Tal Wilkenfeld reveals her history working with music icon Prince and his album Welcome 2 America

Australian musician Tal Wilkenfeld reveals what it was REALLY like working with music icon Prince on his ‘secret’ album Welcome 2 America when she was just 22-years-old

Tal Wilkenfeld has shared how she worked with Prince on his secret album, that’s only now being released to the public.

The immensely talented Aussie singer and bassist recorded Welcome 2 America with the music icon back in 2010 before they had planned to go on tour, reports The Daily Telegraph

Tal, who was 22 at the time, was in high demand since moving from Sydney to LA at the age of 16, working with the likes of Mick Jagger and Jeff Beck.

Music gun: Talented Australian bass player Tal Wilkenfeld, 34, (pictured) has revealed what it was like working with music icon Prince on his latest album Welcome 2 America

The now 34-year-old artist recalled when Prince first discovered her in 2008 from videos on YouTube.

‘The first time he called me was in 2008 and his first question to me was ‘Do you like the drumrolls of Jack de Johnette?’ And we became fast friends, he was spending a lot of time in L.A. and I went over to his place a lot that year,’ she says. 

Tal admits that Prince would call her out of the blue and take her on trips in his limo where he would play a ‘range of music and ask for her analysis on the bass parts and how she would play them.’ 

Discovery: Tal recalls that Prince first discovered her in 2008 from YouTube and became 'fast friends'. Prince is pictured

Discovery: Tal recalls that Prince first discovered her in 2008 from YouTube and became ‘fast friends’. Prince is pictured 

In 2009, the duo played music together at a studio in Los Angeles for three straight days.  

In March 2010, she travelled with Prince to Paisley Park and began to improvise and play chords on instruction from the pop star.

‘I just made everything up; he gave me no direction about what to play beyond a chord here or there. It was just do your thing,’ Tal explained. 

‘I never heard the lyrics, never knew what the songs were about, never heard the melody. It was like we had to be psychic when we were playing,’ she said. 

'It was just do you thing': In March 2010, she travelled with Prince to Paisley Park and began to improvise and play chords on instruction from the pop star

‘It was just do you thing’: In March 2010, she travelled with Prince to Paisley Park and began to improvise and play chords on instruction from the pop star

The result of this work culminated in Welcome 2 America – Prince’s latest album and first posthumous release with previously unreleased music. 

It is unknown why the album was shelved for 11 years. At the time, Prince had recently released an album and was going on a two-year ‘Welcome 2 America’ tour. 

Tal was invited to go on that tour, but she had to decline as she had booked gigs with Beck and Herbie Hancock. It was the last time she saw the music icon alive. 

Welcome 2 America will be available from July 30.  

Icon: The result of this work culminated in Welcome 2 America - Prince's latest album and first posthumous release with previously unreleased music

Icon: The result of this work culminated in Welcome 2 America – Prince’s latest album and first posthumous release with previously unreleased music

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