Can You Make It Rain Harder?
“In 40 years, it’s never rained at a Super Bowl. Don’t worry about it.”
That’s what Don Mischer, the executive producer of the halftime show in 2007, told his team ahead of Super Bowl XLI in Miami.
Naturally, the skies opened up. And it wasn’t just rain, it was a monsoon.
On the morning of the show, Mischer had to call Prince—who was set to play on a slick tile stage in 8-inch heels with four live electric guitars—to warn him about the storm. Prince had just one question:
Can you make it rain harder?
Prince didn't just survive the conditions; he used them as a special effect. When he played "Purple Rain" during the downpour, the lighting technicians blasted the stage, turning the raindrops purple on camera. Half the world thought it was a staged stunt. Little did anyone other than Don Mischer know that Prince did, technically, ask for it.
It makes me think about how we respond when a curveball gets thrown our way. We usually try to shield ourselves or wait for the storm to pass. Prince did the opposite, and it amplified his art.
Sometimes the chaos is where the magic happens if you meet it with open arms. And four electric guitars.