Aside from musicians, has anyone besides me noticed how terrible Prince is at picking talented singers. They're always women, and they all have pretty faces. That's about it. I will say that Tamar could sing, but there was nothing there that would make me run out to buy her album. His record label has never really gotten off the ground like it should because of the artists that he chooses.

Yes, The Time is his greatest find,then the Revolution. He does surround himself with great musicians. U really can't name anyone else after that. Sheena Easton and Sheila E. don't count because they were in the business before hooking up with Prince, but they did reach new heights hanging with him. Andre Cymone was a fantastic producer while working with Jodi Watley, but Prince didn't find him. They found each other.

Vanity (couldn't sing)
Apollonia (couldn't sing)
Jill Jones - Nope
Susannah Melvoin - Nope
Martika - Fair
Ingrid Chavez - ????
Rosie Gaines (could sing and play, but he wouldn't release her music)
Carmen Elecktra - Nope (not as a singer)
Bria Valente - Boring

I tried listening to Bria Valente, but I just can't do it. It's like sleep music to me. If Prince could find a woman who could equal his talents and groom her to be the female version of him..... It would be a SMASH. I think he tried that with Sheila E., but she couldn't play all the instruments as well as him, and she's not a very good dancer, so she wasn't the total package. She's a descent singer I guess. She could match his energy on stage and could eat his ass alive on the drums and percussions.

Seems as if he likes to work with pretty women who can't sing, then gets bored with em. Maybe it's just physical. Maybe they're a tax rightoff. Maybe it's just me. I've never really heard anyone else mentioning it.

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seamorefunk said:

Some Prince music (NEWS, Xpectation, CNOTE, One Nite Alone) is much more mature and doesnt rely on the old "good beat and easy to dance to" American Bandstand formula that today's adolescents require to be able to appreciate a song. That explains most of the listeners who want to talk about sleeping on Bria's album. It is adult contemporary.

The pretty women who cant sing theory that you spew stopped holding water when Tamar showed up. Prince went so far as to do a tour as a backing musician to propel her to the front. SHe also was feature don a year of TV appearances and award show performances. ANd lets face it, she wasnt that pretty but by most accounts she could sing.
[Edited 6/18/09 11:58am]
[Edited 6/18/09 12:00pm]

seamorefunk said:

I think developing talent is his shortcoming. He's gets bored easily so the proper time in not put into a act to make it great. Some people are so talented that they can't understand why people can't do what they do. After all, it's so easy (to them). They're looking for someting to juice or challenge them.

I did say that Tamar could sing. You've got to admit, Prince has a long track record of pretty faces and not-so-talented voices.

Olivia "Liv" Warfield




Shelby J : http://www.myspace.com/shelbyblackgypsy
[Edited 6/18/09 12:56pm]

seamorefunk said:

It's been covered a bit before, maybe you missed it. But your post has valid points. The great thing about Rosie is that she told Prince to F off when he wouldn't release her music, and she felt held back. She ended up with 2 or 3 albums released on her own (although I think the one was on a label), and did her own thing.

Remember also that Prince said Cat's album was going to be huge, and she was the next big thing. The album was never released. She had an EP, but that was it. She all but vanished until recent years with some comeback, but I've yet to see or hear boo from her. Obviously Prince's judgment on great talent is iffy at best.

Despite Prince writing Jill's album, she could still carry a tune. She was singing in Prince records for years before that album came out, and even after. Her own music after though was terrible.

Ingrid was a joke at best.

Susannah Melvoin can certainly sing. Try finding something other than her stuff with Prince.

Bottom line is Prince wants that money. Cute sells and most of the women he cut records on fit the bill. The only TALENTED singers he really had in my opinion was Jill Jones ,Tamar,Shelby j,Rosie,Bonie Boyer.None of which were released except JJ.What a shame all that talent wasted on the sidelines while Bria Valente gets released . Talk about a credit line, wow prince ,wow. By the way I think Tamar is Beautiful,and shelby is from my hometown.
that last line is just me being proud of a beautiful and talented singer as well.
peace carmy .

Tamar is smoking hot.

Vendetta1 said:

I like Tamar's voice too and her style. She had a lot of potential, which hopefully she'll realize on her own.

Efan said:

I hope so, too!!!

