Prince

The Rainbow Children

First released2001

The Rainbow Children was recorded primarily at Paisley Park Studios in Minneapolis during 2000-2001, with Prince serving as the primary composer, performer, and producer under his own direction. The album marked Prince's return to a more spiritually-focused sound following his conversion to Jehovah's Witnesses, which significantly influenced the album's lyrical and thematic content. Prince played most of the instruments on the album himself, maintaining creative control over the production with assistance from engineer Susan Rogers and other studio personnel. The recording utilized both analog and digital technology available at Paisley Park, reflecting Prince's ongoing experimentation with production techniques. Released in November 2001 through his NPG Records label, the album represented an independent release strategy that Prince had increasingly adopted during this period of his career.