Prince Enjoyed Sharing His Room Filled With Fan Letters

Prince was known for proudly sharing his room filled with fan mail after his rise to fame.

The Purple Rain artist’s deep appreciation for his fans has come to light through a collection of conversations with those closest to him, including family, friends and collaborators, ahead of the 10th anniversary of his passing.

Prince died on 21 April, 2016, at the age of 57, after he was found unresponsive inside an elevator at his Paisley Park estate in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

His passing was later determined to be an accidental fentanyl overdose, a highly potent synthetic opioid.

As part of a series of interviews reflecting on his sudden loss,

his cousin Charles ‘Chazz’ Smith, who was also the original drummer for Grand Central, shared with The Guardian: “When he first became famous, he couldn’t believe that girls would travel from places like Detroit just to wait outside his home, but he was always excited to show me the room where he kept all his fan mail.

“I feel proud of everything he achieved, but at the same time, I feel a sense of sadness because if he had lived a more ordinary life, he might still be with us. What if he didn’t have to carry so much from the very beginning, or battle the record industry just to stay true to himself?”

Chazz also spoke about the struggles Prince carried: “Between the long hours in the studio and his performances, he constantly pushed himself to the edge, and losing a child is something you never fully recover from. Amiir Nelson, who Prince had with his first wife Mayte Garcia, passed away from Pfeiffer syndrome type 2 at just six days old.

“He carried so much weight for years. People will continue to celebrate his achievements, but there was also a lot of pain behind it all.”

Despite Prince’s well known reputation with women, singer Mica Paris, 56, shared her own experience with The Guardian: “He never once tried anything with me. I’m not someone who’s promiscuous, but honestly, I would have! He had this incredible presence and was undeniably attractive.”

Owen Husney, 78, Prince’s first manager, also reflected: “He was actually quite reserved and felt more at ease performing in front of thousands than being in a small group. My role was to help bring his vision to life.

“I remember us having a serious discussion about the word ‘controversy’.

“Some of his early lyrics and fashion choices were bold, but he had the talent to support it. He explored themes of sexuality and gender, connected with people’s struggles and made them feel understood.

“I’ve had people tell me his music helped them through some of their darkest moments. While he presented as heterosexual, he was very connected to his feminine side. In private, he loved to joke around.

“One time in LA, he bought a fake hand, stuck it in a bus door as it was pulling away and shouted, ‘My hand! My hand!’

“Fans never really saw that side of him because, even before he became famous, he didn’t want to be seen doing everyday things.

“He always had a clear vision of where he was headed and stayed focused on that path.”