On June 7, pop star Beyoncé honored the late music legend Prince on what would have been his 66th birthday. Prince, known for his genre-bending contributions to rock, pop, and funk, passed away in 2016 due to an accidental fentanyl overdose.
In a series of Instagram posts, Beyoncé, 42, showcased her tribute outfit: black boots, light-wash boyfriend jeans, and a black T-shirt featuring Prince and the Revolution's iconic symbol. She paired the ensemble with a pair of black sunglasses, a brown fur coat, and accessorized with a chunky silver choker and earrings. Her patchwork denim Balenciaga handbag, decorated with two pride flags, also acknowledged Pride Month. The posts were simply captioned with a purple heart emoji, likely a nod to Prince’s famous song, album, and film, “Purple Rain.”
Beyoncé and Prince had previously shared the stage at the 2004 Grammy Awards, where they performed a medley of hits including “Purple Rain,” “Baby I’m a Star,” “Let’s Go Crazy,” and “Crazy In Love.” Reflecting on Beyoncé's talent, Prince once remarked, “The sky's the limit as to what she could do, because she's so very talented.”
In an interview, Prince expressed his admiration for Beyoncé's musical knowledge, stating, “I was really curious as to how much she knew musically, and I was really pleased to find out that she knew a lot about scales — mixolydian scales and Egyptian styles — and different things like that. I was just trying to show her some chords on the piano and help her to respect the fact that if she learns piano — à la Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles and things like that — the sky's the limit as to what she could do.”
Beyoncé's tribute highlights the enduring influence and legacy of Prince, whose music continues to inspire artists and fans worldwide.