Years after Prince’s death, his only full sibling, a sister who shared both parents with him, has also passed away. Before her death, the late singer’s sister was set to perform and emcee at her farewell and retirement event but fell ill.

Charles’ announcement included a black-and-white photo of Tyka as a child, standing next to a slightly older boy. The children are shown standing on a lawn with an old model car parked in the background.

On November 5, 2024, Tyka’s other cousin, Frank Collier, also took to Facebook to share a throwback photo of them together. Sharing his sadness, he posted, “so i just found out about my cousin Tyka Nelson …..im at a loss for words. [sic]”

Reports show that, like her brother, Prince’s sister was a singer in Minneapolis. Her son, President Nelson, confirmed her passing and shared that she was 64 at the time of her death, though he declined to offer further details.

The late artist’s sister was his only sibling who shared both a mother, Mattie Shaw Nelson, and a father, John L. Nelson. They also had five half-siblings. Between 1988 and 2022, Tyka released four albums, and her farewell concert was scheduled for June 7, 2024, at the Dakota.

The songstress explained that she was a writer and working on a memoir, with only a few chapters remaining, despite not having secured a publisher. Tyka shared what her memoir would cover, saying, “It’s about me and my family.”

Sharon only got to know Tyka after their famous brother died in 2016 when she moved to the Twin Cities following 50 years of living on the East Coast. Speaking to a publication in June, Tyka admitted that “A very small part is grieving” when it comes to Prince.

She acknowledged that it took a long time to get to that point because Prince was her last living link to family members she was close to, like their parents. As she mourned, Tyka realized how much people had loved her brother.

Tyka found these confessions deeply moving, and they brought her to tears. The last time she saw her brother was on a Saturday night at Paisley Park, just two days after his private plane had made an emergency landing in Moline, Illinois, where he was hospitalized.

At one point, a tall woman tried to hug Prince, prompting Tyka to become protective; his bodyguards soon escorted the woman away. Prince’s sense of humor showed through when he lightened the moment by asking her, “What you gonna do?”

Tyka hadn’t been aware of her brother’s health issues, but when she hugged him, she noticed his weight loss. She remembered asking him to be honest about how he was doing, but he chose not to go into details, though he knew she was concerned.

“As far as I’m concerned, he stayed because they loved his music. Now you made me cry twice. Don’t do it again,” she said in her interview. Tyka Nelson is survived by her sons, President and Sir; her sisters, Sharon and Norrine Nelson; her brother, Omarr Baker; and many cousins.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “help” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.