Biography
Patricia Apollonia Kotero was born on August 2, 1959, in Santa Monica, California, to Mexican parents Maria Socorro Torres, a caregiver, and Victor Manuel Kotero, a restaurant manager. She initially sought fame and success as an actress, singer, and model. After winning the Miss San Pedro beauty pageant and serving as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Rams in the 1980s, Kotero began acting in films and television series including CHiPs (1977), Tales of the Gold Monkey (1982), Fantasy Island (1977), Matt Houston (1982), and Knight Rider (1982).
Apollonia landed a pivotal role when auditioning for Prince’s first feature film. She won the lead role opposite Prince in the hit musical Purple Rain (1984), which won an Academy Award. The group Apollonia 6, which included supporting singers Brenda Bennett and Susan Moonsie, toured globally to promote their hit single "Sex Shooter." Apollonia initially recorded "Manic Monday" for the Apollonia 6 album (1984), a song written by Prince that later became a worldwide hit for The Bangles. Her highest-charting single, "Take Me with U," reached #25 on the U.S. Top 40 chart. Kotero left Prince’s circle in 1985 to star on the CBS primetime soap Falcon Crest (1981), performing under her stage name "Apollonia" and singing several solo songs, none officially released. One notable song from the series was "Red Light Romeo," written by Jon Lind, who also wrote Madonna’s U.S. #1 hit "Crazy for You." Kotero appeared on the show for 10 weeks, portraying the girlfriend of teenage heartthrob Lorenzo Lamas.
In 1988, Warner Bros. Records released her debut solo album, titled "Apollonia," featuring energetic dance tracks. Three singles from the album were released: "Since I Fell For You," "The Same Dream," and "Mismatch." She later released the bilingual ballad "Stay with Me" in 1997. Apollonia appeared in films such as Ministry of Vengeance (1989), Back to Back (1990), Black Magic Woman (1991), and Italian productions A Woman's Secret (1992) and Bad Girls (1992). She returned to television with roles on Sliders (1995) and Air America (1998), and hosted The Jazz Channel’s "Latin Beat." During this time, she also released an exercise video called "Go For It." Apollonia has been featured on E Channel’s "Celebrity Homes," MTV’s "Cribs" alongside friend Carmen Electra, as well as on "The Test" and "Rendezview."
In 2005, Apollonia founded Kotero Entertainment, a multimedia company partnering with producers to develop children’s animated series and feature films. The company also manages young talents including television and film star Sascha Andres and pop singer Nikki Barreras, also known as Nikki B. In 2007, Kanye West referenced her name in his song "Stronger." On December 1, 2007, she appeared at a Project Angel Food charity event in Beverly Hills, California.
