Prince (February 8, 1980) “Critic’s Choice” – The Minneapolis Star

A hometown “Critic’s Choice” preview in The Minneapolis Star by Jon Bream promoting 20-year-old Prince’s upcoming concert at the Orpheum Theater, highlighting his breakthrough hit “I Wanna Be Your Lover,” recent national TV appearances, and upcoming tour with Rick James.

Publication: The Minneapolis Star Date: Friday, February 8, 1980 Country: United States Section / Pages: Critic’s Choice / Entertainment Title: Critic’s Choice

THE STORY

Jon Bream introduces Prince as the 20-year-old Minneapolis musician who composed, performed, and produced two entire albums himself. The piece notes the success of “I Wanna Be Your Lover” (No. 1 on the soul charts), his appearances on “American Bandstand” and “The Midnight Special,” and his distinctive falsetto and outrageous outfits. It invites readers to see him live at the Orpheum Theater on Saturday at 8 p.m. before he embarks on a national tour with Rick James.

CONTEXT AND NOTES

This early preview captures Prince at the beginning of his national breakthrough following the success of his second album Prince (1979) and the hit single “I Wanna Be Your Lover.” It reflects strong local support and curiosity about the young artist who was already generating buzz beyond the Twin Cities

.

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS

Event: Concert preview – Orpheum Theater, Minneapolis

Era: Early Career / Prince album promotion (1980)

Tone: Enthusiastic and welcoming Photography: Black & white close-up portrait of Prince Visual Motifs: Classic newspaper “Critic’s Choice” column layout with prominent photo

WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS

• Early mainstream local coverage of Prince’s rising stardom

• Emphasis on his self-produced talent, falsetto, and visual style

• Announcement of his support slot on Rick James’ tour

• 
  

RELATED MATERIAL

For other relevant posts, see the tags at the foot of the page.

All magazine scans, photographs and original text excerpts remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference.