Miguel said Prince once asked him to sing “Purple Rain.” (Paras Griffin/WireImage)
Since the release of his debut album in 2010, Miguel has often been compared to Prince. The singer is now gearing up to release his fourth LP, and while he continues to enjoy being likened to the Purple One, he also has a lot more to offer. And he’s not looking to step into the late musician’s shoes, either.
“I think it’s obvious he’s a major influence but I think there’s [sic] also things about me that are uniquely mine that aren’t [sic] coming from his vibe,” Miguel told the UK’s The Sun Online Sunday, Oct. 29. “Being a reminder of Prince is a huge compliment. No one will ever be that. I don’t want to be that. It’s a bit of both, being flattered but like, ‘Hey, there’s more.’ Hopefully, that’s enough to get you to listen more and go, ‘Ok I see where he’s different.'”
While a Slant magazine critic described Miguel’s first album, “All I Want” as “radio-friendly R&B with Prince-aping theatrics,” it was his third record, “Wildheart,” filled with sex-positive lyrics, guitars and falsettos that cemented the comparisons.
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“Man how does anyone compare to Prince, really?” Miguel wondered to BET after coming off his freshman release. “There’s [sic] so many layers to his artistry, you know what I mean? Writer, virtuoso and genius, really, when it comes to him being a musician.”
But on his new album, “War & Leisure,” the singer will nod to some political events while keeping up his trademark sound. There’s also poised to be some moments that could surprise longtime fans.
“I wouldn’t be myself if it didn’t make it into my music,” he told The Sun of the political additions. “So I think you’ll hear it sprinkled around the album. … They’re more like the leisurely side, whereas the other songs may not feel dark or heavy but are clearly mentioning some events.
“I think there are new territories,” he added. “They’re definitely still me but there’s gonna be some in the fanbase like ‘I wasn’t expecting that.'”
