Publication: Daily Mirror [US]
Date: March 10, 1995
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Title: "I Pray For Prince's New Soul Mayte"
Written By: Gerard Evans

Special on drugs hell of woman who shared a bed with sex-mad star. WS

PRINCE'S new flame Mayte Garcia is burning bright, seduced into the limelight by the erotic rock star.

But his old flame is nearly burned out, hauling her cocaine-ravaged body to the hospital for life-saving treatment three times a week.

Now Denice Matthews has some poignant advice for Mayte: don't do it or you could end up as I nearly did - dead.

Exotic

Denice's insatiable desire for fame led her to the Purple One in 1982.

She had been modelling in Canada in 1977 and then travelled to New York, before meeting up with the sex-charged star at an Oscars Party in Los Angeles.

He was besotted by her exotic beauty: "We began dating and soon I started travelling with him on tour. I moved to Minneapolis to live with him and he told me he was going to make me a star," says Denice.

Prince re-named her Vanity, created her group Vanity 6 and soon began showcasing her singing talents as a raunchy opening act for his band.

Lurid accounts of their lifestyle guaranteed she was soon plastered over magazines, including a nude shoot for the magazine Playboy.

"He came up with the lingerie and promiscuous image. I went along with it because I loved him," she says.

"I had always refused to take drugs but one night my friends pestered me so bad, I agreed to do it once. I have a really addictive personality and was hooked at once."

Prince and Denice split when she signed for Motown. Then came the drug spiral into despair. Now, a still stunning 36, Denice has swapped the sexy black leather for plain black cloth. She is a church minister, helping teenagers.

"I'm lucky to be here at all. A year ago I was almost dead," says the born -again Christian. "That's what being Vanity did for me."

As for Prince and the girls who took Denice's place, like Apollonia, Sheena Easton and Mayte: " Prince needs to be saved. His act is an abomination to God. I pray for the other girls who came after me. I worry that he will end up in Hell."

Denice is happy now, as she looks out of the window, leafing through a well -thumbed copy of the Bible.