Stream Previously Unreleased Prince Track ‘Hot Summer’
The Purple One originally intended to release 'Coming 2 America' in 2011 and even kept the name for his tour that year.
By Scott Bernstein Jul 22, 2021 • 9:43 am PDT
The Prince Estate unveiled “Hot Summer,” a previously unreleased track recorded in 2010 by the late musician at his Paisley Park Studios facility in Chanhassen, Minnesota. The song is one of 12 laid down at Paisley Park during the same time period featured on the posthumous Prince album, Welcome 2 America, which comes out via Legacy Recordings next Friday, July 30.
A description of Welcome 2 America explains the 12-track LP documents, “Prince’s concerns, hopes, and visions for a shifting society, presciently foreshadowing an era of political division, disinformation, and a renewed fight for racial justice.” The album marks the first to be released since Prince’s tragic 2016 death. NPG keyboardist Morris Hayes both performs on and co-produced Welcome 2 America.
While today marks the official release of “Hot Summer,” Prince was so hyped about the song he allowed Minnesota Public Radio station The Current to air the tune on June 7, 2010 — his 52nd birthday. “Hot Summer” includes a hook sung by NPG’s Liv Warfield and backing vocals from Shelby J. and Elisa Fiorillo.
“I really love the fact that everything else on Welcome 2 America was so serious, but then it came to this fun, kind of like feel-good vibe,” stated Warfield. “It makes me think we’re all at the beach doing the twist, like Annette Funicello,” added Shelby J.
Listen to Prince’s “Hot Summer” below:
