All of This and More: A Love Letter to the Art of Becoming
Prince the Catalyst
Every artist has their hero, I have quite a few but....
The one who has made a serious existential impact on my soul is Prince.
I really never imagined how transformative Prince as a musician, artist, and philosopher would be in my life.
I love Prince 💜🕊✨️
I am so inspired by this man's willpower, his tenacity, his vision, his heart, his sovereignty.
If you're new to the lore of Prince, you should know that Prince came into this earthly realm knowing who he was born to become. And you can discover more about this in his memoir, The Beautiful Ones.
Learning about Prince in his early beginnings is honestly so endearing to me. Because you find that Prince the Artist is not that different from Prince Rogers Nelson the boy.
Playful, visionary, bold.
It’s remarkable to see how he really stayed true to himself and the vision he made for himself.
If you read or listen to his memoir, you'll find that he was actually manifesting wayyyyy before it became trendy.
As a young boy he was manifesting his legacy as a musician and all of the things he would be able to do when he achieved his platform.
The Human Behind the Icon
Sounds almost superhuman, no???
Well, Prince was still a human being with vulnerabilities and a need for connection. I think about the feelings and fears he may have felt at the beginnings of his career. On top of that you have to remember that during this time there was another incredibly talented young musician on the rise, Michael Jackson.
And so I wonder, did he possibly deal with some doubt or competitiveness as a young boy watching another young boy who was equally as talented, dazzling crowds with soul, charisma, and the backing of Motown?
Essentially, at an early age, he really had to be deeply rooted in his sense of self not to get lost in the noise.
Another thing I find endearing is how he also went through his discovery phase 😆
In his memoir, you find photos of him just being avant garde and playful as he figures out how to stand as Prince the Artist.
Did he ever feel shy or silly??
Did he sometimes feel insecure or embarrassed???
And please note that these are not feelings to be ashamed about, they are a part of our human experience and something to thoroughly understand not repress or shame.
Dreaming Before the World Knew
As a creative person with so much profoundness in his soul, I would imagine it took a lot of courage to keep moving forward with the dream.
I'm so intrigued by this preliminary phase of Prince because even though he's still figuring himself out artistically, you just know he's Prince 😆
Like how does Prince not be Prince???
The purple enchantment was always there even if it was just in spirit 💜🕊✨️
I'm so in awe of this man's self-concept.
He's always had this vision for himself and really committed to living up to this. And so I ask myself, when did he feel scared? What did he do when he had doubts?
How did he take it when something didn't go the way he wanted?
I'm thinking about how his inner child and adult self were so interlaced, and so I'm curious. How did he feel when he realized that he was still living in this earthly realm? In this human reality that doesn't exactly acknowledge the unseen or unknown.
I'm inspired by how much Prince believed in himself. It's like as long as he kept dreaming, he was unstoppable. The only thing that really could stop him was reality.
A Reflection in the Mirror
As a visual artist in the early stages of her career, it does feel scary to have this determination to make art your path. To make it a sustainable form of income. To acquire a form of success.
It's really easy to get so caught up in fixating on the finished product but you have to try to remember to enjoy the process. To remain fully present and not let any fear or distractions influence you into thinking that you're not doing enough.
When I read about his early beginnings or listen to his early discography, I realize how precious those early experimental days are. The ones where you don't know if it's gonna work or not, you're just creating. You're just doing you. It's creativity at its purest form—unfiltered, intuitive, alive.
I realize that someday I'll be able to look back at my past and see the memories of my youth. But it starts with taking the first steps. Take the first steps even if you stumble and be down to enjoy the ride.
For the Starry-Eyed Child
Whenever I listen to Prince, especially his very first album "For You",
I feel so inspired. So in awe at how ready he was to show the world that he was Prince.
You seriously feel his tenacity and fire in the music. You feel his untamed passion and curiosity. And at the same time, you feel this innocent hope for the vision he was so determined to make reality.
He's Prince and you're gonna know who he is.
I'm reminded of how much I love being an artist. I'm reminded of the starry-eyed child I was when I came into this world and how beautiful I thought the world was. I saw the beauty in the world, in humanity, and in the beauty I could create.
I think about the starry-eyed child I was and I knew I was going to be an artist. Did I know how I was going to make a sustainable living from it??
Nope.
I just knew that I lived and breathed creativity 🤷🏼♀️
And then I don't feel so doubtful anymore.
I’m Not Prince—And That’s Okay
I may not be making as much money yet. I may not have the strongest technique yet. But I will get there.
So basically, every small step or action towards your goals does make a difference.
Preserve the dream in your heart and keep moving forward.
And.....
This is how I know I'm not Prince 😆
He was notorious for having such an intense work ethic and pushing himself past his limits.
He was a man and I'm a woman. My body cannot take on the same level of work the way he could. 😆
A Vision in Bloom
Another reason why I might be so fascinated by Prince is because I'm the eldest daughter of an immigrant family. I'm a first generation Mexican American. I've always been aware of my interest in art but I was also brought up to fulfill all these different roles for my family, my culture, and my community. I'm also a woman and for my entire well-being, I need emotional connection and comfort from other people. And on top of that, society seems to have beef with single childfree women.
👀👀👀👀👀
It's easy to lose your sense of self and I experienced this a lot in my youth. All these different expectations and responsibilities being placed onto me and I did at one point believe that my sole reason for existing was to be useful for someone else.
Prince inspires me to connect with my true sense of self. I'm reminded that I am alive,
I was born alive with dreams.
I also had a vision for myself.
I’m reminded to cherish myself, mind, body, and soul as God created me.
It’s My body. My beauty. My heart. My mind. My life.
My existence is proof of the resilience and hope of the people who came before me.
And so I admire Prince for not letting anyone tell him who he is. He stood in his sovereignty until the end.
So to whoever reads, you now know how I kinda feel like Prince is a guardian angel helping me make life choices.
And sometimes……
He’s the devil on my shoulders.
🤭
And just so you know, when I was writing this at a cafe, the sunlight just so happened to shine right on my notebook….
💜🕊✨️
Soooooo I take that as a blessing from Prince 🌌✨️
And so dear reader, I hope you remember to have grace for yourself at whatever stage you are in life. Cherish your dreams even when it feels impossible and keep moving forward.
“You’ve probably felt for many years in your former life
That you were separate from not only others, but even yourself
Now you can see that was never the case
You are actually
everything and anything
that you can think of
All of it is you
Remember, there is really only one destination
and that place is you
All of it, everything is you”
affirmation iii, Art Official Age, 2014
