Snoh Aalegra recalls random 4am emails from Prince for doughnut dates: ‘It was a crazy time’

Snoh Aalegra was one of the lucky few people who had a close friendship with Prince before his untimely death in 2016.

The Purple Rain legend saw great potential in Snoh and mentored her in the final years of his life before he died four years ago following an accidental fentanyl overdose at his Paisley Park home.

And while the rest of us mere mortals have to enjoy Prince’s legendary character vicariously through celebrity anecdotes, Snoh had the rare privilege of getting to know the singer when she was an unknown singer.

Prince discovered the Swedish musician online and reached out hoping to connect with her in person.

His opening line?

‘I love your voice. I think it’s the future and I really believe in you and I really want to work with you. Can you come here and work in Minneapolis?”’

Recalling her reaction, Snoh told Metro.co.uk: ‘I was like, “Yo, yes!” I couldn’t believe it. I still to this day have to pinch myself.’

Over the next few years, Prince went on to mentor Snoh on her music and the art of performing, developing a close friendship in the process.

‘I have so many Prince stories – he was just very extra,’ Snoh revealed fondly.

Ah, we don’t doubt it.

Highlighting his generosity towards new talent, Snoh said: ‘One time we were in Kentucky because he flew me into one of his shows. And I got to be [beside] the stage watching him up close.

‘Before the show started, he surprised me and played one of my songs for the audience. People didn’t know what it was, this was like two years before he passed. I was brand new and he just played it and they were applauding.’

Prince was very much a night-owl and enjoyed hanging out in the early hours of the morning.

Snoh recalled: ‘After the show, he wanted to go and get doughnuts at 4 am.

‘He didn’t have his phone so he would email me, “He’s like, I’m craving doughnuts. Should we go get doughnuts? I’m like, “Erm, OK!”.

‘And he was wearing his whole stage outfit, you know? He would have a turtleneck, the bootleg cut pants with his diamond covers sceptre and just two bodyguards and there we go.’

Snoh, 32, reveals that she spoke to Prince via text message around three days before his death on 21 April 2016 and had hung out in Los Angeles not long before.

Understandably, she regrets that he’s not around to see the mainstream success she’s enjoying now.

‘Me and him became really, really good friends… I’m really sad that he’s not around anymore. It’s very heartbreaking,’ she said of his sudden passing.

The I Want You Around singer continued: ‘When it comes from my own perspective, obviously I wish he was here to witness how I’ve developed and seen that I’ve really taken in a lot of his aura into my music and stage performance. I’ve really been inspired by him.