Denise Katherine Matthews (later known as Vanity) was born on January 4, 1959, in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Her parents were Helga Senyk and Levia James Matthews. Her mother was of Polish-Jewish (German-Polish Jewish) background and her father was African American.
Vanity grew up in Niagara Falls and was reportedly one of three sisters, indicating she had at least two siblings. Her childhood environment was reportedly difficult. Her parents divorced while she was young and she later spoke of having suffered abuse from her father.
As a teenager, Matthews became interested in modeling and beauty contests. In 1977 she won the Miss Niagara Hospitality pageant and later entered the national Miss Canada competition.
These local pageants were held in the Niagara region of Ontario. This participation in pageants formed part of her early youth before she moved on to modeling and entertainment.
| Key Fact | Verified Information |
|---|---|
| Full Birth Name | Denise Katherine Matthews |
| Stage Name | Vanity |
| Date of Birth | January 4, 1959 |
| Place of Birth | Niagara Falls, Ontario |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Ethnic Background | Polish-Jewish and African American |
| Profession | Singer, actress, model |
| Known For | Lead singer of Vanity 6 |
| Major Hit | “Nasty Girl” (1982) |
| Record Labels | Motown, Warner Bros. |
| Film Appearances | The Last Dragon, Action Jackson |
| Career Shift | Left entertainment in 1990s |
| Health Issues | Kidney failure (1990s) |
| Date of Death | February 15, 2016 |
| Net Worth | No verified public figure |
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Career Overview
Denise Katherine Matthews (stage name Vanity) was a Canadian singer, songwriter, dancer, model, and actress whose entertainment career peaked in the 1980s.
A former beauty-pageant winner and model, she became best known as the lead singer of the Prince‐created girl group Vanity 6, whose 1982 single “Nasty Girl” became a dance‐club hit.
She left the group in 1983 to pursue a solo recording career. Over her career she released multiple albums on major labels (with Motown and Warner) and also acted in several feature films in the late 1980s.
In the mid‐1990s, Vanity dramatically changed course: after a serious drug‐related illness in 1994 she became a born‐again Christian, renounced the Vanity persona, and devoted herself to evangelical ministry. In total, her work spanned pop music, modeling, and film, ending with a second career in religious ministry.
Early Career and Entry into the Entertainment Industry
Matthews began in the late 1970s as a beauty-pageant contestant and fashion model in Niagara Falls, Ontario. She won local pageants (including the 1977 Miss Niagara Hospitality title) and moved to New York City to advance her modeling career.
In 1980 she was introduced to Minneapolis musician Prince at the American Music Awards. Prince was immediately taken with her look and potential; he gave her the stage name “Vanity” and persuaded her to relocate to Minneapolis to front a new female vocal group he was assembling.
This chance meeting launched her professional music career. Prince handled her makeover and costume styling, setting the stage for her public image as an edgy pop star.
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Career Breakthrough and Rise to Fame in the 1980s
As the lead singer of Vanity 6, Matthews rose to international fame. Vanity 6’s debut single, “Nasty Girl” (1982), was a provocative dance‐pop song written and produced by Prince.
The sultry single became an instant club favorite, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Dance chart and helping the album Vanity 6 go gold. Canadian press later noted that through her association with Prince and fronting this group she “rocketed to stardom” in the early ’80s.
Vanity 6’s onstage persona was deliberately scandalous: the group famously performed in coordinated lingerie outfits, a concept credited to Prince.
This bold image, combined with the hit single, solidified Vanity’s fame. By 1983, after two years with Vanity 6, Matthews left the group and signed a solo recording contract with Motown Records.
Music, Film and Modeling Career Achievements
In 1984 Matthews debuted as a solo artist. She released two Motown albums, Wild Animal (1984) and Skin on Skin (1986). These albums featured funk and rock‐influenced tracks and spawned minor club hits (e.g. “Pretty Mess”). Overall, Vanity issued several albums under major labels during the 1980s.
In parallel with her music, Matthews expanded into film. Her first major role was as the femme-fatale singer Laura Charles in the martial-arts movie The Last Dragon (1985).
