The Most Beautiful: My Life With Prince

would learn about him over the years: He had a way of speaking things into being. He’d say, “You know what would be cool . . .”

Something I truly loved and appreciated about Prince during the years we worked and lived together was the way he took artists like these—and like me—under his wing. When he saw talent that intrigued him, he got the artist in front of people, and his seal of approval meant a lot—in the audience and in the industry. He lifted them up above the noise

It was so refreshing to be a part of this conversation about the art and business of performing—a serious conversation about creating art out of music and movement—with someone who was a master in multiple crafts and had defied all reasonable expectations to achieve a level of success most performers don’t bother dreaming about.

“You can’t look at yourself through other people’s eyes. When you’re working at a certain level, you find that people live through you, and if you don’t act like they expect you to, then you’re the bad one.”

Lori Elle and Robia LaMorte,

It had never occurred to me that each shoe and rock and handwritten letter is an opportunity to express yourself—or it’s just one more of a million little things that don’t. It’s up to you. But why would you choose to create a life from a pile of little things that don’t actively matter to you?

Amir was everything. Every. Thing. The name itself means “Prince.”

the full costume crew who worked in a large, brightly lit space at Paisley Park. Prince’s office occupied the left wing of the top floor, and Wardrobe occupied the right. Pattern makers and cutters worked on long wooden worktables under broad skylights. Seamstresses and tailors fit clothing on mannequins with Prince’s body size. A stitching tailor

We shared a common belief that whatever you’re passionate about, you should learn about it, work on it, do it—just let it go and let it be.