A long-running legal battle between the estate of Prince and singer Apollonia have reached a confidential settlement, resolving claims over trademarks connected to the 1984 film “Purple Rain.”
Name Fight Ends
Court filings show both sides agreed to dismiss their claims on April 8, just days before a scheduled hearing in Los Angeles. Terms of the agreement have not been disclosed, but attorneys confirmed the matter has been fully resolved.
“Apollonia is very happy with the results, and that the parties can continue to honor the legacy of Prince and his musical genius,” her attorney, Daniel Cislo, said in a statement. “In a time of so much conflict, it is very good to see people coming together to resolve their dispute.”
The dispute dates back to 2018, when the Prince estate (operating through Paisley Park Enterprises) sought to trademark “Apollonia 6,” the name of the all-female group created by Prince and fronted by Patty Kotero, whose stage name is Apollonia. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected the application, citing Apollonia’s existing ownership of the name.
Tensions escalated in 2025 when Apollonia filed a federal lawsuit accusing the estate of attempting to take control of her name and related trademarks. The estate denied the allegations and initially characterized the claims as unfounded. However, as part of the settlement, it has now withdrawn its effort to cancel her trademark rights.
Apollonia starred opposite Prince in “Purple Rain” and led Apollonia 6, contributing to the defining “Minneapolis sound” of the mid-1980s. Over the years, she has continued to use the name professionally across music, media, and business ventures.
Prince’s estate remains one of the most valuable in the music industry, managed in part by family heirs and corporate partners following years of legal disputes after his death in 2016.
The resolution over the trademark battle comes as “Purple Rain” marks its 40th anniversary with new re-releases.
