Vanity, the lead singer of 80s girl group Vanity 6, has passed away at 57 according to a report by TMZ. She suffered from a years-long battle with kidney failure and a recent abdominal illness.
Vanity, whose real name is Denise Katrina Matthews, first rose to prominence under the wing of music legend Prince. He discovered the singer and made her the lead singer of Vanity 6, which had a big hit back in the 80s with "Nasty Girl." The song was recently sampled by rappers like Action Bronson and Tech N9ne. She later left the group and embarked on a solo career that included singing and acting in movies like Action Jackson and The Last Dragon.
According to TMZ's report, Matthews later left show business altogether and became a born-again Christian. She suffered for years from kidney failure after overcoming an addiction to crack cocaine in the 90s. Artists and fans took to Twitter tonight to express their condolences.
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