Denise Katrina Matthews net worth is
$1.5 Million

Denise Katrina Matthews Wiki Biography

Denise Katrina Matthews was born on the 4th January 1959, in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, and was a singer, actress and model. She started her career as a model and, discovered by Prince, became known for having played in the feminine trio Vanity 6 and had modest success as a solo singer and film actress. Debilitated by a life full of excesses, she abandoned the world of entertainment at the end of the 1990s to undertake religious activity as a preacher. She passed away in 2016.

So just how rich was Vanity? It had been estimated by authoritative sources that the overall size of her net worth was as much as $1.5 million, converted to the present day, earned during her 20 year career in the entertainment industry.

Vanity Net Worth $1.5 Million

To begin with, she was raised in Niagara Falls in Canada. Her father James Levia Matthews was African-American, whereas her mother Helga Senyk was Jewish of German-Polish origin. Her childhood was troubled: his father often abused her and her sisters, and her mother had problems with alcohol. Vanity was also a victim of bullying at school for her timid character and mixed ethnicity. Her father died in 1974, when the girl was 15 years old.

Tired of poor living conditions, Vanity moved to Toronto where she undertook modelling. In 1977, she won the competition Miss Niagara Hospitality and participated in the beauty pageant for the title of Miss Canada the following year. Later, she moved to New York but her modelling career was limited to the fields of advertising and photo shoots. She appeared on the covers of two albums: “Alligator Woman” (1982) and “She’s Strange” (1984) by Cameo, and in 1985 and in 1988 she posed for the magazine Playboy, all contributing to her net worth.

In 1980, she met Prince at the American Music Awards, which gave a boost to his career. Vanity became the singer of the project Vanity 6 , a female trio created and produced by Prince. The group was known for its explicit sexual themes, but created just one self-titled album in 1982. The first single was called “Nasty Girl” (1982), and was featured in the film “Beverly Hills Cop” by Martin Brest. After leaving Vanity 6 she recorded two solo albums: “Wild Animal” (1984) and “Skin on Skin” (1986), under the label of Motown Records. The first contains the song “Strap On ‘Robbie Baby”, which was criticized for its explicit content and in 1985 it was listed as Filthy Fifteen, in which the fifteen most outrageous songs were listed.

As an actress, Vanity starred in such films as “The Last Dragon” (1985) by Michael Schultz and “Action Jackson” (1988) by Craig R. Baxley. In the late 1980s, the appearances of Vanity became more sporadic, essentially small parts in several television series such as “Miami Vice”, “Highlander”, “Booker” and “Friday the 13th”.

Because of an overdose of crack, in 1994 Vanity was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles in very serious condition. After she was discharged, she began to pursue a spiritual path, and became a born-again Christian. The artist claimed to have received a visit from Jesus who promised to save her from death if she abandoned the character of Vanity. In the late 1990s, Vanity definitely left the world of show business and became a preacher, giving speeches in churches around the USA. In 2010 she published an autobiographical book entitled “Blame It On Vanity”.

Finally, in the personal life of Vanity, she had partners Prince (1980 – 1983) and Nikki Sixx (1983 – 1986), and was married to Anthony Smith from 1995 to 1996. She died from kidney failure at the age of 57 on the 15th February 2016 in Fremont, California. Her remains were cremated and the ashes scattered off the Hawaiian Islands.


