3rdeyegirl

3rdeyegirl was an American all-female band assembled as a backing and collaborative group for Prince (musician) during the early 2010s. The trio became best known for touring and recording with Prince around the release of the album Plectrumelectrum and for their high-profile appearances at venues and festivals associated with contemporary popular music and funk revival scenes. Their work intersected with artists and institutions across genres, bringing attention from publications, promoters, and fellow musicians connected to Paisley Park Studios, Glastonbury Festival, and venues in Los Angeles, London, and Minneapolis.

History

Formed in 2012 in Minneapolis amid renewed activity at Paisley Park Studios, the band was publicly unveiled during Prince-related performances and press events tied to Warner Bros. Records and NPG Records. The group's emergence followed Prince's collaborations with members of The Revolution (band) and The New Power Generation and coincided with tours featuring artists associated with Sheila E. and Morris Day. Their first widely noticed recordings were issued in the context of the 2014 album Plectrumelectrum, released alongside media coverage in outlets that routinely follow careers like those of David Bowie, Madonna, Stevie Wonder, and Chaka Khan. 3rdeyegirl's public timeline included festival appearances, television spots, and studio sessions that linked them to producers and engineers who had worked with acts such as Prince and the Revolution, D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, and Anderson .Paak.

Members

The trio comprised three instrumentalists with prior careers and associations across rock, funk, and soul networks. Guitarist Donna Grantis had credits and collaborations that connected her to artists and institutions like Toronto, Juno Award, and session work alongside musicians who had shared stages with BB King and Carlos Santana. Bassist Ida Kristine Nielsen brought experience from Scandinavian and international scenes, including connections to Copenhagen, Denmark, and collaborations with artists in the European Festival circuit and musicians linked to Rihanna-era production personnel. Drummer Hannah Welton (also known as Hannah Ford) had performed with rhythm-centric acts and participated in projects that intersected with artists such as Stevie Wonder alumni, touring ensembles for Céline Dion-adjacent musicians, and educational programs associated with contemporary percussion pedagogy in cities like Chicago and New York City. Collectively, the members' prior work referenced session rosters, live support slots, and recording credits that connected to labels, studios, and tours associated with Motown Records-era legacies and modern funk revivals.

Musical style and influences

Their sound blended elements from funk, rock, soul, and psychedelic traditions, drawing on lineages exemplified by artists and movements such as Jimi Hendrix, Sly and the Family Stone, Parliament-Funkadelic, James Brown, and Talking Heads. Production choices and live dynamics showed affinities with recordings issued on labels like Warner Bros. Records and historical techniques tied to Stax Records and Atlantic Records sessions. Guitar tones and arrangements evoked comparisons to players like Prince (musician), Nile Rodgers, and Carlos Santana, while basslines and rhythmic phrasing suggested influence from performers connected to Bootsy Collins, Larry Graham, and contemporary acts such as Vulfpeck and The Roots. Their interplay emphasized improvisation and tight ensemble grooves associated with festival sets at Glastonbury Festival, club residencies in Minneapolis, and late-night television slots in markets including Los Angeles and London.

Discography

- Plectrumelectrum (2014) — studio album credited to Prince with the band; released on Warner Bros. Records and NPG Records; included songs that referenced performance practices of Prince and the Revolution and production aesthetics comparable to releases by David Bowie and Stevie Wonder. - Live recordings and bootlegs from 2013–2014 — circulated among collectors and documented performances at venues and festivals associated with Paisley Park Studios, The O2 Arena, and First Avenue in Minneapolis.

Tours and performances

3rdeyegirl toured extensively with Prince on bills that spanned North America and Europe, including headline dates, festival appearances, and television performances tied to markets such as New York City, Los Angeles, London, and Paris. Notable stages and contexts included shows at First Avenue, festival sets comparable to Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival lineups, and collaborative performances at venues and televised events where artists like Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Bruce Springsteen, and Coldplay have also appeared. Their tour activity intersected with promotional cycles for Plectrumelectrum and with performance residencies organized through Paisley Park Studios and major promoters who book arenas and amphitheaters used by acts including U2 and Foo Fighters.

Category:American funk musical groups Category:All-female bands