Vanity (singer)
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 and she starred opposite Carl Weathers, Craig T. Nelson, and Sharon Stone in the 1988 action thriller Action Jackson. She also played a villain torturing Nancy Allen's character in 1990s amnesia-plot TV movie Memories of Murder (the film has appeared on the Lifetime channel). She appeared in an episode of 21 Jump Street in it's fourth season. 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.
Personal life
Matthews was engaged to Mötley Crüe bassist, Nikki Sixx, in the 1980s. 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 recently been rumored to be courting Ian Marvinney, a considerably younger man who some believe is only after her wealth.[citation needed]
Matthews has a German mother and an African-American father.
Vanity's 1984 song "Pretty Mess" was listed among the 40 Most Awesomely Bad Sex Songs on VH1. She was said to sound like a baby and off-key when she sang it.
According to Matthews' offical site, in the past she suffered 250 over 190 high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blood clots to the brain, blindness, deafness, and was diagnosed as having three days to live before she repented and found Jesus.