'She's in a better place': Prince's sister Tyka Nelson dies aged 64

Tyka Nelson, sister to the late musician Prince, has died. She was 64.

Nelson's son President Nelson confirmed the news to The Minnesota Star Tribune. She died on Monday (Tuesday AEDT). Her cause of death has not been reported.

Her half-sister Sharon said, "She had her own mind. She's in a better place."

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Nelson was the only full sister to American music icon Prince Rogers Nelson, who went by the stage name Prince. She was two years younger than the Purple Rain singer.

They shared parents John L. Nelson and Mattie Della Shaw, who were jazz musicians.

Nelson is survived by her two sons and half-siblings Sharon, Norrine Nelson and Omarr Baker.

The singer's cousin Charles 'Chazz' Smith announced on behalf of the family she had died in a social media post.

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"Our family is very saddened to share the news of my cousin Tyka Evene Nelson who passed away this morning," he wrote on Instagram alongside a throwback black and white photo of a young Nelson.

Like her brother, she pursued a career in music, working as a singer.

She released her first album Royal Blue in 1988 with Cooltempo Records.

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From her debut work, the track Marc Anthony's Tune reached a chart high of number 33 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

The record also featured songs like No Promises, L.O.V.E., Paris and Try My Passion.

Following her first album, she came out with three more. Her last was titled Hustler, which released in 2011.

She was married to Maurice Phillips and had six children.

The singer's death comes nearly a decade after her brother Prince died on April 12, 2016, aged 57, from an accidental overdose.

In 2018 Nelson toured Australia with a tribute show for her brother called Nothing Compares 2 Prince. Her Australian show marked her last public performance.

"It's something that he wanted, and I feel a responsibility to the fans – they loved him so much," she told TheFix.

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