Welcome 2 America was recorded by Prince back in 2010 and never released despite a major tour of the same name. Five years after the death of the music legend, the mysterious, provocative and prescient album is released as a Deluxe Edition. In addition to the 12-track studio album, the Deluxe Edition includes the complete, also previously unreleased live concert video of the tour at “The Forum” in Inglewood, LA, in Dolby Atmos on Blu-Ray – fully immersive for reliving the concert evening at home.

The album Welcome 2 America is a powerful creative statement documenting Prince’s concerns, hopes and visions for a changing society, anticipating an era of political division, disinformation and a renewed struggle for racial justice. In the title track, Prince delivers a searing, musical monologue about “golden parachutes,” the superficiality of social media, celebrity culture fueled by reality TV, and monopolies in the music industry, ultimately concluding that America is the “land of the free / home of the slaves.”

Shortly after the completion of the album Welcome 2 America, Prince embarked on a unique tour of the same name that included several performances in various U.S. cities and ended with the historic “21 Nite Stand” at “The Forum” in Inglewood, California, leading to Prince eventually not releasing the full album at all, which led to much speculation among fans about the content and songs, which is now resolved.
The deluxe edition of Welcome 2 America includes the complete studio album on CD and black vinyl (along with a high-resolution digital download), as well as a never-before-released concert from Prince’s April 28, 2011 show at “The Forum,” presented in 1080p HD with stereo, 5.1 surround and Dolby Atmos sound.
All vinyl editions will include music on three sides and a collector’s engraving on the fourth side.

Welcome 2 America features some of Prince’s only studio collaborations with bassist Tal Wilkenfeld, drummer Chris Coleman and GRAMMY-nominated engineer Jason Agel, with additional contributions from New Power Generation vocalists Shelby J., Liv Warfield and Elisa Fiorillo, as well as keyboardist Morris Hayes, whom Prince also recruited to co-produce several tracks on the album.

Das Live-Konzertvideo zeigt Prince bei einem Auftritt mit seiner 2011er-Besetzung der New Power Generation, darunter Shelby J., Liv Warfield, Elisa Fiorillo und Morris Hayes, die zusätzlichen Keyboarder Renato Neto und Cassandra O’Neal, Bassistin Ida Nielsen, Schlagzeuger John Blackwell und die Tänzerinnen Maya und Nandy McClean (The Twinz).
The show includes a guest appearance by current GRAMMY winner Ledisi and consists of an exceptionally unusual set for a Prince performance, with several cover versions, such as Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” and Roxy Music’s “More Than This,” alongside, of course, Prince favorites like “17 Days,” “Controversy,” “1999” and the incomparable “Purple Rain.”

The Deluxe Edition of Welcome 2 America comes with luxurious gold foil packaging designed by GRAMMY-nominated artist Mathieu Bitton and GRAMMY-nominated creative director and Prince collaborator Trevor Guy, complete with a 32-page “12 x12” companion book and embossed vellum envelope containing exclusive Welcome 2 America-era memorabilia (a photographic art print, 23 “x36” poster, setlist replica, ticket, VIP invitation and backstage passes). As a complete package, the Deluxe Edition offers a multi-dimensional and intense look at Prince’s creative genius during his spontaneous, energetic and thought-provoking Welcome 2 America era.