Vanity and Apollonia Kotero were both prominent figures in the entertainment industry in the 1980s, and their careers intersected in several ways. However, the question of who came first is a bit more complicated than it might seem at first glance.
Denise Katrina Matthews, better known as Vanity, was born on January 4, 1959, in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. She began her career in the late 1970s as a model and actress, appearing in films such as “Tanya’s Island” and “52 Pick-Up.” In 1980, she joined the group Vanity 6, which was created by Prince. Vanity 6 released their self-titled debut album in 1982, which included the hit single “Nasty Girl.”
Apollonia Kotero, on the other hand, was born Patricia Kotero on August 2, 1959, in Santa Monica, California. She began her career in the entertainment industry as a beauty pageant contestant, winning the Miss San Pedro beauty contest in 1978. She then went on to work as a model and actress, appearing in television shows such as “Fantasy Island” and “The Love Boat.” In 1983, she was chosen by Prince to replace Vanity in the group Vanity 6. She was then given the name Apollonia and the group was renamed Apollonia 6.
So, in terms of chronology, Vanity was the first to join the group that would eventually become known as Vanity 6. However, Apollonia was the one who replaced Vanity in the group and took over her role. It’s also worth noting that Vanity had a solo career outside of Vanity 6, releasing albums such as “Wild Animal” in 1984 and “Skin on Skin” in 1986. Apollonia, on the other hand, only released one album as part of Apollonia 6 in 1984.
Despite their shared connection to Prince and the Vanity 6/Apollonia 6 groups, Vanity and Apollonia had very different career trajectories. Vanity struggled with drug addiction throughout much of her career and passed away in 2016 at the age of 57 due to kidney failure. Apollonia, on the other hand, continued to work in the entertainment industry after her time with Prince, appearing in films such as “Purple Rain” and “Black Magic Woman,” as well as television shows like “Falcon Crest” and “Superboy.”
In conclusion, while Vanity was the first to join the group that would later become known as Vanity 6, Apollonia was the one who replaced her and became the face of the group. Both women had successful careers in the entertainment industry, but their paths diverged after their time with Prince. Ultimately, their contributions to the music and film industries in the 1980s and beyond have left a lasting impact and helped to define a decade of popular culture.