https://www.reviewjournal...ppearance/

I definitely was invited, but in the conversations I had with Prince in my life, he always said, ‘Do your own thing,’ and I am going to be doing my thing,” says Fiorillo, who now fronts a big band in Las Vegas. Her next show with Bruce Harper’s Big Band is April 24 at Cabaret Jazz.

“This thing at Paisley Park is not what Prince was about,” she says. “Ticket prices are like $500 ($550 for general admission, actually), and people who are really fans are expected to pay that to hear some stories. I’d understand if this money was going to a charity he believed in, but it’s just a lot of people hitting while the iron is hot.”

Fiorillo specifically pointed to the recently published book published by Prince’s ex-wife Mayte Garcia titled “The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince,” and the just-released album by Shelby J. as examples of such iron striking. The “Celebration 2017” website offers “official” Prince anniversary merchandise, as well as tickets for public tours of Paisley Park.

Fiorillo says the event remonds her of Prince’s song “Old Friends 4 Sale,” which also happens to be one of her favorites.

“He’s already said it, ‘Old friends for sale, get ‘em while the gettin’ is hot, but you better watch out, they’ll kiss you until they get what you got,’ ” Fiorillo says. “How about that? He wouldn’t like this, I know it.

Man, people are divided on how to best approach the hoopla surrounding Prince's death. Its sad. I don't know what to think because in a way, she is promoting herself through Prince. However, I must say that I am not sure what her issue is with Shelby's album. I imagine she is not fond of Andy's either (or maybe she's disappointed in Shelby because of her support of Mayte). I don't mind the attention Prince's proteges albums are getting. They still have to work and if work comes their way ebcause of Prince's death, I am not sure Prince would have a problem with that. After all, he'd be promoting their work if he were alive. As for tell-all books or memoirs and over-priced celebrations, I see her point.

[Edited 4/15/17 20:45pm]

I'd trade every single last one of them in just to get him back. Yep, I said it. None of them really make a difference to me and I wouldn't spend money on anything from them.

ETA: whoops, I lied. I am in fact buying Steve Parke and Afshin Shahidi's books because one can never have enough pics of P. I'd buy other photography books too, but that is it.

[Edited 4/15/17 21:56pm]

purplerabbithole said:

Mumio said:

rogifan said:

Mumio said:

I'd trade every single last one of them in just to get him back. Yep, I said it. None of them really make a difference to me and I wouldn't spend money on anything from them.

ETA: whoops, I lied. I am in fact buying Steve Parke and Afshin Shahidi's books because one can never have enough pics of P. I'd buy other photography books too, but that is it.

[Edited 4/15/17 21:56pm]

I wonder if she's ticked because Shelby and Liv have been doing some shows (with Judith Hill)? But Liv said she hopes they can do one of these shows with Elisa in the future. Elisa was part of the October tribute concert, didn't seem like she had any issues with that...

Sounded to me like Elisa was okay with an initial tribute to pay respects and say farewell to P, but now the tributes, etc dragging on and on seem a bit much to her and she's over it.

I feel the same. I was over it all after BET. Now it just seems...overdone, I guess.

LBrent said:

“I definitely was invited, but in the conversations I had with Prince in my life, he always said, ‘Do your own thing,’ and I am going to be doing my thing,” says Fiorillo.

This thing at Paisley Park is not what Prince was about,” she says. “Ticket prices are like $500 ($550 for general admission, actually), and people who are really fans are expected to pay that to hear some stories. I’d understand if this money was going to a charity he believed in, but it’s just a lot of people hitting while the iron is hot.”

He’s already said it, ‘Old friends for sale, get ‘em while the gettin’ is hot, but you better watch out, they’ll kiss you until they get what you got,’ ” Fiorillo says. “How about that? He wouldn’t like this, I know it.”

She does not want to seem to be riding the purple wave. You hear that, Eric? Much respect, Elisa.

I always respected Elisa because she is one of the few 'proteges' who got a real job when her singing career was struggling. She is/was a real estate agent. It just feels like she is a realist who knows what it is like to have a job that has no connection whatsoever to her past with Prince. She was still trying to a get a singing career however when Prince rediscovered her online and asked her to be a background singer.

