Ida Nielsen Funk Goddess

IN THE MERE BLINK OF AN EYE, IDA NIELSEN went from being an aspiring bass player in her small town in Denmark to touring the globe as Prince’s sidewoman, gaining command of over 300 songs from his exhaustive catalogue and communicating them to massive crowds. Along the way, Nielsen absorbed countless music and life lessons while fine-tuning her aggressively precise slap and fingerstyle techniques, ultimately finding her musical voice under the guidance of one of the greatest innovators in the history of music.

- Jon D'Auria

Following her six-year stint with the Purple One, Nielsen set out to create an album that would convey her big personality and deep musical aura. Perhaps not so coincidentally, she opted to sing and play all of the instruments herself. The result is Turnitup, a 14-track funk joyride with high-spirited vibes and enough bass magic to make low-enders repeatedly hit rewind, while also doubling as a party-anthem playlist for non-musicians. Her old-school funk meets new-school soul style gives a tip of her cap to her departed mentor, who would, without hesitation, give this disc his stamp of approval.

Tell me about the writing process of Turnitup.