Susan Moonsie

Susan Vashtie Moonsie was born in Trinidad and Tobago on January 21, 1964, the daughter of a conservative school teacher.[1][2] She grew up in Minneapolis, where she met Prince at a local discotheque when she was sixteen in 1980.[1] In 1981, he formed a girl group that would be called "The Hookers" with Moonsie and her sister Loreen along with Cavallo, Ruffalo & Fargnoli employee Jamie Shoop.[4] The group was originally designed around Moonsie, but she did not want to be a lead singer.

In 1982, Moonsie became a member of Vanity 6 along with set designer Roy Bennett's wife Brenda Bennett and lead singer Vanity.[5] Moonsie was given a "teenage Lolita" image by Prince for shock value—Susan claimed she was only 16 years old at the time, although she was 18 years old when the group was formed.[1] The group had a hit with their single "Nasty Girl."[1]

After Vanity's departure in 1983, Moonsie and Bennett joined Patricia "Apollonia" Kotero as Apollonia 6 in 1984. They performed their single "Sex Shooter" in the 1984 film Purple Rain.[6] In the 1980s, Moonsie provided vocals on some of Prince's tracks.[7]

Moonsie has lived between South Florida and Trinidad and Tobago since 2000.[8] Married with two children, she purchased Hardy Park Bistro in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with her son, Aaron Mohan, in 2020.[8] She has also worked as a real estate broker.[9]

Moonsie had an on-and-off romantic relationship with Prince from about 1980 to 1985. They became very close during his 1980–81 Dirty Mind Tour and she was his main girlfriend until he met Denise "Vanity" Matthews in 1982. Some have stated that Moonsie chose to end her relationship with him around 1983 after he became infatuated with Vanity, and she became good friends with Vanity. Another story suggests that their relationship continued until 1984 when Prince began a close relationship with Susannah Melvoin (the twin sister of Revolution guitarist Wendy Melvoin).

Prince is believed to have written the song "When Doves Cry" about his relationship with Moonsie.[10] His song "Private Joy" was also reportedly written about her.[11]

Moonsie kept in touch with Prince through the years, up until his death in 2016.[8]

Moonsie is mentioned in the lyrics of the Timex Social Club hit song "Rumors". "Did you hear that one about Susan, some say she's just a tease. In a camisole, she's six feet tall. She'll knock you to your knees".[12] This fact was confirmed by Timex Social Club founding member and lyricist Marcus A. Thompson.[13]

Tudahl, Duane (2018). Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions: 1983 and 1984. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781538116432.