Apollonia Kotero

Apollonia Kotero
Kotero at L.A. Fashion Week, Culver City, California, in March 2008
Background information
Birth name	Patricia Kotero
Also known as	Apollonia
Born	(1959-08-02) August 2, 1959 (age 57) Santa Monica, California, United States
Genres	R&B, disco, funk, soul, house, dance, new wave, pop, Minneapolis sound, freestyle, contemporary R&B
Occupation(s)	Singer, actress, model, designer, talent manager
Years active	1979–present
Associated acts	Apollonia 6, Prince, Vanity 6

Apollonia Kotero (born Patricia Kotero; August 2, 1959) is an American actress, singer, former model and talent manager. She is best known for co-starring in Prince's 1984 film Purple Rain and for having been the lead singer in the girl group Apollonia 6.

Kotero was born in Santa Monica, California, the daughter of immigrants from Mexico, the eldest of six children. Her father, Victor, was a restaurant manager, and her mother, Socorro, was a caregiver for the elderly. Always an outgoing child, she dropped out of high school at the age of 16 to become a model.

Kotero worked as an actress, singer and model. After winning the Miss San Pedro beauty competition, and following a stint as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Rams in the early 1980s, Kotero began acting in film and television series such as CHiPs, Tales of the Gold Monkey, Fantasy Island, Matt Houston and Knight Rider. In 1982, she appeared in the music videos for "The Other Woman" by Ray Parker Jr. and "Shakin'" by Eddie Money. She appeared in the 1984 TV movie The Mystic Warrior as the Native American woman "Wicahpi".

When Denise "Vanity" Matthews, then-leader of the girl group Vanity 6, resigned from its membership before Prince's 1984 film Purple Rain was made, Kotero landed the film's female lead role. Vanity 6, which was renamed Apollonia 6 for the film, also featured supporting singers Brenda Bennett and Prince's then-girlfriend Susan Moonsie. Apollonia 6 embarked on a worldwide tour to promote their hit single, "Sex Shooter".