, senior, said.

Not only did Prince write his own songs, but he also wrote music for other singers. Songs like “Manic Monday” by the Bangles, “Stand Back” by Stevie Nicks, and “I Feel for You” by Chaka Khan all came from the mind of Prince.

“I [knew] he wrote other songs, I mean, he was a legend, Prince did everything. You can’t choose just one song to love, but I would have to say my favorite is Starfish and Coffee,” Miranda McDonald, senior, said.

Prince was one with fashion and music. While making great music, he changed the face of fashion, creating gender-neutral looks. His style completed his exotic sound.

To the world, purple was the first color to come to mind when anyone mentioned Prince. Most people believe that his obsession with purple is because purple symbolizes royalty.

“Unlike other artists his music really was royalty in my opinion. His music was more unique and advanced than other artists,” Dunn said.

While purple was the color that symbolized all Prince had to offer, several knew him simply by his name. Even if someone never heard one of his songs or saw what he looked like, everyone knew Prince was one to know.

Prince wasn’t the only legend the world lost. Though artists like Jimi Hendrix (1970), Elvis Presley (1977), John Lennon (1980), and Freddie Mercury (1991) passed away before any one of today’s students came along, they are still well known. Some other recent artists such as Michael Jackson (2009), Whitney Houston (2012), and David Bowie (2016) are all tragedies in the eyes of millennials.