My brief association with Denise Matthews AKA Vanity

Prince and Vanity

Today I went to the library for the first time since it reopened due to COVID. I checked out the book "Prince the Beautiful Ones" by Dan Piepenbring. When I read where the author mentioned that Prince was distraught at the death of Denise Matthews AKA Vanity it brought back a memory. Vanity was the lead singer of the girl group Vanity 6 until shortly before the movie PURPLE RAIN was to be shot.

Denise Matthews was not Vanity

Denise left fame behind to celebrate her Christian faith and Appolonia was hired for the film PURPLE RAIN. Denise Matthews was Vanity's real name and she was my Facebook friend. From time to time I checked to see what she had to say as she would post proverbs or other religious statements. I noticed many of her other FB friends were always writing on her wall but she never responded.

She did post often to list the jewelry that she was selling and one day she wrote on her wall that the funds from the jewelry were to help her with medical expenses. I pondered that someone who had been world-famous, and dated Prince was now hawking their wares on social media. I realized that she must have fallen on hard times and decided to make a purchase to help her out. This was the week after Thanksgiving in 2015.

I had been seeing Denise on Christian televisions like TBN sharing her story and heard her say how she no longer liked the name Vanity. One day when my husband did an internet broadcast he played the song Nasty Girl by Vanity 6 and I realized that the name and the music were out there no matter how much Ms. Matthews desired to leave it all behind. After a few weeks of looking over the jewelry that she posted on her Facebook page, I decided to make a purchase.

A Different World

I chose a matching necklace and bracelet and called the phone number listed and Denise herself answered. She took my order and thanked me and asked me to let her know when it arrived. Over the phone, she sounded like any other woman in her 50s but I'm thinking to myself that I am conversating with someone who dated Prince and hung out with Morris Day and the Time. What different worlds we had traveled in and yet here we were.

The jewelry did not arrive in the estimated time frame so I called Matthews to find out what may have happened. I was surprised when her tone changed and she became defensive and somewhat hostile. I thought perhaps her health issues were making her cranky or that she had dealt with other customers who had complaints. I waited about 10 more days before the jewelry arrived just before Christmas.

Paypal had sent my purchase to an old address they had on file although I had changed my address several times. I called Denise and she was happy that my package had finally shown up. She told me she was raising money to pay for kidney dialysis and I recalled her saying on television that she had abused cocaine and now had multiple health issues including being on dialysis. Although she had been clean for years, her prior lifestyle was now taking a toll.

Vanity 6 life caught up with Denise Matthews

.When she found out we shared the same faith she asked me to call her any time I needed prayer and I thanked her. I later tried to wrap my head around the fact that this woman who had been an icon and traveled the world, meeting famous celebrities was offering to pray for me.

Denise called me once more near the end of January 2016 to find out if I needed additional jewelry or other items that were listed on her Facebook page. I said I would let her know if I did but I had no intention of doing business with her again.

Money down the drain

I had decided not to purchase anything else from Denise Matthews as the $100.00 I had already spent had been in vain. Both the necklace and bracelet fell apart within a month but I did not bother to call and ask for a refund. I decided my money would be a donation so that she could continue dialysis and obtain the kidney transplant she told me she was waiting for and I never spoke to her again.

A new perspective

A few weeks later on February 15, 2016, the news came that Denise Matthews AKA Vanity had died from renal failure at age 57. I was sorry to hear that she was gone but I am thankful for my brief association with her. I am sorry the jewelry did not last because I would have had it as a memento. I also learned a valuable lesson.

Today, March 31, 2023, as I update this article I know people who name-drop famous people they worked with or went to school with as if it somehow enhances their lives. My brief association with Matthews revealed that celebrities have issues and they get sick and die just like regular folk. It kind of takes the shine away from the image. I spoke with Denise and never got to know Vanity and realized she was just a regular person like the rest of us. An Internet search revealed that articles about Denise Matthews stopped in 2016 after her death. There is one dated August 2022 celebrating 40 years of Vanity 6 but it's not on a secure site so I did not read it.