prince
News

Prince Covers Nichole Nordeman Song “What If”

Hear the original and Prince’s version below.

Prince’s cover of Christian singer-songwriter Nichole Nordeman’s What If, one of two new songs he debuted leading up to tonight’s Hit & Run tour launch in Louisville, Ky., has been in the works for years.

Nordeman says she received a call more than five years ago from Prince’s management asking for permission to cover What If, a hit for her on Christian radio in 2005.

“I didn’t hear anything else, so I thought it had just died,” she said.

But a January 2013 Billboard cover story showed Prince hadn’t forgotten the song, stating that he was rehearsing it with 3rdEyeGirl, the female backing trio whose lineup was still solidifying at the time.

“That was a huge honor to me, that he was playing it, even if it wasn’t an official recording,” Nordeman says.

“I think Prince just heard it on the radio one day while he was driving and really liked the song, then brought it to me and the girls and just said, ‘Hey, do you guys like this? Let’s learn it,'” 3rdEyeGirl drummer Hannah Welton said during a radio interview preceding the track’s premiere. “Then he put his touch on it, obviously, and arranged it. Our version is much different than the original version, but just as impactful and meaningful.”

Continue reading.

Original version by Nichole Nordeman:

Prince’s new version:

      Prince3rdEyeGirlWhatIf.mp3

 

 

Share this article:
Don Chapman Worshipideas
Don Chapman

A prolific arranger and songwriter, Don has had songs published by Word, Integrity Music, G3worship and Worship Today, and has orchestrated music for several Christian artists. He serves as the arranger for Hymncharts.com and Worshiphymns.com. He’s been featured on the 700 Club, has been quoted in USAToday and has been a guest lecturer at Liberty University.

You Might Also Like

Seacoast
Articles

The Next Big Thing

What would happen if Rick Warren started a church in your town? Would it suck the life out of other…
Seacoast
Articles

The Next Big Thing Part 2

Last week we talked about the new multi-site church movement that’s happening all over the country, and specifically about Seacoast…

worshipideas:

Essential reading for worship leaders since 2002.

 

Get the latest worship news, ideas and a list

of the top CCLI songs delivered every Tuesday... for FREE!