Prince Protegé Vanity Reportedly Has Passed Away

Denise Matthews, who many fans came to know and love as Vanity, died tonight (February 15) of kidney failure. She was 57.

Vanity, who fronted the band Vanity 6, was a protegé of Prince before she went solo and took up acting, most notably starring in the ’80s cult classic, “The Last Dragon.” She left the music industry altogether in the ’90s and dealt with drug addiction issues, which resulted in an overdose in 1994. Three years later she received a kidney transplant. She was diagnosed with sclerosis encapsulating peritonitis late last year.

Sheila E., another Prince protegé shared her condolences on Twitter.