Full NameVanity
Net Worth$1.5 Million
Date Of BirthJanuary 4, 1959 Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
DiedFebruary 15, 2016, Fremont, California, United States
ProfessionSinger, songwriter, dancer, actress, model, evangelist
NationalityCanadian
SpouseAnthony Smith (m. 1995-1996)
ParentsJames Levia Matthews, Helga Senyk
SiblingsPatricia Matthews
PartnerPrince (1980 – 1983), Nikki Sixx (1983 – 1986)
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/6vanity/
Twitterhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/vanity6?lang=en
Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/vanity6/
IMDBwww.imdb.com/name/nm0889152
Allmusicwww.allmusic.com/artist/vanity-mn0001178498
Record LabelsMotown Records, A&M, Geffen, Warner Bros.
Albums“Vanity 6” (1982), “Wild Animal” (1984), “Skin on Skin” (1986)
Music GroupsTrio "Vanity 6"
NominationsMiss Niagara Hospitality (compitition, 1977)
Movies“The Last Dragon” (1985), “Action Jackson” (1988), “52 Pick-Up” (1986), “Never Too Young to Die” (1986), “Tanya's Island” (1980), “Da Vinci's War” (1993)
TV Shows“Miami Vice”, “Highlander”, “Booker”, “Friday the 13th”, “MusicmanDain” (2013)
#Quote
1[interview, 1995] When I came to the Lord Jesus Christ, I threw out about 1,000 tapes of mine--every interview, every tape, every video. Everything.
#Fact
1Upon her death, she was cremated and her ashes were scattered off into coast of Hawaii.
2Died approximately 67 days before the death of her longtime mentor and former boyfriend Prince.
3Heavily involved in Christian Ministry as an Evangelist. [2004]
4Hired as Director of Public Relations for Genesis Technology Group. ("Inside Lines" column, Computerworld) [1996]
5Was once engaged to Nikki Sixx.
6As a singer has performed under the name D.D. Winters in Canada, Denise Matthews in Los Angeles, and Denise Sonic in Tokyo.
7An ex-model, she is the sister of model Patricia Matthews.
8Also a singer and surrealist painter.
9Was supposed to play the female lead opposite Prince in Purple Rain (1984).
10Prince originally wanted her stage/band name to be "Vagina" but she refused and they settled upon "Vanity."
11After leaving Hollywood she dedicated most of her life to her church.
12Daughter of a German mother, Helga Senyk, and an African-American father, James Levia Matthews.
13She was Prince's protégé and was in the band "Vanity 6" in which she played a hooker on stage (the band was originally named "Hookers").

Actress

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Kiss of Death1997Blair
South Beach1993Jennifer Derringer
Da Vinci's War1993Lupe
Counterstrike1993TV SeriesSandra
Highlander1992TV SeriesRebecca Lord
Lady Boss1992TV MovieMary Lou Morley
Silk Stalkings1992TV SeriesChantel
Neon City1991Reno
Sweating Bullets1991TV SeriesMaria
Tales from the Crypt1991TV SeriesKathrine
Memories of Murder1990TV MovieCarmen
Booker1989TV SeriesTina Maxwell
Friday the 13th: The Series1989TV SeriesAngelica
T and T1988TV SeriesK.C. Morgan
Action Jackson1988Sydney Ash
Deadly Illusion1987Rina
The New Mike Hammer1987TV SeriesHolly
Miami Vice1987TV SeriesAli Ferrand
52 Pick-Up1986Doreen
Never Too Young to Die1986Danja Deering
The Last Dragon1985Laura Charles
Tanya's Island1980Tanya (as D.D. Winters)
Terror Train1980Merry (as D.D. Winters)
Klondike Fever1980uncredited

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Action Jackson1988performer: "FARAWAY EYES", "UNDRESS", "SHOTGUN" / writer: "UNDRESS"
The Last Dragon1985performer: "7th Heaven" / writer: "7th Heaven"
Beverly Hills Cop1984writer: "Nasty Girl"
Private School1983writer: "Nasty Girl"

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
VH-1 Where Are They Now?2002TV Series documentaryHerself
The 5th Annual Soul Train Music Awards1991TV SpecialHerself - Presenter
Ebony/Jet Showcase1985-1988TV SeriesHerself
Soul Train1983-1988TV Series documentaryHerself / Herself - Guest / Guest
Fantastico 81987-1988TV SeriesHerself
D.C. Follies1987TV SeriesHerself
The Late Show1986TV SeriesHerself
The Noel Edmonds Late Late Breakfast Show1986TV SeriesHerself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1985-1986TV SeriesHerself / Herself - Guest
New American Bandstand 19651986TV SeriesHerself
The 12th Annual American Music Awards1985TV SpecialHerself
The Motown Revue Starring Smokey Robinson1985TV SeriesHerself

Archive Footage

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1989Razzie AwardRazzie AwardsWorst ActressAction Jackson (1988)
1987Saturn AwardAcademy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USABest Supporting Actress52 Pick-Up (1986)
1986Razzie AwardRazzie AwardsWorst Original SongThe Last Dragon (1985)

Known for movies


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