Prince (August 25, 2014) – “Clouds” Digital (Worldwide)
- GlamSlamEscape
- Aug 25, 2014
- 2 min read
Clouds was released on 25 August 2014 as a promotional download to coincide with the announcement of Art Official Age and Plectrumelectrum.
The track served as an early preview of Prince’s 37th studio album, arriving five weeks before the album’s official release.
The digital single appeared alongside Breakdown, which had previously been issued as a standalone release.
A European promo CD of Clouds was also circulated the week before the album, marking one of the earliest physical promotional items connected to the Art Official Age campaign.
RECORDING
While exact recording dates are not known, basic tracking is believed to have taken place during Spring or Summer 2014 at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
British folk/soul singer Lianne La Havas contributed vocals to the track. In an interview from late February 2014, she stated she had not yet recorded with Prince, suggesting her parts were added later.
A short excerpt of Clouds was played over the PA system prior to a live show at Paisley Park on 26 July 2014, alongside snippets from other Art Official Age tracks.
Joshua Welton later remixed Clouds in 2014 or early 2015, developing the remix into a distinct track titled Mr. Nelson, which appeared on Hitnrun Phase One.
Artist: Prince
Title: Clouds
Label: NPG Records / Warner Bros. Country: Worldwide
Catalogue: Digital release
Date: August 25, 2014
Format: Digital Single
• Clouds — Promotional pre‑order track from Art Official Age, featuring Prince’s vocals and instrumentation with additional contributions from Lianne La Havas.
RELEASE HISTORY
Released 25 August 2014 as a digital pre‑order download. Issued to coincide with the announcement of Art Official Age and Plectrumelectrum.
Promo CD distributed in Europe one week before the album release.
A snippet premiered at Paisley Park on 26 July 2014.
CONTEMPORARY PRESS ARCHIVE
SOURCES Discogs, 45 World, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts, Prince Vault, Sleeveographia2
All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.
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