Apollonia 6
Encyclopedia
Apollonia 6 was a 1980s female singing trio created by Prince
as a continuation/succession of a previous group, Vanity 6
.
(Denise Matthews), the lead singer of the Prince-created Vanity 6
, fled the Prince entourage in 1983 to pursue solo endeavors recording with Motown Records
and acting in film
s. She left open an acting position for the role written for her by Prince in the film Purple Rain
.
After a frantic casting call, the film's director met actress and model Patricia Kotero
. Renamed by Prince as "Apollonia", Kotero stepped into Vanity's role in the film Purple Rain, as well as in the fragmented group, Vanity 6, as lead singer. The other two members of Vanity 6, Brenda Bennett
and Susan Moonsie
, joined Apollonia and the group was christened "Apollonia 6" for the film and what would be their sole album
(featuring Prince associates Jill Jones
and Wendy & Lisa
on backing vocals).
A four-track video was filmed based on the Apollonia 6 album, directed by Brian Thomson (Australian Production Designer of the original stage versions of Rocky Horror Show and Jesus Christ Superstar), scripted by Keith Williams (concept writer for music videos by Phil Collins
, Ray Parker, Jr.
, and Donna Summer
), with a cast consisting of Ricky Nelson
, Edy Williams
and Buck Henry
. Shot in a Los Angeles film studio in 1985, and produced by British
video firm Limelight, the video never went beyond rough-cut. Footage from the project has appeared on many social networking sites, such as YouTube
.
" (later recorded by The Bangles
), "17 Days
" (later used as the B-side
to "When Doves Cry
"), "Take Me with U
" (released on the Purple Rain
soundtrack) and "The Glamorous Life
" (recorded by Sheila E.
in 1984) for the Apollonia 6 album but he soon lost interest in the project, knowing Apollonia's voice wasn't up to par. Even her take for "Take Me with U" took a while. Prince left her with engineer Susan Rogers to work on the track. Despite rumors to the contrary, Prince and Apollonia were never involved sexually or romantically. Kotero was married at the time (to her current husband), and her relationship was kept secret in order to create a mystique of romance between Prince and herself. Prince became aware that she would not be continuing with his group after her contractual obligations to complete the film and one album were fulfilled. Apollonia 6 were slated to open the Purple Rain tour with Prince and Sheila E., but that idea was scrapped after the group returned from a promotional tour of Europe
. However, Apollonia 6 did appear on a few select dates of the Purple Rain tour, usually during the "Baby I'm a Star" encore. One such moment is documented in the "I Would Die 4 U" and "Baby I'm a Star" performance on the VHS of Prince and the Revolution Live, filmed in Syracuse, March 30, 1985.
After the group's demise, Kotero continued working on TV shows such as Falcon Crest
and in B movie
s for the next decade. She released a solo album in 1988.
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
as a continuation/succession of a previous group, Vanity 6
Vanity 6
Vanity 6 was a female vocal trio assembled by Prince in the early 1980s.They released one studio album, which blended the sounds of pop, New Wave, dance music, R&B, and funk.-Formation:...
.
Formation and Purple Rain
After a number of disputes with Prince, VanityVanity (performer)
Denise Katrina Matthews , better known as Vanity, but sometimes credited as Denise Matthews-Smith or D.D. Winters, is a Canadian-born former singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and model from the 1980s until the early mid-90s...
(Denise Matthews), the lead singer of the Prince-created Vanity 6
Vanity 6
Vanity 6 was a female vocal trio assembled by Prince in the early 1980s.They released one studio album, which blended the sounds of pop, New Wave, dance music, R&B, and funk.-Formation:...
, fled the Prince entourage in 1983 to pursue solo endeavors recording with Motown Records
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
and acting in film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s. She left open an acting position for the role written for her by Prince in the film Purple Rain
Purple Rain (film)
Purple Rain is a 1984 film directed by Albert Magnoli and written by Magnoli and William Blinn. Prince makes his film debut in this movie, which was developed to showcase his particular talents, hence, the film contains several extended concert sequences. The film grossed more than US$80 million at...
.
After a frantic casting call, the film's director met actress and model Patricia Kotero
Apollonia Kotero
Apollonia Kotero, born Patricia Kotero on August 2, 1959, is an actress, singer, former model and talent manager. Kotero, born in Santa Monica, California, is of Mexican descent...
. Renamed by Prince as "Apollonia", Kotero stepped into Vanity's role in the film Purple Rain, as well as in the fragmented group, Vanity 6, as lead singer. The other two members of Vanity 6, Brenda Bennett
Brenda Bennett
Brenda Bennett is an American singer from Boston, Massachusetts who married the musician Prince's set-designer Roy Bennett, and then became Prince's "wardrobe mistress." Brenda's maiden name is Brenda Mosher. She started off in a CBS Records band called Tombstone Blues Band...
and Susan Moonsie
Susan Moonsie
Susan Moonsie is an American musician best known for her association with Prince and his girl-group Vanity 6.-Early life:Moonsie, the daughter of a conservative school teacher, hailed from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She was one of Prince's high school girlfriends.-Career:Moonsie became a member of...
