1980’s pop singer Vanity, aka Denise Katrina Matthews passed away on Monday February 15 after a lengthy battle with kidney disease, among other medical issues – at just 57 years old. Vanity was the lead singer of the all girl singing group “Vanity 6” – and was most well known for their 80’s hit “Nasty Girl.” She also went on to star in a few movies, like “Action Jackson” – and then she scored a solo deal in Motown.
Prince actually took Vanity and her group under his wing and produced their single “Nasty Girl” – he also took them on tour with him in the late 1990’s. Vanity (Denise) actually quit the band around the time that they were touring with Prince, according to TMZ she had developed a bit of a drug problem by then.
Denise Matthews’ death wasn’t exactly unexpected, the former pop singer had been undergoing kidney dialysis almost every single day since 1994 overdose. After her drug addiction took a toll on her, Matthews disappeared from the Hollywood scene and became a born-again Christian. She may have gotten her life together, but the physical damage she did during her drug-binges were irreparable.
Among her kidney issues, Matthews had recently set up a GoFund Me page for herself and divulged that she was battling another illness – sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis — an inflammation of the small intestines.
According to an exclusive report from TMZ, Vanity was “ready to go home” and that is what she told her fellow churchgoers on Saturday February 13, just a few days before her death. Apparently, Denise knew that her days were winding down, and she seemed completely at peace with it.
