The enigmatic world of the late, great Prince continues to captivate, with new anecdotes about his extraordinary life and epic lifestyle emerging years after his passing. A revealing profile in Vanity Fair has pulled back the curtain on Hollywood's most legendary party scene during the noughties, offering a rare glimpse into the Purple One's singular existence.
The All-Night Impromptu Performances
Jason Pomeranc, co-founder of Thompson Hotel Groups, shared remarkable stories of Prince's spontaneous appearances at Teddy's, the nightclub within the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Pomeranc described how the music icon would command the stage until dawn for no reason other than pure passion. 'Prince would come in and just start playing a random solo show at Teddy’s until four or five in the morning, just because he felt like it,' he told the publication.
These electrifying, unannounced performances became regular occurrences that defined LA's nightlife at the time. In an era before social media dominance, missing these pop-up spectacles meant missing out entirely. 'If you weren’t at the Prince pop-up show or you weren’t there when Courtney Love showed up, it was gone. It was not on Instagram,' Pomeranc explained, noting that this exclusivity fuelled the city's vibrant social scene.
The Peculiar Pancake Diet & Purple Penthouse
Beyond the stage, Prince's personal habits were equally fascinating. Pomeranc revealed that during his stays at their properties, the singer would maintain a highly specific and unusual dietary regimen. 'He would only eat pancakes for days,' the hotelier disclosed, highlighting the artist's eccentric consistency.
His accommodation preferences were just as distinctive. The penthouse required complete redecoration to meet Prince's exact specifications, transforming into a sanctuary of white shag rugs and purple accents before he would consider staying there. This attention to his environment reflected the same meticulous artistry that defined his musical career.
A Legacy of Musical Innovation
Prince Rogers Nelson, the seven-time Grammy winner behind timeless classics like 'Kiss', '1999' and 'Let's Go Crazy', tragically died from an accidental fentanyl overdose on April 21, 2016. He was just 57 years old when he passed at his Paisley Park home in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
Throughout his storied four-decade career, the Purple Rain superstar released an astonishing 39 studio albums and left behind a vast catalogue of unreleased material stored in a custom-built bank vault beneath his home. This treasure trove has enabled numerous posthumous collections of previously unheard songs to be issued by his estate.
From the late 1970s onward, Prince stood apart from his contemporaries by masterfully blending multiple genres into his unique sound. His musical fusion included:
- Funk and rock
- R&B and soul
- Pop and synth-pop
- Jazz, blues and hip-hop
This innovative approach resulted in global record sales exceeding 100 million, cementing his status as one of the best-selling musical artists of all time. His accolades include seven Grammy Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award, and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
Prince's cinematic legacy remains equally impressive. The 1984 film Purple Rain, which marked his acting debut and featured his iconic soundtrack, grossed nearly $100 million worldwide. The accompanying album dominated the Billboard 200 for 24 consecutive weeks and earned an Oscar for Best Original Score, along with two Grammys, three American Music Awards, and two Brit Awards.
