Milli Vanilli documentary is a tale of pop music’s infamous illusion.
Paramount+ announced that they acquired the new feature-length documentary Milli Vanilli. It will premiere exclusively on the service this fall. Its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival on Saturday, June 10, at 8:30 PM. The documentary tells the story of Robert Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan, who became fast friends during their youth in Germany. With Rob coming from a broken home and Fabrice leaving an abusive household, they shared a similar upbringing and a future goal: becoming famous superstars. In a few short years, their dreams came true.
Their first album went platinum six times in 1989.
Their hit “Girl You Know It’s True” sold over 30 million singles worldwide. Rob and Fab, better known as Milli Vanilli, became the world’s most famous pop duo in 1990 and won the GRAMMY for Best New Artist. However, their ascension to success came with a devastating price, ultimately leading to their infamous undoing.
Milli Vanilli’s success was built on a foundation of deception.
It was the brainchild of German producer Frank Farian. Farian handpicked Morvan and Pilatus to be the faces of the group, but there was one problem – they couldn’t sing. So instead, Farian enlisted the voices of Charles Shaw, Brad Howell, and other session singers to record the vocals for Milli Vanilli’s songs. Morvan and Pilatus were essentially lip-syncing to someone else’s voices.
In 1990, during a live performance on MTV, disaster struck.
The world discovered the truth as the track skipped, revealing that the duo was lip-syncing. Milli Vanilli’s image was shattered, and the scandal was in the headlines worldwide. The Grammy Awards was revoked, lawsuits followed, and the duo’s career came crashing down. The Milli Vanilli scandal was a wake-up call for the music industry. It exposed the dark side of the fame-driven machine that valued image over talent. It prompted a reevaluation of how pop stars were manufactured and marketed. The incident led to changes in the music industry, emphasizing the importance of genuine talent and live performances.
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Sean Tajipour
Sean Tajipour is the Founder and Editor of Nerdtropolis and the host of the Moviegoers Society Podcast. He is also a member of the Critics Choice Association. You can follow on Twitter and Instagram @Seantaj.