Adore: My VIP Experience at Paisley Park

by: LaTeal Pierre

I've loved Prince Rogers Nelson for as long as I can remember. His music raised me, held me, healed me. The songs...those stories wrapped in funk, fire, and feeling, are the soundtrack of my life. 🎶💜

When he passed in 2016, I was cooking and sipping wine in my kitchen. And when the news hit, it felt like an old boyfriend had died. Not just a celebrity. Not just an icon. Someone I knew. Someone I had a history with. That's what Prince was to me...intimate, complicated, unforgettable.

So when my cousin gifted me the VIP experience at Paisley Park as an early birthday present (I'm a May 12th baby! 🎂), I knew this wasn't going to be just another tour. This was going to be an epic Weekend Wander.

From the moment we arrived, I could feel the reverence. Security is tight. Phones and smartwatches were locked in a pouch. And I respected that...It meant being fully present, with no distractions. Every hallway, every corner of Paisley Park pulses with memory and meaning.

Our guide was passionate and deeply informed. With this being the 40th anniversary of Purple Rain, the tribute was rich and immersive. Dedicated rooms celebrated albums like Controversy, Sign o' the Times, and Purple Rain. Videos played. Outfits glimmered. ✨ Every detail—lyrics in his handwriting, his seat at the table where he ate his meals, where he gave that Oprah interview...all felt sacred. There's an office and a Galaxy Room where his energy is heavy. 🌌 His spirit lingers there. You don't see it. You feel it.

One of the most powerful things I learned was the story behind the symbol. Prince changed his name at the height of a battle with Warner Bros., who owned the rights to "Prince." So he reinvented himself with a symbol that couldn't be spoken, only felt. That was his silent protest. His power move. And he became "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince"—or simply The Artist. It was rebellious... It was genius....It was so him. 🔥

And the music? Lord. Certain songs still stop me in my tracks:

Thieves in the Temple—raw and prophetic.

Sign o' the Times—as relevant today as ever.

Do Me Baby—whew, don't even get me started.

Diamonds and Pearls, The Beautiful Ones, The Most Beautiful Girl in the World live in my bones...And Adore? That song is everything. Those lyrics cut deep—"If God one day struck me blind, your beauty I'd still see." 💘 Who doesn't want a love like that? I long for that kind of love. It's not just a song. It's my heart wrapped in a melody.

What shook me most was learning that in many of his songs, Prince played every instrument. 🥁🎸🎹 Sang every harmony. Mixed it, layered it, and perfected it. He didn't just make music. He built galaxies. I've always believed he was writing about things that hadn't even happened yet—like he was ahead of time and still somehow right on time.

Paisley Park is a sanctuary. A vibration. A place where the genius of Prince still hums through the walls. If you've ever felt what I feel—if a single lyric has ever wrapped around your soul—go. Just go. Take one of the tours. Let yourself feel. 💫

Because Prince isn't gone.... Not really....He's just in another room, still creating.

And we're still listening. 🎤

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~Paisley Park offers three tour options: the Paisley Park Experience, the VIP Experience, and the Ultimate Experience. Each one provides a unique glimpse into Prince's creative universe.

Note:This post is just the beginning. I’ll be sharing more about my time at Paisley Park, including travel tips, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and reflections on Prince’s legacy. Stay tuned for more posts coming soon. ✈️📸

And I’ll leave you with this reminder from The Artist himself—bold, timeless, and still ringing true:"If you don’t own your masters, your master owns you."– Prince Rogers Nelson Los Angeles Times, April 22, 2016