A never-before-heard Prince album is on the way. On Thursday (April 8), the late superstar’s estate and Legacy Recordings announced the upcoming release of Welcome 2 America, Prince’s next posthumous album.
According to a press statement, the album was initially recorded in 2010 as a politically charged project and will serve as a “powerful creative statement that 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 world is fraught with misin4mation. George Orwell’s vision of the future is here. We need 2 remain steadfast in faith in the trying times ahead,” Prince said of the album back in 2010.
Welcome 2 America will be unearthed from the singer’s vault and released to the masses on July 30. According to the release, the album will feature in-studio collaborations with bassist Tal Wilkenfeld, drummer Chris Coleman and GRAMMY-nominated engineer Jason Agel. New Power Generation singers Shelby J., Liv Warfield, Elisa Fiorillo and keyboardist Morris Hayes will also appear on the record.
After completing the album, Prince set out on his “Welcome 2 America Tour,” which spanned from December 2010 to September 2012 and included over 80 stops around North America, Europe and Australia. Prince capped off the run with his “21 Nite Stand” performance at the Los Angeles Forum. According to the release, the deluxe version of Welcome 2 America will include a Blu-Ray disc of that performance, as well as CD and black vinyl copies of the album.
Fans will also be able to buy a limited-edition gold-colored 7” vinyl of the album exclusively from Prince’s official store, which will include the studio version of “Welcome 2 America” — the album’s title track — as well as a live version of the song from Prince’s The Forum performance.
To commemorate the announcement, Prince’s estate released “Welcome 2 America” on YouTube and streaming services today. Listen to the song below.