Do you know Milli Vanilli? No worries, and let's dive in.
Milli Vanilli was created in 1988 and was composed of Fabrice Morvan and Robert Pilatus. Their biggest success is Girl You Know It's True. They earned a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1990. All seems to be perfect until a scandal.
In 1990, the truth is revealed. Their producer, Frank Farian, announced the duo didn't sing at all on the album and lip-synced for performances. Fab and Rob were victims of Frank Farian.
When Frank invited them to the studio to listen to a demo, they told him they could sing the song, but the recording version didn't impress Frank, because of their accents (Fab is French, and Rob was German).
The final version of Girl You Know It's True was finished by studio performers. They've never been credited at that moment.
Milli Vanilli goes on tour in Europe and lip-synchs. Fab and Rob asked many times when they will be able to give artistic input. Frank continued to make them wait and said they must promote first.
When the first album, All or Nothing, was released in Europe, Frank told them that it was too late to stop now. Because the single was such a big success, they had to go through, and Frank was there to cover them.
In 1989, during a live performance on MTV, a technical problem caused a skip, repeatedly playing the partial line. The group was on stage and didn't know what to do. Rob panicked and went off stage. The staff convinced him to finish the set. The concert continued as if nothing had happened.
Fab and Rob continued to demand to Frank when they will be allowed to sing on the next album. Frank Farian announced that he had fired them, and they didn't sing on the records. Their Grammy Award was revoked. It's the only time a Grammy was given back.
A few years later, Frank Farian (again) agreed to produce a new Milli Vanilli album with Rob and Fab on lead vocals in 1997. In 1998, their comeback album, Back and in Attack, was announced. Some of the original studio singers even backed the duo.
However, Rob Pilatus had personal problems during the album's production. He turned to drugs and crime and was sentenced to three months in jail and six months in a drug rehab.
On April 3, 1998, Rob Pilatus was found dead of a suspected alcohol and prescription drug overdose in a hotel room in Germany. The album has never been released.
Fab Morvan has done several shows and interviews the past few years to talk about this story. Several documentaries have been released, as well as a biopic. Fab sang sometimes a version of Milli Vanilli's biggest hit.
Frank Farian is also known for producing Boney M... and they never sang either. Once a charlatan, always a charlatan.
It's sad for them. They could have succeeded. They knew how to dance, had stage presence, and sang too.