Tyka Nelson Releases New Single 'The End of The Road' Inspired by Her Parents & Brother Prince

Recording artist Tyka Nelson, Prince's only full sibling, has written and released a new single entitled "The End of The Road," from the upcoming EP "Enlightened" which was inspired by her parents and brother. The track was recorded at Prince's iconic private estate and production compound, Paisley Park, in Chanhassen, Minnesota and is the first song she has recorded in six years.

"Last year at this time, my brother's passing still wasn't 100% real to me...This year it is...so it's really the first time since his earthly birth, that I don't have him here with me...and my sadness at times is overwhelming. In the song, I'm telling my parents about my feelings and struggles throughout the years, especially since my brother died last year. Prince's earthly departure left me with no full biological family left. Through the lyrics, I also express my thoughts regarding racial inequality and prejudice. Our mom and dad created a masterpiece who they named Prince. He grew into a man who became not only one of the most prolific songwriters of all time, but an entertainer and musician who was like no other," said Tyka.

After Prince built Paisley Park, he offered Tyka the opportunity to record at his studio each time she was developing a new project. "You can come out here and record!" he would tell her. But she always turned him down, stating that she wanted to stand on her own. However, since Prince's passing, Tyka has chosen to honor him and their parents by recording at his beloved home and production studio.

"Prince and my parents are the three most incredible human beings I have ever met. In writing 'The End of The Road,' I share my belief that when the soul separates from the body, we pass on from a temporary existence to an eternal one. After Prince passed, I wanted to give him one final birthday present with this song. I also decided to fulfill his wish and record it at Paisley Park," noted Tyka.

"This song poses the question...'Is this The End of The Road?' and my answer is, 'I don't think so!'" she continued. "I will see all three of my beautiful family members someday again."

The song was written by Tyka, and music by Apollo V. She also created a music video for the song, produced at Paisley Park with the help of several talented and highly-accomplished friends. The video was directed by Sanna Hamri, executive producer of the TV series "Empire" and dozens of videos including Prince's "Musicology." The cinematographer was Afshin Shahidi, who was Prince's cinematographer and photographer for "One Nite Alone" and "Musicology," and camera operator for the film "Kingdom Come." Shahidi is also the father of "Black-ish" star Yara Shahidi. The production assistant was Nicole Acacio, who also worked with Prince, Katy Perry, The Jonas Brothers, Kelly Rowland, Britney Spears and Avril Lavigne as a producer and director.

The video was shot in his hometown of Minneapolis, showcasing landmark places in Prince's life including his childhood home, the First Avenue nightclub and Paisley Park. Additionally, the video stitches together countless memories of his family and friends with home pictures, and imagery of his guitars, iconic sunglasses and piano.

The new single is now available on the following platforms:

Apple Music
Tidal
Amazon
Deezer
Spotify
YouTube
Pandora
SoundCloud

To post a comment, you must register and login.