The Violet Vault
Unlock Prince’s legacy through The Violet Vault- hosted by Ava Cyr, a long-time gen z Prince fan. Each week we’ll dive deep into Prince’s various eras from his early days in Minneapolis to global stardom, with special guest interviews sprinkled in. We’ll explore different sides of Prince, what inspired his music, aesthetics, and the man behind the purple. Make sure to subscribe and follow The Violet Vault on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with new episodes and bonus stories.
The Violet Vault
The Rise Before the Storm
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In this episode of The Violet Vault, Ava Cyr guides listeners into the transformative early 1980s—a pivotal era in both music history and Prince’s career. As disco fades and synth-driven pop, funk, and electronic sounds rise, artists like Michael Jackson begin reshaping the industry, opening doors for Black musicians to reach global superstardom. Against this backdrop, Prince returns to Minneapolis, determined to carve out his own creative path. Despite delays in building his home studio, he adapts quickly, recording Dirty Mind in a makeshift setup—a raw, provocative project that marks a bold departure from his earlier work and signals a full artistic and visual reinvention.
The episode explores Prince’s growing pains and breakthroughs, from controversial performances and being booed offstage while opening for The Rolling Stones, to forming key collaborations and relationships, including with future protégé Vanity. With the completion of his home studio, Prince gains greater creative control and pushes further with his next album, Controversy, tackling themes of identity, politics, and sexuality. Though still chasing mainstream success, Prince’s relentless evolution, refusal to compromise, and willingness to take risks hint that something much bigger is just around the corner.
If you enjoyed this episode of The Violet Vault, be sure to subscribe and follow along as we continue exploring the life and legacy of Prince.
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