LBrent said:

purplerabbithole said:

donnyenglish said:

Do we have proof that Prince heard any of Shelby's music before he died. If she is making that up, unfortunately, she is cashing in.

I don't know what to believe anymore even with Revolution claims.

rogifan said:

LBrent said:

Sounded to me like Elisa was okay with an initial tribute to pay respects and say farewell to P, but now the tributes, etc dragging on and on seem a bit much to her and she's over it.

I feel the same. I was over it all after BET. Now it just seems...overdone, I guess.

The first sentence about her doing her own thing would have been enough. And she didn't have to name names. I think it's sad she thinks Shelby J. is just cashing in on Prince's death especially when she started working on her album while he was still here and he got to hear it. I think if he was alive her album would still be coming out and for all we know he'd be a big promoter of it like he was with Liv's.

You know what I mean. Being a musician is a very tough job but its not one that many can make a success out of. and there are too many of Prince's proteges who either exploit the fvck out of their connection to him or bitch and moan about paying mortgages due to dried up careers and do nothing to look elsewhere for work. They hang on coattails and try to stay in the industry in any way they know how and act like there are no other options.

Elisa was working as an agent while working as a musician and a wife and mother. She's got my respect. Any studio musicians have got my respect. I am not sure what I think about women who never look outside the industry for work and then bemoan the fact that Prince didn't take care of them later on.

rogifan said:

purplerabbithole said:

I always respected Elisa because she is one of the few 'proteges' who got a real job when her singing career was struggling. She is/was a real estate agent. It just feels like she is a realist who knows what it is like to have a job that has no connection whatsoever to her past with Prince. She was still trying to a get a singing career however when Prince rediscovered her online and asked her to be a background singer.

So s career in music isn't a real job? [Edited 4/16/17 5:05am]

purplerabbithole said:

purplerabbithole said:

Don't get me wrong. I like Shelby and normally would not assume she is lying but she and Mayte were the ones called out by Elisa. And Elisa and Shelby seemed tight in the past. So, I paused for a moment and thought maybe Elisa's issue with her album is the blessing she claimed that Prince gave it.. None of the other proteges etc were mentioned. So, obviously something rubbed EF the wrong way. Maybe its jealousy. Maybe its the fact that Shelby supports Mayte's book and its the book that really is pissing her off. Who knows? But something is up.

rogifan said:

purplerabbithole said:

Do we have proof that Prince heard any of Shelby's music before he died. If she is making that up, unfortunately, she is cashing in.

Well no I don't have proof as I obviously wasn't in the room with them but it never crossed my mind that she would make something like that up. As far as I know she wasn't touring with Prince at all in 2015 so that could be when she started working on her album. What she says matches what Adrian Crutchfield said which is that Prince told them he wouldn't always be around and they wouldn't always be working with him so he wanted them to do their own thing. purplerabbithole said:

You know what I mean. Being a musician is a very tough job but its not one that many can make a success out of. and there are too many of Prince's proteges who either exploit the fvck out of their connection to him or bitch and moan about paying mortgages due to dried up careers and do nothing to look elsewhere for work. They hang on coattails and try to stay in the industry in any way they know how and act like there are no other options. Elisa was working as an agent while working as a musician and a wife and mother. She's got my respect. Any studio musicians have got my respect. I am not sure what I think about women who never look outside the industry for work and then bemoan the fact that Prince didn't take care of them later on.

My comments in this thread are specifically about Shelby J. I'm not aware of her ever complaining that Prince didn't take care of her. In fact during that Roland Martin interview she said how thankful she was that Prince gave her a world-wide platform. If Elisa was releasing a new album and I liked it I'd probably buy it. I certainly wouldn't think she was cashing in on Prince's death.

purplerabbithole said:

She's exactly on point! "[Prince] always said, ‘Do your own thing,’ and I am going to be doing my thing. This thing at Paisley Park is not what Prince was about. Ticket prices are like $500, and people who are really fans are expected to pay that to hear some stories. I’d understand if this money was going to a charity he believed in, but it’s just a lot of people hitting while the iron is hot. He’s already said it, ‘Old Friends 4 Sale': get ‘em while the gettin’ is hot, but you better watch out, they’ll kiss you until they get what you got. How about that? He wouldn’t like this, I know it.”

