Kelly Clarkson Performs Prince's Track 'Purple Rain' In His Home City

Apr 23, 2020 by apost team

Prince is an iconic artist who influenced popular music greatly, and despite passing away four years ago this week, he still inspires musicians today and no doubt will for many years to come.

One such artist that he inspired is the first ever American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson, who took the opportunity to honor the late musician when she was performing in the Twin Cities, Prince's hometown. In a video from August 2015, Clarkson sang Prince's hit Purple Rain to a large audience, and her version is nothing short of amazing.

The atmosphere during the concert is obviously very laid back –– Clarkson is seen to have taken her shoes off and her banter with the crowd suggests a relaxed vibe. As the opening chords of Purple Rain begin playing, she even jokes to the crowd when she says "No pressure," and laughs. She's obviously making reference to the fact that she's in Prince's hometown covering one of his biggest songs, but that's what makes her gesture brave and truly in honor of Prince.

She then begins singing the opening lines: "I never meant to cause you any sorrow / I never meant to cause you any pain" and the crowd erupts in cheers –– they're obviously very excited to hear Clarkson cover their hometown hero Prince. 

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What's so great about Clarkson's cover is that her voice is very different to Prince's and she doesn't try to sing like him, rather she sings like herself, which lends a feminine and softer mood to the song. It's wonderful to hear any artist cover another, but especially when they can merge their own style successfully with the original, that's what makes a cover truly unique and wonderful.

As with Prince's version, the song picks up speed halfway through and then leans more to rock than the softer ballad that it begins on. Clarkson also employs backup singers who help make the song feel just like Prince's –– he used backup singers to full effect, it was the '80s after all!

What's best about this version is that Clarkson seems really relaxed and comfortable with the audience while covering such a huge song. Not only is she performing barefoot at that point in the show, but her discussion with the crowd is friendly and calm, and those are the best kind of concerts. 

In a subtle nod to Prince himself, Clarkson is even wearing a purple sparkling dress that's emblazoned with rhinestones. While she didn't specify that the color is in honor of Prince, it could be likely since she is performing in the Twin Cities, Prince's hometown, and covering his song after all.

Prince released Purple Rain in 1984 as the title track of his album Purple Rain, which is in fact the soundtrack to the film of the same name, also starring Prince. It's often touted as one of the greatest songs of all time, and was placed 144th on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.

What did you think of Kelly Clarkson's homage to Prince by singing Purple Rain in his hometown? Let us know in the comments and be sure to pass this on to any family and friends who are Prince or Kelly Clarkson fans!