*Prince’s first wife Mayte Garcia is working on an “intimate memoir” about her marriage to the late music icon.
Hachette Books told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Garcia’s “The Most Beautiful” is scheduled for release in April 2017. The title is taken from Prince’s 1994 classic ballad “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World,” which Garcia inspired.
Prince, who died in April, married the actress, singer and dancer on Valentine’s Day 1996 and were soon expecting a child. But the baby died just a week after his birth and Garcia lost another child after suffering a miscarriage.
The losses proved to put too much strain on the relationship: Prince and Garcia had their marriage annulled in 1999 and were divorced in 2000.
In a statement, Garcia says, “For many years, people have encouraged me to share my story,” and described her relationship with the late music legend as “a rare, almost otherwordly connection.” She says memoir will feature both “the highs and lows – always coming from a loving place, as this man is still a part of my family and always will be.”
Garcia first came to the attention of Prince in 1990, when her mother, Nelle, submitted a video cassette of Garcia’s performance. Prince met her during the same year while on tour in Germany, and eventually she was hired to dance on his Diamonds and Pearls Tour.
She became the focus of his next album, Love Symbol, and she assumed the guise of an Egyptian princess for the concept album and the “3 Chains o’ Gold” video compilation.
Garcia was in The New Power Generation from late 1991 to 1996. Afterwards, she remained an associate of the NPG.
In 1995, Prince produced an album for her, titled “Child of the Sun,” for a European release on his NPG Records label. This album was noted for the single “If I Love U 2 Nite.”
In 1997, she was the artistic director of the New Power Generation Dance Company on their “Around the World in a Day” tour. But, due to lack of funds, the initiative did not succeed.
She also directed the music videos for “The One” for Prince and for other artists like Chaka Khan and Graham Central Station. All three collaborated in 1997–1998.
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