Finally free from years of battle with WB, his label since 1978. TAFKAP has released the 3 CD set EMANCIPATION, shaved the word SLAVE from his jaw, and changed his name again. So, what’s he called now ? According to him its irrelevant. "When the lights go down and the microphone goes on, it doesn’t matter what your name is." Most people, including his new record label EMI, are calling him simply The Artist.
This new freedom seems to have resulted in some of his best music in years, with 'people review' heralding Emancipation as 'an exhilarating, melodically rich tour de force'.
The Artist’s own comment on the album is more simple. "This is what freedom sounds like," he says. The relationship with WB hit difficulties with disagreement over the number of albums released per year, WB wanted one a year, The Artist wanted more.
"The big deal we had together wasn’t working. They are what they are and I am what I am, and eventually i realized that those two systems aren’t going to work together. The deeper you get into that well, the darker it becomes". Negotiating out of a contract that promised advances of $ 10 million per album might sound crazy, but for him it was the only way to gain control of his art. "When i saw the light at the end of the tunnel, I made a beeline for it". His years with WB were by no means wasted, "for 15 years I made a lot of music so I owe them a debt," he says. Although, his debut album For You wasn’t a chart success, the single 'I Wanna Be Your Lover' from his second album 'Prince' (1979), reached number 11 in the US and the top 50 in the UK. The final track on his album was also notable: 'I Feel For You' became a hit five years later for Chaka Khan. His next big seller was 1999 (1982), including the single 'Little Red Corvette' which reached the US top 10. Worldwide success soon followed with the release of Purple Rain (1984), the soundtrack for the movie of the same name in which he also starred.
A degree of success continued with each new album, including Around The World In A Day (1985), Sign O' The Times (1987), and Lovesexy (1988). However, it was the movie Batman that brought The Artist back into the limelight in 1989. He wrote Batdance for the film soundtrack and it became a US number one single. The 1990’s saw a change in The Artist’s output. Many thought him to be virtually on autopilot. Maybe the first signs of his discontent with WB were already starting to show. Chaos And Disorder (1996), a somewhat disappointing album, finally signaled the end of The Artist’s obligations to WB. After leaving WB, he struck a deal with EMI - they distribute his albums under his own label, NPG Records. He is now able to put out as many records as he wants. He has always remained a very private figure, but like everything else in his life, this is changing. The release of Emancipation was surrounded by a high profile promotion campaign organized by the man himself. He jokes: "I’m doing my own commercials, like a used car salesman, so why the change?" "I’ve got a record to sell. I wasn’t selling records, i just made them. I am really out pushing this product and i really do feel it is the best work i have done." It could be said The Artist saved his best works over the years, waiting to escape the restraints of WB. Emancipation, containing an astounding 36 tracks and released soon after his break with WB, certainly backs up this theory.
The Artist has his own theory: "The whole process of this record was different. The difference is that i was a free man and a happy man, and a married man, and a clear man, so all the tracks are clear and happy, and free, and the whole album, you know, is uplifting."
Marriage was another turning point. Last year he married Mayte Garcia, a 23-year-old dancer, on Valentine’s Day. Their romance was not a 'love at first sight' affair. Mayte has worked with The Artist since her teens. "She was my friend and my sister for years, the one person who never showed any malice towards anyone." He says. Mayte inspired the songs 'Let’s Have A Baby' and 'Friend, Lover, Sister, Mother, Wife'. Marriage has altered not only The Artist’s way of life but also his music. "My writing has changed immensely. Its a kind of lot that goes with it (marriage), you start looking for a lot of different things, you start listening to a lot of different things, and you think differently....and more than anything you feel complete, and she has sort of completed my soul, and it really got me focused."
So what’s next for the emancipated artist ? "Not to sound cosmic, but I’ve plans for the next 3.000 years. Before, it was only three days at a time. ".’