She went on to appear in action and thriller films such as 52 Pick-Up (1986) and Action Jackson (1988). (She was even offered a leading role in Purple Rain but declined it: that part ultimately went to Apollonia Kotero.)
In addition to music and film, Vanity continued occasional modeling: her striking look kept her in magazine fashion spreads and entertainment media throughout the decade.
Over time she released a total of four albums under Motown and Warner labels, blending her musical and acting careers into a high-profile 1980s portfolio.
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Public Image and Cultural Influence
Throughout the 1980s Vanity cultivated an image as a daring, sex-symbol pop star. She was known for her “sultry appearance” and risque style. Vogue later called her the decade’s “’80s bombshell” and noted her “lingerie-inspired onstage costumes,” which underscored her provocative persona.
Vanity’s performance wardrobe, often minimal, lacey ensembles with tights and garter belts became as iconic as her music for capturing the flashy, boundary-pushing aesthetic of early MTV-era pop. Her hit song “Nasty Girl” has endured as a classic 1980s dance anthem, emblematic of her influence on pop and R&B trends.
In fashion and music circles, Vanity 6 is remembered for challenging norms and influencing later pop provocateurs; Prince’s concept of a girls-group in lingerie inspired future acts to embrace bold sexuality.
Overall, Vanity’s combination of look, attitude and hit singles made her a cultural touchstone of 1980s pop; she was frequently cited by fans and media as Prince’s muse and as a defining image of that era.
Career Transformation: Leaving Entertainment and Becoming an Evangelist
In the early 1990s, Vanity’s career took a dramatic turn. Years of substance abuse led to serious health crises: in 1992 she suffered kidney failure due to drug use.
After a near-fatal overdose in 1994, Matthews survived but faced another bout of kidney failure. This experience prompted her to renounce her stage persona.
She became a born-again Christian, changed her name back to Denise, and left the entertainment industry. She abandoned the Vanity gimmick and announced that she would devote her life to Christian ministry.
Matthews chronicled this transformation in her 1999 memoir Blame It On Vanity. Reflecting on the change, she said, “When I was Vanity, it was all about me… but when I’m preaching the word of God, it’s Jesus Christ speaking through me”.
In subsequent years she worked as an evangelist and minister in California, focusing on faith-based speaking and outreach.
This marked a complete career reinvention: from pop star and actress to religious leader, her later work was centered on pastoral responsibilities and personal testimony rather than entertainment.
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Legacy and Lasting Impact After Her Death
Denise “Vanity” Matthews died in 2016, but her legacy in entertainment endures. Colleagues and observers remember her as a talented performer who epitomized 1980s pop culture.
In the wake of her passing, Prince, her original mentor publicly honored her memory, dedicating songs in her honor and remarking that “She loved me for the artist I was; I loved her for the artist she was trying to be”.
Berry Gordy, who produced The Last Dragon, praised her as “a talented natural beauty, inside and out”. These tributes underscore the positive impact of her work and spirit.
Musically, her contributions live on: “Nasty Girl” remains a dance classic and Vanity 6 is cited in retrospectives on Prince’s era. As a cultural figure, Vanity continues to be recognized for her bold fashion and role in pushing pop music’s boundaries.
In the Christian community, her story is often mentioned as an example of redemption. Overall, Vanity’s career is remembered for its high-energy achievements in music and film, as well as for her remarkable personal turnaround elements that together have given her a lasting place in pop-culture history.
How much was Vanity Singer worth when she died?
At the time of death, no reliable public estimate of Denise Matthews’s net worth had been published. Matthews earned income from her entertainment career: she was lead singer of the 1980s pop trio Vanity 6 and later a solo recording artist with Motown Records, and she also modeled (in Playboy magazine and TV commercials) and acted in films (such as Never Too Young to Die and Action Jackson).
Major financial outlets such as Forbes and Bloomberg did not report any figure for Matthews, so any net-worth values found online remain unverified estimates, leaving her actual net worth unknown.
