More Agony For Prince's Family: Tragic 'Purple Rain' Rocker's Singer Sister Tyka Nelson Dead Aged 64 – Months After Missing Farewell Concert
Prince's sister Tyla Nelson passed away aged 64, her family confirmed on Monday.
Nov. 5 2024, Published 5:52 a.m. ET
Prince's sister Tyka Nelson has died aged 64, months after missing her own farewell concert.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the singer’s death was confirmed by her son President on Monday, but gave no details of how she passed.
Nelson claims she spoke to late brother Prince four days before his death.
A Facebook post from her cousin Charles "Chaz" Smith wrote: "Our family is very saddened to share the news of my cousin Tyka Evene Nelson who passed away this morning."
The Minneapolis singer released four albums between 1988 and 2011 and was supposed to have her retirement and farewell concert in June but pulled out through illness.
The show, which took place on June 7 - what would have been Prince’s 66th birthday, ended up going ahead without her.
Nelson did not realize how popular her iconic brother was.
She told the Minnesota Star Tribune before the show: "I'm getting older.
"I really wasn't a singer. I’m a writer. I just happen to be able to sing. I enjoy singing."
Nelson also added she was writing a memoir.
On the star's passing, her sister Sharon said: "She had her own mind. She's in a better place."
Nelson was a singer and songwriter, like her superstar brother.
Nelson's last public performance was in Australia in 2018.
Her death comes eight years after the passing of her superstar brother Prince in 2016.
The Purple Rain icon was 57 when he died, with his autopsy results revealing the cause to be an accidental overdose of fentanyl.
She is survived by her sons President and Sir, sisters Sharon - who did not get to know her until after Prince died - and Norrine Nelson, plus brother Omarr Baker.
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Nelson accepted an posthumous award on behalf of Prince at the 2016 AMAs.
Speaking to Star Tribune in June, Nelson said she last spoke to her famous brother four days before his tragic death.
She said: "He kept avoiding questions. I kept getting mad.
"I felt like, 'Talk to me for two seconds.' He'd change the subject, make a joke and then we'd both laugh.
"He asked me could I find more information about our family.
"Prince wanted me to find (half-sister) Sharon’s number. I didn't question it. It was like, 'Send this picture to that person.' OK. What for?"
Prince died in 2016 following an accidental overdose of fentanyl.
Nelson also said she didn't realize how popular her brother was until after his death.
During a trip to London to promote a Prince exhibition in 2017, she added: "I didn't know Prince was that big.
"They lined up to tell me stories. Women would tell me, 'I'm going to kill myself and then I put on this (Prince) song or heard it on the radio and I didn't want to die.'
"That's so wonderful. So now you're going to make me cry."
Nelson accepted Prince’s posthumous Top Album trophy for his 1984 smash Purple Rain at the 2016 AMAs in Los Angeles.
During her emotional speech, she said: “Prince defied the odds.
“A black teen from Minneapolis with a goal to electrify the world, he had the courage to be different.
“With his vision (and) God-given talent, he is still one of the world's most respected and loved artists."
She continued: "What he told me was that he wanted to be known as the world's most prolific songwriter.
"And with 984 titles to his credit and counting, he has done just that
“In the words of Prince: 'With love, honor and respect for every living thing in the universe, separation ceases, and we all become one being, singing one song.'"
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