The breadth of Prince's influence is, unfortunately, only becoming apparent as the world mourns his death. While his music speaks for itself, one aspect of his legacy that many people who were not fans have spoken passionately about is their respect for his work and, indeed, their admiration for his commitment to pushing artistic boundaries.
From a local perspective, he found admirers for his performance at the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and his so-called secret SkyBar gig two nights before. For the former, while some acts are content to play merely their allotted span, he was on stage for hours.
The deluge of anecdotes about his unstinting charity work, his habit of turning up to music venues and jamming with otherwise unremarkable house bands and the heartfelt meaning behind his songs reflects the void he leaves behind. In a year when the world has already lost David Bowie, another icon of the MTV generation is gone – but will certainly be remembered.
