Vanity (June 5, 1985) “Prince Protege Sheds ‘Nasty Girl’ Image” – The Winona Daily News (USA)

A 1985 feature article from The Winona Daily News focusing on Vanity (Denise Matthews), Prince’s former protégé and leader of Vanity 6 / Apollonia 6, as she attempted to move beyond her provocative “nasty girl” image toward a more controlled and multifaceted career in film and music.

Publication: The Winona Daily News Date: June 5, 1985

Country: United States

Section / Pages: Entertainment / Feature Page

Title: “Prince Protege Sheds ‘Nasty Girl’ Image”

THE STORY

The article by Darren Leon (Associated Press) profiles Vanity as she distances herself from the highly sexualized image cultivated during her time with Prince. It discusses her assertiveness in taking control of her career, turning down the role in Purple Rain, adopting the name Apollonia 6 for the group, and her work on the Motown album Wild Animal and the film Berry Gordy’s The Last Dragon. A large portrait photo of Vanity accompanies the piece, highlighting her shift toward a more sophisticated image.

CONTEXT AND NOTES

Published in mid-1985, this piece captures the period shortly after Vanity’s departure from Prince’s camp and the success of Purple Rain. It reflects the public fascination with Prince’s protégés and the challenges female artists faced in breaking free from the highly sexualized personas associated with the Purple Rain era.

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS

Event: Profile on Vanity’s career transition post-Prince

Era: Purple Rain / Post-Vanity 6 (1985) Tone: Intrigued, somewhat sensational, focusing on image transformation Photography: Large black & white portrait of Vanity smiling, wearing a stylish jacket and floral top

Visual Motifs: Typical 1980s newspaper entertainment layout with bold headline and prominent celebrity photo

WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS

• Full newspaper feature page from The Winona Daily News

• Main headline “Prince Protege Sheds ‘Nasty Girl’ Image”

• Large portrait photo of Vanity

• Detailed article text covering her history with Prince, career moves, and new projects

• Mentions of Wild Animal, The Last Dragon, and her desire for more artistic control

All magazine scans, photographs and original text excerpts remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference.