New Prince EP may not be heard by fans after singer's estate files lawsuit against producer Ian Boxill

Deliverance was set for physical release on 2 June and was already available for pre-order on streaming sites

Prince fans may not hear the new EP after all (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

A new Prince EP intended as a "surprise" for fans on the year anniversary of his death may not be heard after all, as his estate has filed a lawsuit against the man behind its release.

Deliverance, featuring six never-before-heard songs from the late artist, was set to be released on 21 April, with the title track available to stream via Apple Music.

It was co-written and co-produced with Prince's regular collaborator Ian Boxill between 2006 and 2008 - he completed and mixed the songs after Prince's death.

The EP was set to be released via Vancouver-based indie label RMA, with Boxill saying in a statement that it was "what Prince would have wanted".

However Prince's estate and Paisley Park have since filed a lawsuit seeking to block the EP's release, accusing Boxill of "trying to exploit one or more songs for his personal gain at expense of the Prince estate".

According to TMZ, the lawsuit argues that Boxill signed a confidentiality agreement with Prince that stated all music they worked on together would "remain Prince's sole and exclusive property".

It is also claimed that he agreed he would "not use any recordings or property in any way whatsoever" and "would return any such recordings or property to Prince immediately upon request".

The suit aims to see Boxill return "any and all masters, copies and reproductions".

Since the suit was filed the EP seems to have been pulled, and is no longer on any streaming sites.

It was set for a physical release on 2 June.