*Apollonia, born Patricia Kotero, has filed a federal lawsuit against Prince’s estate, Paisley Park Enterprises (PPE), over control of her stage name and associated trademarks. The dispute centers on her rights to the Apollonia name and the girl group Apollonia 6, which Prince created after the 1984 film “Purple Rain.”
According to Vibe, Kotero says that in a February 28, 2016, meeting two months before Prince’s death, the musician encouraged her to continue using the name for performances, merchandising, and other projects. “During our conversations that evening, Prince was adamant that we continue with our ventures such as musical performances, merchandising, and audiovisual projects, and that he wanted us both to use our Apollonia and Apollonia 6 trademarks in order to be able to earn a living, stay creative, and be financially secure in our later years,” she wrote. Susan Moonsie, another member of Apollonia 6, was present during that meeting.
Prince never officially trademarked the name, but the estate assumed control of the Apollonia marks in June 2025 and sought to cancel Kotero’s existing registrations and applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Kotero argues the estate’s actions could interfere with her business and personal identity.
“The truth is none of this litigation would have occurred if Prince were still alive,” she wrote. “He would be appalled by the unbecoming conduct of PPE and the efforts by PPE to usurp his wishes. I do not trust PPE, and I am afraid that if PPE is able to accomplish its goal of taking the Apollonia Marks from me, my identity will be lost, my rights will be diminished, my business will be interrupted, and I will be unable to use the Apollonia marks without repercussion from PPE.”
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The estate maintains that it has not threatened Kotero or sought to prevent her from using her stage name. It argues that ownership issues should be settled through the trademark office rather than the courts. Kotero’s amended complaint also highlights the Purple Rain musical, which used the name “APOLLONIA” in promotional materials for another actress, claiming this violated her right of publicity.
Kotero’s lawyer, Daniel M. Cislo, told Rolling Stone, “We are very confident that Apollonia will prevail in protecting her name.”
A hearing on the estate’s motion to dismiss is scheduled for February 13.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Apollonia Sues Prince’s Estate Over Trademark Battle for Her Stage Name
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