Singer, actress Denise Matthews, known as Vanity, dies
A note on a gofundme page in Matthews’ name describes a battle with multiple health issues.
A native of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Matthews first rocketed to stardom through her association with Prince and the 80s girl group Vanity 6. Vanity 6’s Prince-composed 1982 single, the funky, synthy “Nasty Girl”, reached the top spot of Billboard’s dance chart and the Top 10 of the R&B chart. She went on to release two albums as a solo artist on Motown, “Wild Animal” and “Skin on Skin”. Matthews also acted, most notably in the cult martial arts film Berry Gordy’s The Last Dragon, and the 1988 Carl Weathers actioner Action Jackson. She had struggled for years with kidney-related health problems, Renay Matthews says.
After that, Matthews got sober and became a born-again Christian, renouncing her Vanity persona and dedicating the rest of her life to her religion. It was only a year ago that she was interviewed by Rolling Stone, reflecting on her past behaviour.
Matthews turned to modelling as a teenager and competed in Miss Canada in 1978.
She became an evangelist and eventually was ordained as a minister, preaching in churches around the country. She detailed her life in her 1999 autobiography, “Blame It On Vanity”.
Ms Matthews launched a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign in September 2014, and told fans she had been diagnosed with sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis – an inflammation of the small intestines. Doctors informed her that she had only 3 days to live at the time. “But when I’m preaching the word of God, it’s Jesus Christ speaking through me”. At the 1980 American Music Awards, she met Prince, who immediately took her under his wing.
The latest reports are claiming that after an encore at the show, Prince returned to the stage where he said, “I am new to this playing alone”.
Matthews’ history with Prince began in the early 1980s when he was looking for backup singers.