It’s been a day of heartbreak.
Australia woke to the news this morning that Pop legend, Prince had passed away age 57.
Those that loved and worshipped him took to social media to express their grief after the icon’s sudden death. However, none have put so eloquently as our very own Meshel Laurie.
Laurie took to her Facebook page early this morning and wrote a tribute to her icon.
“Oh God. Every morning I wake up and check my phone to see if there’s been a disaster overnight, and this morning there was. I’m devastated,” Laurie wrote.
“Prince has died. I know it’s stupid to cry over celebrity deaths, and yet I often have, particularly this year. Like David Bowie, Prince’s very presence in the world changed my pre-pubescent perspective of the world and my place in it.”
Laurie, one half of KIIS 101.1 radio duo Matt & Meshel, also spoke this morning of the impact Prince has had on her life.
“Prince is one of the people who free my mind,” Laurie said. “My image of Prince, will always be this black man, standing on stage in black underpants, thigh-high stiletto boots and nothing else and this smile and this mop of curly hair that just said ‘what are you going to do about it?'”
Laurie also noted the Purple Rain singer's death came too soon after fellow Pop legend, David Bowies back in January.
"They [Prince and Bowie] had joy. They strike me as people who woke up every day and said 'I'm joyful, I'm happy to be alive, I'm a creative person. I can be anything I want to be. I can make anything I want to make'," Laurie said.
"The loss of that is just so powerful to me and it's just really painful to me."
Co-host, Matt Tilley, in an attempt to console Laurie said at least the stars left behind a legacy, which is more than most people could say.
Laurie said this was 'the dream'.
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"These are people who have created. And for people who create, there is always something when you die," Laurie said.
"I would love to have some of Prince's beautiful creation and know that, like Prince, we can all be whoever we want to be, whatever we want to be. Don't let anybody tell you you can't. It takes balls to get our there in the world and create yourself and be what you want to be."
Top Comments
I found out about Prince's death at 7am and have been in shock ever since. His songs are the soundtrack of my teenage and young adult years, the years of growing up and understanding more about the world, people and relationships. Like Meshel I remember him as unique - his music, his lyrics, his appearance - all of it was being who he wanted to be, and to hell with the rules. Listening to the radio today brought back so many memories - the songs my mum told me to turn down, the one with the raunchy lyrics she raised her eyebrows at, the ones my husband and I used to sing along to in the car, the concerts we attended together, introducing Prince's music to our kids. What a genius and what a legacy. I still can't believe it.