Prince returns with “With This Tear”, a newly released 1991 recording marking a decade since his passing and opening a larger archive project
by Paul Cashmere
Prince’s archive has delivered a significant new release with “With This Tear”, a previously unheard studio recording from November 1991, officially issued to coincide with the 10th anniversary of his death on April 21. Released via NPG Records in partnership with Legacy Recordings, the track presents Prince performing every element himself, from composition through to final instrumentation, offering a rare, unfiltered snapshot of his early 90s studio process at Paisley Park.
The timing positions the release as more than a standalone track. It serves as the opening instalment of a broader campaign to unveil material from a previously unreleased Prince album project expected later in 2026. For fans and industry observers, the drop underscores the continued cultural and commercial relevance of Prince’s vault, nearly a decade after his death.
Technically, “With This Tear” has been newly mixed and mastered by long-time collaborator Chris James, whose prior work with Prince spans HITnRUN Phase Two, Art Official Age and Plectrumelectrum. The recording itself dates back to a prolific period in Prince’s catalogue, when he was moving between Diamonds And Pearls and Love Symbol Album, often working in isolation and maintaining full creative control. The track is structured as a restrained piano-led ballad, supported by light synthesiser textures and orchestral arrangements originally overseen by Clare Fischer in Los Angeles.
Shortly after completing the song, Prince passed it to Céline Dion, who recorded and released her version on her 1992 self-titled album. Produced by Walter Afanasieff, Dion’s recording reframed the composition into a more expansive adult contemporary format, becoming one of the most critically regarded performances of her early career. Prince’s original, by contrast, retains a minimal arrangement built around falsetto vocals and sparse instrumentation, highlighting the compositional core without the later production layers.
The newly released version also arrives with a visual component, pairing the audio with archival footage and still imagery from across Prince’s career. The presentation aligns with current archival strategies in the music industry, where legacy artists’ estates increasingly contextualise unreleased material through multimedia storytelling to engage both long-time audiences and newer listeners.
Historically, “With This Tear” sits within a broader pattern of Prince writing for other artists while simultaneously recording his own versions. The track was initially intended for Jevetta Steele before being redirected to Dion, illustrating Prince’s fluid approach to song placement during that era. Additional versions, including a 2001 recording with the group Milenia, remained unreleased, reinforcing the depth of material still held within the Paisley Park vault.
The release also coincides with the annual A Day 2 Reflect | A Night 2 Remember event at Paisley Park, a commemorative gathering that has become a focal point for fans each April. Activities include guided tours, listening sessions and a candle-lighting ceremony timed to 4:21 p.m., marking the moment associated with Prince’s passing. The anniversary extends into the larger Prince Celebration: 10th Anniversary Celebration of Life in June, where members of The New Power Generation and The Revolution are scheduled to share a stage for the first time, alongside guests including Chaka Khan, Morris Day, Miguel, Bilal and El DeBarge.
From an industry perspective, the release of “With This Tear” reflects a sustained shift toward curated archival rollouts. Estates are increasingly prioritising narrative-driven releases over bulk catalogue dumps, positioning unreleased recordings within defined historical frameworks. In Prince’s case, the approach has been deliberate, balancing commercial interest with the artist’s well-documented emphasis on creative control and presentation.
There remains ongoing debate about posthumous releases, particularly regarding authorial intent and the ethics of unfinished or unreleased material entering the market. However, recordings like “With This Tear”, which were fully realised at the time of creation, tend to attract less contention. The track offers a completed work rather than a fragment, providing insight into Prince’s songwriting and production methods during a key phase of his career.
Looking ahead, “With This Tear” signals the beginning of a structured unveiling of Prince’s archive for 2026. With a full album project already flagged, the release suggests a measured rollout designed to sustain attention across the year. For listeners, it provides both a new entry point and a deeper understanding of a catalogue that continues to expand well beyond its original boundaries.
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