Prince wrote a singer an original song. Her performance left 'AGT' judges astounded.
“If Prince and Janis Joplin had a baby = Liv Warfield!”
Prince would be so proud.
When the 2024 Summer Olympics ended, few knew we weren't quite done marveling at elite-level humans at the top of their game. America’s Got Talent returned from its two week hiatus in August 2024 with eleven incredible acts, but it was R&B singer Liv Warfield who stole the show with her rendition of “The Unexpected,” a song that just so happened to be written specifically for her by Prince. No big deal.
Warfield had already wowed audiences with her initial audition, which earned a Golden Buzzer from Simon Cowell. But this next performance had Cowell saying, “If this was the Olympics for singing, you would have won the gold medal.”
Simon Cowell gave Liv Warfield the Golden Buzzer at her initial audition. Giphy GIF by America's Got Talent
Judges Sofia Vergara and Howie Mandel echoed similar praises. Vergara called Warfield’s set “perfection,” while Mandel, a self-proclaimed Prince fan, told Warfield that "The Purple One knew what he was doing when he gave you this gem. That was a million-dollar performance.”
And it’s not hard to see why Warfield got such high remarks. Beyond her unbelievable vocals was her undeniable star power and ability to transport us all back in time to the days of 70s rock n’ roll.
As one viewer put it, “If Prince and Janis Joplin had a baby = Liv Warfield!”
Just watch:
- YouTube www.youtube.com
Warfield’s connection to Prince began in 2009, when she joined his New Power Generation band. Though she noted that “backing up Prince was a dream,” not to mention the fact that she’s already made several chart topping achievements on her own, she still felt like her ultimate potential had yet to be reached, hence her AGT audition. Now, her quarterfinal performance has made Cowell declare another defining moment in her career.
“It felt to me like all those years you’ve been climbing the ladder to where you want to be, it all came out in those three minutes,” he said.
Indeed, what a testament to the power of steadily going after your dreams. Raw talent is great, but even with God-given gifts, there’s still so much work that goes into being ready for big opportunities. Though she didn't win the competition in the end, Warfield is already a winner through and through.
Warfield is continuing on her musical path in her hometown of Chicago and was invited to perform the Star-Spangled Banner at a Chicago Cubs baseball game in May of 2025.
@livwarfield Thank you @cubs for inviting me out to sing. ✨Beautiful Day, Beautiful People,Energy at @cubs game! With my @zinzannichicago Family❤️✨. Although sis, was hiding out like the 🦀 that I am. 😂😂🤘🏾 Love y’all! Yesterday was necessary 🫀. PR Queen @aidanhenri 😘✨🫶🏾 @princenolov3 😘
Her Prince roots are alive and well in her stage performances as she performs in a tribute concert series during the summer of 2025. She also has multiple albums under her belt, beginning with "Embrace Me" in 2006 and continuing through her 2023 album "The Edge."
Warfield has credited Prince with her musical development, telling NPR in 2014:
"He's influenced me first and foremost, as a performer. Just kind of like taking chances first. It took me a while. Like I thought I was a good performer, but when I got part of the New Power Generation, I was like, 'Whoa this is a whole new world for me.' And even in the writing and arranging, and him just teaching me how to really listen to the music. Listen to every instrument, give space, and I wasn't really thinking about those things. I just wanted to hear everything. I thought, 'If everybody plays, it's good.' ... Sometimes it could sound like noise, but he just really kind of developed my ear."
Prince is a legend among musicians. Giphy GIF by Coolidge Corner Theatre
Just more proof that musical legends live on not only in the music they leave behind but in the talent they help nurture and develop.
This article originally appeared last year.