Overnight success is a commonly used term in the entertainment industry. But the truth is, very few acts are actually instant successes. However, in 1988, that’s the only way to describe the crazy rise of pop duo Milli Vanilli. One day, we had no idea who they were, and the next, “Girl You Know It’s True” was everywhere. Seriously, in 1988 and 1989 you could not get away from Milli Vanilli. Nowadays, the internet has taught us to be skeptical of anyone who goes viral out of nowhere. Back in the pre-social media olden days, we didn’t have Twitter to instantly reveal everyone’s business, so they became huge stars.
Unfortunately for Fabrice Morvan and Robert Pilatus, they were really just tools of the music industry’s neverending machine. Like many artists, their first record deal was extremely predatory and gave them no power over their careers. Milli Vanilli producer Frank Farian didn’t use their vocals for the hit song or the duo’s first album, which resulted in Rob and Fab lip-syncing to the studio singers who actually recorded their music. Their instant popularity and the duo’s stunning fall from grace is the subject of the critically-acclaimed documentary Milli Vanilli, which premieres on Paramount + Tuesday, Oct. 24. In an exclusive clip, Fabrice and Charles Shaw, one of the original singers behind the duo, describe the unparalleled, instant success of “Girl You Know It’s True.”
“We traveled up and down Europe on television. We were nervous. But nervousness translated into excitement,” Morvan says in the clip. “A minute ago, we didn’t want to do this. But now we want more. You in Italy, you in Spain, you in Holland.” Shaw added: “And then all of a sudden it hits the States. Bam.”
Milli Vanilli is truly one of the saddest stories of artists being used up and tossed aside by the industry. They were taken advantage of by a greedy producer, and when things went bad, they took the brunt of the backlash, criticism and mockery. Dubbing and over-producing is commonplace in the music world, so the hypocritical way Rob and Fab were scapegoated was heartbreaking. Sadly, Pilatus died of an accidental overdose in 1998, but it’s admirable that Fabrice is finally getting the opportunity to tell his full, truthful story.
Milli Vanilli premieres Tuesday, Oct. 24 on Paramount+.