, joined Apollonia and the group was christened "Apollonia 6" for the film and what would be their sole album
Apollonia 6 (album)
Apollonia 6 is the only studio album released by R&B vocal trio and Prince-protégés Apollonia 6.The album was initially to be the second release by the Prince-formed group Vanity 6, but when lead singer Vanity departed Prince's camp, the musician hired Patricia Kotero and named her "Apollonia",...
(featuring Prince associates Jill Jones
Jill Jones
Jill Jones is an American singer and songwriter, who was a backing vocalist for Teena Marie and Prince in the 1980s.-Biography:...
and Wendy & Lisa
Wendy & Lisa
Wendy & Lisa are a music duo consisting of Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman. They began working with Prince in the early 1980s and were part of his band The Revolution, before branching out on their own and releasing their debut album in 1987...
on backing vocals).
A four-track video was filmed based on the Apollonia 6 album, directed by Brian Thomson (Australian Production Designer of the original stage versions of Rocky Horror Show and Jesus Christ Superstar), scripted by Keith Williams (concept writer for music videos by Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
, Ray Parker, Jr.
Ray Parker, Jr.
Ray Erskine Parker, Jr. , is an American guitarist, songwriter, producer and recording artist. Parker is known for writing and performing the theme song to the motion picture Ghostbusters, for his solo hits, and performing with his band Raydio as well as the late Barry White.-Early life and...
, and Donna Summer
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
), with a cast consisting of Ricky Nelson
Ricky Nelson
Eric Hilliard Nelson , better known as Ricky Nelson or Rick Nelson, was an American singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and actor...
, Edy Williams
Edy Williams
Edwina Beth "Edy" Williams is an American television and film actress.-Early years:Born in Utah and raised in Oregon and Southern California, Williams began her career as a model and beauty pageant contestant...
and Buck Henry
Buck Henry
Henry Zuckerman, better known as Buck Henry , is an American actor, writer, film director, and television director.-Early life:...
. Shot in a Los Angeles film studio in 1985, and produced by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
video firm Limelight, the video never went beyond rough-cut. Footage from the project has appeared on many social networking sites, such as YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
Dissolution
Prince had originally intended his classic tracks "Manic MondayManic Monday
"Manic Monday" is a song by the American pop rock band The Bangles, and the first single released from their second studio album Different Light . It was written by Prince, using the pseudonym "Christopher". Originally intended for the group Apollonia 6 in 1984, he offered the song to The Bangles...
" (later recorded by The Bangles
The Bangles
The Bangles are an American all-female band that originated in the early 1980s, scoring several hit singles during the decade.-Formation and early years :...
), "17 Days
17 Days (song)
"17 Days " is one of the most famous of musician Prince's B-sides...
" (later used as the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
to "When Doves Cry
When Doves Cry
A hit cover version by R&B singer Ginuwine was produced by Timbaland in 1996 for Ginuwine's The Bachelor album, Ginuwine's cover uses actual dove sound effects as texture for its jungle music-inspired instrumental track.-Charts:-Other cover versions:...
"), "Take Me with U
Take Me with U
"Take Me With U" is a song by Prince and The Revolution, and the final U.S. single released from their album, Purple Rain. It is a pop song notable for the drum solo and finger cymbals that open the song and repeat again toward the end....
" (released on the Purple Rain
Purple Rain (album)
Purple Rain is the sixth studio album by Prince, the first to officially be credited to Prince and The Revolution, and is the soundtrack album to the 1984 film Purple Rain.Purple Rain is regularly ranked among the best albums in pop music history...
soundtrack) and "The Glamorous Life
The Glamorous Life
"The Glamorous Life" is a song written by Prince in 1984 and first recorded by singer/percussionist Sheila E. The dance song has lyrics which reflect a cynicism for the decadence and materialism of the song's protagonist, referred to in the third person, who "wants to lead a glamorous life",...
" (recorded by Sheila E.
Sheila E.
Sheila Escovedo , known by her stage name Sheila E., is an American drummer and percussionist, perhaps best known for her work with Prince, George Duke and Ringo Starr.-Early life and Prince period:...
in 1984) for the Apollonia 6 album but he soon lost interest in the project, knowing Apollonia's voice wasn't up to par. Even her take for "Take Me with U" took a while. Prince left her with engineer Susan Rogers to work on the track. Despite rumors to the contrary, Prince and Apollonia were never involved sexually or romantically. Kotero was married at the time (to her current husband), and her relationship was kept secret in order to create a mystique of romance between Prince and herself. Prince became aware that she would not be continuing with his group after her contractual obligations to complete the film and one album were fulfilled. Apollonia 6 were slated to open the Purple Rain tour with Prince and Sheila E., but that idea was scrapped after the group returned from a promotional tour of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. However, Apollonia 6 did appear on a few select dates of the Purple Rain tour, usually during the "Baby I'm a Star" encore. One such moment is documented in the "I Would Die 4 U" and "Baby I'm a Star" performance on the VHS of Prince and the Revolution Live, filmed in Syracuse, March 30, 1985.
After the group's demise, Kotero continued working on TV shows such as Falcon Crest
Falcon Crest
Falcon Crest is an American primetime television soap opera which aired on the CBS network for nine seasons, from December 4, 1981 to May 17, 1990. A total of 227 episodes were produced....
and in B movie
B movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
s for the next decade. She released a solo album in 1988.