Tyka Nelson, a singer from Minneapolis and Prince’s only full sibling, passed away on Monday morning at the age of 64, as confirmed by a representative for Prince’s estate to Variety. The cause of her death has not been disclosed.
Known for her music, Nelson released four albums from 1988 to 2011. Last June, she was planning to have a retirement concert, but unfortunately, she fell ill and couldn’t attend. The Minneapolis Star Tribune was the first to report her passing.
Despite her musical talents, Nelson believed she was more of a writer than a singer. She was working on a memoir and Prince had started an autobiography titled “The Beautiful Ones” before his death, based on his iconic song from the album and film “Purple Rain.”
Nelson’s last public performance was in Australia in 2018, and she often appeared at events related to Prince.
Survived by her sons President and Sir, sisters Sharon and Norrine Nelson, and brother Omarr Baker, Nelson was one of the legal heirs to Prince’s estate. She, along with two other siblings, sold their shares to Primary Wave Music.
Since Prince’s passing, efforts have been made to manage his estate, leading to the release of boxed sets, the Paisley Park compound reopening as a museum, and ongoing projects.
Vocabulary List:
- Representative /ˌrɛprɪˈzɛntətɪv/ (noun): A person chosen or appointed to act or speak for others.
- Disclosed /dɪsˈkloʊzd/ (verb): To make known or reveal something that was previously secret or hidden.
- Memoir /ˈmɛmˌwɑr/ (noun): A historical account or biography written from personal knowledge.
- Compounds /ˈkɒmpaʊndz/ (noun): A thing that is composed of two or more separate elements; a mixture.
- Iconic /aɪˈkɒnɪk/ (adjective): Widely recognized and well-established; representative of a particular idea or concept.
- Estate /ɪˈsteɪt/ (noun): All the money and property owned by a particular person especially at death.
