LOS ANGELES: Vanity, the lead singer of girl group Vanity 6 and former protege of musician Prince, has died from kidney failure and an abdominal illness. She was 57.

The 1980s Candadian singer, born as Denise Katrina Matthews, died in a hospital in Fremont, California, on February 15.

She started her career as a teenage model and actress. She was soon discovered by Prince, and recruited to be part of a girl group.

Vanity and her band members — Susan Moonsie and Brenda Bennett — rose to fame after they released their dance hit Nasty girl, which was written and produced by the Purple Rain singer.

She was mourned by music greats, including MC Hammer, reports usmagazine.com.

“Today my friend & Sister Denise Katrina Matthews p/k/a #Vanity passed away. She absolutely loved GOD unto salvation. Rest in his Glory,” he tweeted.

Though she was sober in the last decades of her life, Vanity battled kidney failure and an abdominal illness.