Vanity, born Denise Katherine Matthews, had a net worth of $100,000 at the time of her death in 2016. The Canadian model, singer, and actress rose to fame in the 1980s as Prince’s protégée and the frontwoman of Vanity 6, but battled a devastating drug addiction that derailed her career and health long before her passing.
Vanity’s name still pops up in every conversation about Prince’s inner circle, and it’s easy to see why. She was one of the most striking faces of 1980s pop culture, a woman who went from small-town beauty pageants to Hollywood film sets in just a few short years. But her story is also a cautionary tale about fame, addiction, and redemption. Here’s the full breakdown of her life, her career, and how her modest $100,000 net worth stacked up against her larger-than-life image.
Vanity’s Net Worth At A Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Denise Katherine Matthews |
| Stage Name | Vanity |
| Net Worth | $100,000 (at death) |
| Born | January 4, 1959, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | February 15, 2016 (age 57), Fremont, California |
| Profession | Model, singer, songwriter, dancer, actress |
| Height | 5 feet 6 inches |
| Years Active | 1977–1993 |
| Spouse | Anthony Smith (m. 1995–div. 1996) |
| Notable Partner | Prince (1982–1983) |
From Niagara Falls to the World Stage
Denise Katherine Matthews was born on January 4, 1959, in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Her mother, Helga Senyk, was of Polish-Jewish descent, and her father, Levia James Matthews, was African American. Denise grew up with two sisters in a household that was far from easy. Her parents’ marriage ended in divorce, and Denise later opened up about experiencing abuse from her father, who passed away when she was just 15 years old.
Despite that rocky start, Denise found an early outlet in beauty pageants. At 18, she moved to Toronto and won the Miss Niagara Hospitality title in 1977. A year later, she took her shot at the national stage, competing in the Miss Canada pageant, though she didn’t take home the crown. That loss didn’t slow her down. It actually pushed her toward the career that would define her life: modeling.
By age 19, Denise had packed her bags for New York City, determined to break into the fashion industry. She signed with the prestigious Zoli Modeling Agency, one of the top agencies of its era. Standing 5 feet 6 inches tall, she was considered too short for high fashion runway work, so her early bookings were limited to commercials and print campaigns. She landed a national ad for Pearl Drops toothpaste and posed for Playboy magazine twice, first in May 1985 and again in April 1988.
How Vanity Met Prince and Became a Pop Sensation
Everything changed in 1980 when Denise met Prince at the American Music Awards. The two quickly became romantically involved, and Prince saw star power in her that no modeling agency had fully tapped into. He gave her the stage name “Vanity” and asked her to front a new girl group he was assembling.
That group became Vanity 6, a trio rounded out by Brenda Bennett and Susan Moonsie. Backed by Prince’s own songwriting and production, Vanity 6 delivered a sound that mixed funk, R&B, and pop with bold, provocative lyrics and stage performances that pushed boundaries for the time. Their signature single, “Nasty Girl,” released in 1982, became a dance-floor classic that still gets airplay on retro stations today.
Vanity 6 toured alongside Prince and The Time, giving Denise a firsthand look at the demands of pop stardom. But creative tension and contract disputes eventually led her to walk away from the group before Prince could turn Vanity 6 into a bigger phenomenon. That decision opened the door to a solo career.
Vanity’s Solo Music Career
In 1984, Vanity signed with Motown Records, one of the most storied labels in American music history. She released two solo albums:
- “Wild Animal” (1984)
- “Skin on Skin” (1986)
Both albums leaned into the same sultry, funk-driven sound that made Vanity 6 famous, and Vanity’s name recognition helped her albums find an audience. She went on to sign with additional labels, including A&M, Geffen, and Warner Bros., but by 1989 her momentum in music had slowed considerably as tastes shifted and her personal struggles began to take a toll on her output.
