The Prince estate has officially addressed growing speculation among fans regarding the potential use of artificial intelligence on the newly released album, Timeless. Following the release of tracks such as 'With This Tear' and 'Stone', questions arose concerning the production methods used to complete unfinished material, particularly the song 'Calabama'.
In a statement shared via Instagram, the estate sought to provide clarity on their archival process. They confirmed that while some tracks required posthumous finishing touches, these were executed exclusively by human musicians who had long-standing professional relationships with the late icon. Regarding 'Calabama', the estate explained that they enlisted a group of horn players—Greg Boyer, Adrian Crutchfield, and Lynn Grissett—to overdub a synthesizer track with a horn line that aligned with the artist's original creative intent.
Prince performs on stage in 1993. CREDIT: Frans Schellekens/Redferns/Getty
“Consistent with Prince’s songwriting and production approach on numerous previous recordings, a group of horn players who played with Prince were assembled to overdub Prince’s synthesiser track with the intended horn line,” the statement read. The estate emphasized that all of the artist's original recorded parts remain intact and that no artificial intelligence was utilized in the creation or completion of any music featured on the album.
The estate further clarified that for the majority of the album, no overdubs were used at all. They expressed a commitment to transparency, noting that they intend to provide additional context regarding the release of music from the artist's extensive vault. They maintained that the existence of unfinished recordings should not preclude fans from experiencing the historical depth of the archive.
Concluding their statement, the estate encouraged the community to approach future inquiries with “kindness and respect,” acknowledging that while some fans may object to the completion of unfinished works, others have expressed support for the project. The release of Timeless serves as a significant moment for the community, arriving alongside the 10th anniversary of the artist's passing.