Susan Moonsie

Susan Moonsie
Born	Minneapolis
Nationality	United States of America
Genres	soul music
Instruments	voice

Susan Moonsie
Birth name	Susan Vashtie Moonsie
Also known as	Susan Moonsie-Mohan Susie Little Susie
Born	(1964-01-21) January 21, 1964
Genres	Soul R&B disco funk new wave pop rock
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	1980–1988
Labels	Warner Bros.

Susan Moonsie-Mohan (born January 21, 1964) is a Trinidadian-born American singer. She is best known as a member of the 1980s musical groups Vanity 6 and Apollonia 6 that were associated with recording artist Prince.

Life and career

Susan Vashtie Moonsie was born in Trinidad and Tobago on January 21, 1964, the daughter of a conservative school teacher. She grew up in Minneapolis, where she met Prince at a local discotheque when she was sixteen in 1980. 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.

Then in 1982, Moonsie became a member of Vanity 6 along with set designer Roy Bennett's wife Brenda Bennett and lead singer Vanity. 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. In the 1980s, Moonsie provided vocals on some of Prince's tracks.

Moonsie has lived between the United States (in Florida) and Trinidad and Tobago since 2000. Married with two children, Moonsie purchased Hardy Park Bistro in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with her son, Aaron Mohan, in 2020.

Relationship with Prince

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. His song "Private Joy" was also reportedly written about her.

Moonsie kept in touch with Prince through the years, up until his death in 2016. This fact was confirmed by Timex Social Club founding member and lyricist Marcus A. Thompson.

References

Tudahl, Duane (2018). Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions: 1983 and 1984. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-5381-1643-2.