Vanity’s Film and Television Career
While her music career was cooling, Vanity found steady work on screen. She built a resume that included guest appearances on popular TV shows and roles in several notable films, including:
- Terror Train (1980)
- Tanya’s Island (1980)
- The Last Dragon (1985)
- Never Too Young to Die (1986)
- 52 Pick-Up (1986)
- Action Jackson (1988)
Her role in The Last Dragon is often cited as one of her most memorable performances, and she earned praise from Motown founder Berry Gordy, who produced the film and later called her “a talented natural beauty, inside and out.” For a stretch of the mid-1980s, Vanity was juggling a music career, a film career, and one of the most talked-about celebrity relationships in the country.
The Addiction That Changed Everything
By the early 1990s, Vanity’s career had begun to unravel under the weight of a serious crack cocaine addiction. The drug use eventually caused severe damage to her kidneys, and in 1994 she suffered a near-fatal episode of renal failure. Vanity later said that during this crisis, she experienced a spiritual awakening that led her to leave behind her entertainment career entirely.
She became a born-again Christian in 1992 and spent the rest of her life devoted to her faith, eventually settling in Fremont, California, where she was active in her local church community and worked as an evangelist. She published a memoir, “Blame It on Vanity,” detailing her rise to fame and her journey toward recovery and faith.
In 1997, Vanity received a kidney transplant that gave her nearly two more decades of life. She briefly married NFL player Anthony Smith in 1995, though the marriage ended within a year. Health problems continued to follow her, and in her final years she was diagnosed with sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis, a rare and painful condition affecting the lining of the abdomen linked to long-term kidney disease.
Vanity’s Death and Legacy
Vanity was admitted to the Washington Hospital Health Care System in Fremont, California, on February 13, 2016. Two days later, on February 15, 2016, she died of kidney failure at age 57.
Tributes poured in from across the entertainment industry. Prince, who had launched her career decades earlier, publicly honored her memory following her passing. Rapper MC Hammer, who had grown close to Vanity through their shared faith community, shared a moving tribute recalling her final days at church, testifying about her gratitude for her pastors and her faith.
Even years after her death, Vanity’s cultural footprint remains strong. “Nasty Girl” continues to be referenced in retrospectives on Prince’s career and 1980s pop music, and her influence is often cited by artists who came up in the funk and R&B scenes that followed her. Her old interviews and performance clips continue to draw hundreds of thousands of views online, a sign that her story still resonates with new generations of fans.
Why Was Vanity’s Net Worth So Low?
It might seem surprising that a woman who dated a music legend, starred in major films, and released four studio albums left behind a net worth of only $100,000. A few factors explain the gap between her fame and her finances:
- Music royalties were split across multiple labels and collaborators, limiting her personal earnings from hits like “Nasty Girl.”
- Her career was cut short in her mid-30s, well before many entertainers reach their peak earning years.
- Medical costs related to her kidney disease, transplant, and long-term treatment likely consumed a significant portion of her savings.
- She stepped away from show business entirely after becoming an evangelist, trading a public career for a quieter, faith-centered life with far less income.
FAQ: Vanity (Denise Matthews) Net Worth
What was Vanity’s net worth when she died?
Vanity had an estimated net worth of $100,000 at the time of her death in February 2016.
How did Vanity get her stage name?
Prince gave Denise Matthews the stage name “Vanity” after they met in 1980 and began working together.
What was Vanity’s biggest hit song?
Her biggest hit was “Nasty Girl,” released in 1982 with her group Vanity 6.
Did Vanity and Prince ever get married?
No. Vanity and Prince were romantically involved from 1982 to 1983 but never married. She later briefly married NFL player Anthony Smith in 1995.
What caused Vanity’s death?
Vanity died of kidney failure on February 15, 2016, after years of health complications tied to a 1994 renal failure episode and a 1997 kidney transplant.
Was Vanity a Christian evangelist?
Yes. After a near-fatal health crisis in 1994, Vanity became a born-again Christian in 1992 and spent much of her later life as an evangelist in Fremont, California.
For more untold stories behind your favorite 80s icons and their fortunes, keep exploring the celebrity net worth archives at faminaz.com.