Ahead of the release of Prince’s never-before-heard album Welcome 2 America next Friday (July 30), the late music icon’s estate has shared the feel-good new single, Hot Summer.
Boasting a blissfully easy-going sound propped up by some bite-y powerchords and singalong-style vocals, Hot Summer joins Born 2 Die and the album's title track on the highly-anticipated album’s tracklist.
While there are no fretboard acrobatics or show-stopping solos, there's an abundance of tasty rhythmic constructions, fierce, gain-drenched electric guitar stabs and 12-bar blues-inspired passages.
As per the previous two singles, the Purple One was joined in the studio for Hot Summer by bass guitar star Tal Wilkenfeld and drummer Chris Coleman, with Shelby J., Liv Warfield and Elisa Fiorillo taking responsibility for backing vocals.
The unveiling of the track coincides with the release of a new podcast, The Story of Welcome 2 America, which sees music journo Andrea Swensson and Shelby J. share the behind-the-scenes story of the upcoming album.
Speaking of their experience recording Welcome 2 America, guests Warfield and Fiorillo told the podcast of how the group would take a drive in Prince’s Mercedes SUV to listen to their new creations after each session.
Of when they road-tested Hot Summer, Fiorillo recalled, “All those people were outside and I’m thinking it’s broad daylight, they’re gonna see him. But we didn’t care.
"We had the windows rolled down and we were playing Hot Summer. There's nothing like driving in a car and listening to music and I think he agreed."
Welcome 2 America is available to preorder (opens in new tab) now ahead of its July 30 release.
