Carmen Electra recently filed for a legal name change, which made fans curious. A source recently explained the reason behind the switch, and it’s not as wild as people assumed.
Electra decided to legally make her name “Carmen Electra,” which had been her stage name since she became famous. Despite fans only knowing her by that moniker, she was still formally known by her birth name, Tara Leigh Patrick.
According to TMZ, a source close to the actress said Electra had been wanting to change her name for some time. There wasn’t a big event or consideration that pushed her over the edge. She simply decided the New Year was the perfect time for new beginnings.
The 51-year-old filed her documents on Dec. 29.
RadarOnline.com shared that Electra chose her stage name with the help of Prince. She auditioned to be a member of a female singing group he put together. She didn’t make the cut, but Prince surprised her with a phone call.
Prince Rebranded Carmen Electra
The Raspberry Beret singer offered her a song he was writing, but he insisted that if she took it she would start calling herself “Carmen Electra,” so she did.
“I received a call from Prince saying I think you should be your own artist and not back up anyone else. I’m going to write you a song, and if you like it, you can record it,” she recalled him saying. “The name of the song was Carmen on Top. My name is Tara, so I was confused. I loved the song. I loved it, but he said, ‘You’re not a Tara. You’re not Tara. You’re Carmen.’”
Electra allowed Prince to rebrand her following that call. He ultimately took control of her clothing, hairstyles, and music. She believes he played a major role in her making it big.
Carmen Electra and Prince went on to become romantically involved, but their relationship ended when Prince asked her to move out of LA to be with him in Minnesota.
While they were no longer together, Prince remained a heavy influence in her professional life. He also hired her as a dancer for his club in L.A.
“I wasn’t his girlfriend anymore, but I was one of his girls,” she shared. “This was after we split.”