Vanity 6

by Alex Henderson
Known for its trashy, pornographic image and its sexually exploitive lyrics, Vanity 6 was a short-lived female vocal trio that came out of Princes funk-rock empire in 1982. Vanity 6 was formed in Princes hometown of Minneapolis, where singer/actress Vanity (whose real name is Denise Matthews) got together with fellow singers Brenda (a native of Boston) and Susan. Backed by the Time, Vanity 6 recorded its self-titled debut album for Warner Bros. in 1982. The single Nasty Girl became a major hit, and like Princes albums, Vanity 6 successfully bridged the gap between R&B/funk and rock/pop/new wave. Vanity 6s first album was also its last; in 1984, Vanity left the group and signed with Motown as a solo artist. Susan and Brenda, meanwhile, hooked up with singer Apollonia (another Prince disciple) and formed a new group called Apollonia 6. That trio recorded a self-titled album for Warner Bros. in 1984 and had a hit with Sex Shooter, which was heard in Princes film Purple Rain. Apollonia 6 also turned out to be a one-album act; in 1985, the group broke up. As a solo artist, Vanity didnt get very far commercially; none of her Motown albums were big sellers. And when she became a born-again Christian in the 1990s, Vanity gave up secular music for good.