Prince: His sister Tyka Nelson dies at 64

Eight years after the death of music legend Prince (1958-2016), his sister Tyka Nelson (1960-2024) also died on November 4th. She was 64 years old. Her son Nelson confirmed the sad news to The Minnesota Star Tribune, but did not provide any further details. In the summer, Nelson, who worked as a singer herself, wanted to give a farewell concert, but she had to cancel it for health reasons. Her last public appearance was in Australia in 2018.

Tyka Nelson was Prince’s only full sister. She was born two years after him in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The two grew up in a large blended family – they had six half-siblings. Like her famous brother, she was interested in music. Nelson released four albums between 1988 and 2011 and was scheduled to perform her farewell concert at the Dakota in June. However, she became ill and the concert – at which she was supposed to perform as a presenter and sing some songs – took place without her. “I’m getting older,” Nelson told the Minnesota Star Tribune. In the interview she also revealed that she sees herself more as a writer than a singer and is currently writing her memoirs.

“She had a mind of her own,” the local newspaper now quotes her half-sister Sharon Nelson. “She’s in a better place.” Nelson’s cousin Charles “Chazz” Smith wrote in a Facebook post Monday evening: “Our family is deeply saddened to share the news of the death of my cousin Tyka Evene Nelson, who passed away this morning.” Tyka Nelson is survived by her two sons, President and Sir. Along with her half-siblings, she was one of the heirs to Prince’s fortune. The legendary musician also did not live to old age. He was 57 years old when he died. The autopsy determined the cause of death was an accidental overdose of fentanyl.