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 pursued fame and fortune through her work as an actress, singer, and model.
Kotero began her career by winning the Miss San Pedro beauty competition and later became a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Rams in the 1980s. She then started acting in various films and television series, including CHiPs, Tales of the Gold Monkey, Fantasy Island, Matt Houston, and Knight Rider.
In 1984, Kotero landed the role of a lifetime when she was cast as the lead opposite Prince in the musical film Purple Rain, which received an Academy Award. She also formed the group Apollonia 6 with supporting singers Brenda Bennett and Susan Moonsie, and they went on a worldwide tour to promote the single "Sex Shooter".
Kotero left Prince's camp in 1985 to appear on the CBS primetime soap opera Falcon Crest, where she played the girlfriend of teenage heartthrob Lorenzo Lamas. She stayed on the series for 10 consecutive weeks and also performed several solo songs, none of which were released.
In 1988, Warner Bros. Records released Kotero's first solo album, simply titled "Apollonia". The album contained high-energy dance music, and three singles were released from the album: "Since I Fell For You", "The Same Dream", and "Mismatch".
Kotero then released the bilingual ballad "Stay with Me" in 1997 and appeared in several films, including Ministry of Vengeance, Back to Back, Black Magic Woman, and a couple of Italian productions. She returned to television on series such as Sliders and Air America, and also hosted The Jazz Channel's "Latin Beat" program.
In 2005, Kotero formed a multimedia entertainment company, Kotero Entertainment, which produced a children's animated television series and featured films. The company also manages young talent such as television and film star Sascha Andres and young pop singer Nikki Barreras.
More recently, Kanye West's 2007 song "Stronger" used Kotero's name in the lyrics, and she appeared at a Project Angel Food charity event in Beverly Hills, California, on December 1, 2007.
