Read Prince’s 1994 message of support for George Michael

In a 1994 magazine interview with Q Magazine, Prince addressed the subject of George Michael’s ongoing court case with “astonishing regularity and persistence”.

Michael was fighting a case against Sony, in a bid to be freed from his longstanding recording contract. In the 1980’s, Michael referred to his situation as “professional slavery”.

Prince references the case in the 1994 interview, showing his support for Michael’s bid for freedom before revealing that the pair speak. Read the excerpt below.

He mentions George Michael’s court case for the first time. It’s a subject he’ll return to with astonishing regularity and persistence. At one point, he almost shouts, “Why can’t George Michael do what he wants? Why can’t he write a ballet if he wants to?” What he is talking about is artistic freedom and its place in the future. By the end of the rant, and it is a rant, I suggest that he should get in touch with George Michael as he might find such supportive words encouraging. “Oh,” he says breezily. “We speak.”

The full interview with Prince has been archived via the prince.org fan forum. Read more tributes and memories about George Michael from peers and admirers here.