Vanity (performer)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other uses, see Vanity (disambiguation).
Vanity is the most popular stage name used by singer/actress/model Denise Katrina Matthews (born January 4, 1959 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada).
She is sometimes credited as Denise Matthews-Smith or D.D. Winters.
She is a sister of Canadian model Patricia Matthews.
Matthews appeared in B-movies such as Tanya's Island and Terror Train. In 1982 she met Prince who re-named her Vanity (saying he saw his female reflection when he looked at her) and she became the lead singer of singing group, Vanity 6, that same year. Prince produced the group's biggest hit "Nasty Girl". Their trademark was explicit sexuality in their lyrics, performances and attire. After one album, Vanity decided to leave her role in Vanity 6 and the proposed film Purple Rain in 1983. Vanity signed a lucrative record deal with Motown Records in 1984. She recorded two albums Wild Animal and Skin On Skin. She also starred in a handful of movies, including The Last Dragon, Action Jackson, and played a villain torturing Nancy Allen's character in 1990's amnesia-plot TV movie Memories of Murder (the film has appeared on the Lifetime channel). She posed for Playboy in 1988.
After being turned on to cocaine, which nearly killed her and has resulted in kidney failure, Vanity gave up her stage name and became a born-again Christian and evangelist on August 16, 1997. She travels America, and currently resides in California.
In 2005, Vanity 6's "Nasty Girl" was redone in a tribal style by dance performer Inaya Day. Matthews is currently working on finishing her novel Blame it on Vanity.
[edit] Personal life
Matthews was engaged to Mötley Crüe bassist, Nikki Sixx, in the 1980's. She joked during interviews that her new stage name will then be Vanity Sixty Six. They never married.
Matthews was married to pro football player, Anthony Smith, from 26 March 1995 - 1996. They are divorced.
Matthews has a German mother and an African-American father.