Vendetta1 said:

To look at, she is an ordinary black chick. SHe is nice looking - but not enough to have it help her the way looks help lightweights with less talent like Beyonce, Mya, and Janet. Along with the fact that she isnt a remarkable vocalist - just a very good one - makes me think she wont ever make it big on her own. SHe simply isnt marketable enough to get an investment from a major label.

band members are definately different from Protege women

I don't think he picked band members because they were pretty
even if they are

Prince is about image or used to be
so he isn't going to get ugly ducklings and put them up front

There is also a difference between 1978-1989 musicians / proteges / singers
and 1990-1999 musicians / proteges / singers
and 2000-2009 musicians / proteges / singers

the first group were unique in that they were a part of the ground work
many were high school friends around he way friends, girlfriends, good friends via the band etc that 1st group were all starting out in a music industry that was totally different from the 2 group. Exposure was different in the 70s and 80's during the 78-88 yrs Prince had Uptown Erotic City Paisley park, and vision a world that the protege and bands fit into which is why it worked, the Time Vanity 6 Sheila E Jill Jones, Prince's band, Madhouse Mazarati the Family

somewhere right after Batman the vision became really blurry and lost the spark that the previous years had

So you get Carmen Electra Robin Power Ingrid even Kim Bassinger

the 2000yrs the protege things is pretty non existant and it seems Prince is surrounding himself with musicians and singers that are old band members from other famous bands and singers that are looking for or already started their own career that aren't really 'Prince connected' too me a lot of the female singer don't look good at all, and are bringing in styles and sounds that don't showcase Purple Music, after a while Prince's shows start sounding like Old School Soul Reviews, the 1 thing I like about the Twinz was that they were cute compared to the old looking musicians and singers behind him.

People want Prince to be like the Prince they fell for, want him to be wild and loose but don't want him to be with the Twinz, I think they were in the way a lot of times, but I like the way they looked with him. That's a part of Prince,

Purple Rain the movie is a good example of what I'm talking about, that was the world of Prince and there was the Time & APollonia 6 the Revolution and similar bands and singers: Dez Jill they all fit and were a different expression
Dez representing the Minneapolis bands that Prince came up around

I don't know if people forget or something, But Sheila E was a Prince Protege and she is super talented (well....she's really hot too ha ha), and also had a good deal of success.

As for Vanity and Morris Day, Prince put both of them in the BEST POSSIBLE situation to have successful careers, and they both self destructed from drug use. I feel like Prince set both of them up to be stars, and when it came time for them to take the wheel, they crashed the car immediately.

But for sure everyone can agree Prince's choice of side projects after about 89'-90' were all pretty terrible.
[Edited 6/19/09 16:19pm]

seamorefunk said:

No.

In recent years alone, Tamar, Shelby, Liv, Marva, Beverly, Ledisi all have talent.

lezama said:

Prince found Ledisi?

Vendetta1 said:

Especially in person, lovely dollface.

Brofie said:

Thank God YOU don't speak for everyone on the planet cuz I disagree with everything you got to say here. And I've noticed you always got some shit to say about black women so lemme ask, are you black?

SCNDLS said:

She does look like a doll.

Vendetta1 said:

Beautiful complexion and skin in person. Ashley's da bomb fuck these haters.

SCNDLS said:

Thank goodness I don't let the Org decide who I feel is beautiful or who I think has talent.

Vendetta1 said:

No doubt.

He just anit found me yet

I don't think he's really picking talent. He knows how to pick "looks" that will stop you in your tracks and "listen" even though they can't really sing, lol, but you find yourself entranced. Yes, people pay for that, lol. Sex, and beauty sell-fact. So is he terrible or a genius?

They say it like it is in Purple Rain - "as fine as she is, she doesn't have to know how to sing".

Vanity and Apollonia weren't chosen because they were the next Aretha. Ingrid was a poet who's album originally was meant to be all spoken pieces.

IMO, Jill Jones is a great vocalist. Except the obvious (and great) singers like Boni and Rosie, all the others are fucks or personify a female reflection of Prince as an idea for a side project.

Oh he finds talent. Just not marketable ones unless he plans on going into the pimping business!

SCNDLS said:

It tickles me how when certain orgers make a habit of talking shit about black women and then I ask them what race they are, how they magically, mystically go away. What's that about???

SCNDLS said:

I just ignore dumbass people like that and you're definitely not the olny who thought this guy needs a slap in the face.

NastradumasKid said:

SCNDLS said:

100x I never thought anything was wrong with Tamar compared to the other females Prince "tried" to make a star out of, I thought she was a step up!!!