The article does say she points to Mayte as striking while the iron is hot. But you know what - it's Mayte's story. She as there. She married ol' boy and had two kids by him. Mayte isn't yet another fan who dug through The Vault, put together some dates and a new way of saying "He recorded spiritual songs on Sunday", while throwing in a new half-assed anecdote from a member of The Revolution or NPG.

Elisa's right about the rest. There's no way Prince would 1) charge $500 or $999 for this stupid celebration, and 2) do it on a date of death. Even though he didn't really believe in birthday, he did understand that fans would be drawn to the significance of the event around June (plus it's just nicer weather HA).

While I understand the estate & PP has to create a cash flow and actually support that (who wants Prince's legacy, belongings and assets just sitting around collecting dust while debtors pick through it like a sample plate of frozen cherries at Cosco?), don't fucking pee on my leg and tell me it's raining. All of us fans can see bullshit & real moneygrabbing when it's in front of us (like the other plethora of books that have come out in the last year - some days after he died). Mayte writing a book is not money grabbing. It's her right to make a living and tell her story. The book is getting incredible reviews from fans. Every time I see someone post about it, they love it. Elisa will write a book soon enough, or an essay in a paper or something, and get a check for it. It's only a matter of time. But maybe right now, money don't matter 2 nite.

See, that's how you patch things up...Good for her.

Maybe, that is her same issue with Mayte. The timing, not necessarily the book.

And I see her point.

rogifan said:

New FB post from Elisa clarifying her comments on Shelby's album. Apparently Shelby reached out. Sounds like her issue was the timing of the release which is totally fair.

Its a fine balance..being respectful of Prince, honoring him, having your own voice and career, staking your claim...and then there's the temptation of people coming to you offering career advancement because of your connection with Prince.

I think maybe we ought to cut people slack for mistakes. That being said, it is not a bad thing to bring up what we find objectible...to defend Prince is never a bad thing. Just do it with some class. For the most part, I think she did. SOmeone said she should have reached out to Shelby..Well, I think she might have by not wanting to tour with her 'sisters'. Liv kind of dropped a hint when she stated that they were trying to get Elisa on board and she also said something about Prince encouraging the women to bring each other up. I assume Elisa had discussed this stuff with Shelby and Liv..the difference here is that the article left out the context and I imagine Shelby was offended by that. So Elisa had to clarify.

purplerabbithole said:

See, that's how you patch things up...Good for her.

Maybe, that is her same issue with Mayte. The timing, not necessarily the book.

And I see her point.

rogifan said:

New FB post from Elisa clarifying her comments on Shelby's album. Apparently Shelby reached out. Sounds like her issue was the timing of the release which is totally fair.

Elisa's exploiting Prince has been minor compared to others and respectful. She has been extremely kind and her facebook posts about Prince were lovely and she even defended him once against a poster on her facebook who tried to diminish his talent to raise up hers. She's got lovely sweet and recent antecdotes about him that have nothing to do with a previous relationship they had.

BTW< I think she did bring up her concerns with Shelby and LIv, thus the reason she won't do shows with them. Liv stated that they were trying to get her on board. She said that Prince would want the ladies to work together. I imagine what Elisa said in the interview was the same thing she said to Shelby and Liv and the same thing she just posted. But the article left out the context and naturally Shelby was hurt by the implications.

It sounds like its all good now.

rogifan said:

She could have reached out to Shelby privately if she had issues with the timing of her album release. No need to air that out in public. Though I don't think she needed to make public that she once had an intimate relationship with Prince either, especially when she claims it was supposed to stay private.

rogifan said:

She could have reached out to Shelby privately if she had issues with the timing of her album release. No need to air that out in public. Though I don't think she needed to make public that she once had an intimate relationship with Prince either, especially when she claims it was supposed to stay private.

Good points. There's a lot of double-standard going on with her. These divas act like they have final say in something, and they don't. They never will. What is the right time for an artist to release an album? Write a book? Give an interview? No one's paying the bills during all that down time. Utility companies aren't giving Elisa or Shelby a grace period to pay off the electric & gas because Prince died. Life goes on, and they have to keep doing what they do to earn a living.

