Forever indebted to his genius. Sheena Easton, one of Prince’s frequent collaborators and longtime confidant, tells Us Weekly that while she was distraught by news of his death on Thursday, April 21, she is also thankful for their friendship.
“It is impossible to imagine him not being here,” the Scottish pop singer told Us in a statement. “The world of music was forever changed the day he picked up his guitar. His talent was breathtaking, his heart was kind, and all of us have been blessed to have had a glimpse into this sweet and magical soul.”
Easton, 56, worked with the music icon on such hits as “The Arms of Orion,” “U Got the Look” and the famously controversial “Sugar Walls.”
When it was released, the 1985 single was pegged by Tipper Gore’s Parents Music Resource Council as one of the “Filthy Fifteen” songs that parents should ban from their children’s playlists. (Lyrics include the highly suggestive “Come spend the night inside my sugar walls.”)
In a 1991 interview, Easton told Q magazine that she found Prince “very quiet and shy” when the pair first met in the ‘80s.
“I walked into the studio and there was no 12 bodyguards, just him,” she told the publication.
Though the pair have long been rumored to have shared a romantic relationship, both have publicly denied the suggestion, claiming their closeness was rooted in professional interests.
