Tara Leigh Patrick, better known by her stage name Carmen Electra, was born on April 20, 1972, in Sharonville, Ohio, to Patricia Rose Kincade, a singer, and Harry Stanley Patrick, an entertainer and guitarist. With a mixed ancestry of English, German, and Irish descent, she grew up near Cincinnati, Ohio.
Carmen's early career received a significant boost when a scout for the renowned musician Prince spotted her performing with a rap group in Los Angeles, California. This led to her releasing a self-titled album under Prince's Paisley Park label in 1993. She then embarked on a European tour as Prince's opening act on his 1992 Diamonds and Pearls Tour.
After her stint with Prince, Carmen returned to work at his Los Angeles nightclub "Glam Slam", where she performed every weekend with the Erotic City dancers, led by choreographer and director Jamie King. In March 1997, she made a notable appearance as a model for a character who is a singer and a vampire in a comic book series called "Embrace".
Carmen's television career also flourished, with notable roles as lifeguard Lani McKenzie on the popular series Baywatch (1989) and as host of MTV's game show Singled Out (1995).