As far as having slept with Prince - well, get in line girl. You ain't the first, and you weren't the last. You were just another one in a long line that wanted to see him.

rogifan said:

She could have reached out to Shelby privately if she had issues with the timing of her album release. No need to air that out in public. Though I don't think she needed to make public that she once had an intimate relationship with Prince either, especially when she claims it was supposed to stay private.

Wouldn't you think same should apply to all associates? Some of them have been quite vocal against one another lately. I don't find it professional.

That said, Elisa is one of my favorite. Very little drama and very good singing.

LEt me guess you are defending Mayte, but you are jumping Elisa's ass for actually be concerned about the timing of releases. She actually apologized for her statement. Yeah, she mentioned a relationship with Prince..big deal. She didn't elaborate and she basically stated he was a friend at the end.

BTW, if you go to her facebook, it is apparent she is still a real estate agent too. She could make a lot more money doing what these other ladies are doing. She is paying her bills by working hard for a living and mostly doing her own thing.

TrivialPursuit said:

rogifan said:

She could have reached out to Shelby privately if she had issues with the timing of her album release. No need to air that out in public. Though I don't think she needed to make public that she once had an intimate relationship with Prince either, especially when she claims it was supposed to stay private.

Good points. There's a lot of double-standard going on with her. These divas act like they have final say in something, and they don't. They never will. What is the right time for an artist to release an album? Write a book? Give an interview? No one's paying the bills during all that down time. Utility companies aren't giving Elisa or Shelby a grace period to pay off the electric & gas because Prince died. Life goes on, and they have to keep doing what they do to earn a living.

As far as having slept with Prince - well, get in line girl. You ain't the first, and you weren't the last. You were just another one in a long line that wanted to see him.

Its a treacherous place they are all in. I think it is important for them to respectfully disagree. Throwing idiotic shade isn't helpful. But reminding proteges and former bandmates to consider the human being known as Prince and his legacy every once in a whle...and not getting too caught up in the money and hoopla surrounding his death is important...that's not a bad thing.

I imagine all of them have found a way to personally justify their actions in relation to Prince's death. I am just wondering if picking this one week out of 52 weeks this year to release albums or promote books is really justifiable by anything other than money interests. Mayte and Shelby both work for the same management co...odds are they were encouraged to release their stuff surrounding P's death anniversary. They obviously found justification in their own hearts for it. But its still a bit dubious in my opinion.

malbena said:

rogifan said:

She could have reached out to Shelby privately if she had issues with the timing of her album release. No need to air that out in public. Though I don't think she needed to make public that she once had an intimate relationship with Prince either, especially when she claims it was supposed to stay private.

Wouldn't you think same should apply to all associates? Some of them have been quite vocal against one another lately. I don't find it professional.

That said, Elisa is one of my favorite. Very little drama and very good singing.

purplerabbithole said:

Its a treacherous place they are all in. I think it is important for them to respectfully disagree. Throwing idiotic shade isn't helpful. But reminding proteges and former bandmates to consider the human being known as Prince and his legacy every once in a whle...and not getting too caught up in the money and hoopla surrounding his death is important...that's not a bad thing.

I imagine all of them have found a way to personally justify their actions in relation to Prince's death. I am just wondering if picking this one week out of 52 weeks this year to release albums or promote books is really justifiable by anything other than money interests. Mayte and Shelby both work for the same management co...odds are they were encouraged to release their stuff surrounding P's death anniversary. They obviously found justification in their own hearts for it. But its still a bit dubious in my opinion.

malbena said:

Wouldn't you think same should apply to all associates? Some of them have been quite vocal against one another lately. I don't find it professional.

That said, Elisa is one of my favorite. Very little drama and very good singing.

True enough.

This time of year will probably raise a lot of emotions among associates and fans. Sadly I hope we all keep in mind to celebrate and not fight any further.

purplerabbithole said:

You know what I mean. Being a musician is a very tough job but its not one that many can make a success out of. and there are too many of Prince's proteges who either exploit the fvck out of their connection to him or bitch and moan about paying mortgages due to dried up careers and do nothing to look elsewhere for work. They hang on coattails and try to stay in the industry in any way they know how and act like there are no other options.

Elisa was working as an agent while working as a musician and a wife and mother. She's got my respect. Any studio musicians have got my respect. I am not sure what I think about women who never look outside the industry for work and then bemoan the fact that Prince didn't take care of them later on.

.

THIS!

.