By our entertainment editors
Jan 23, 2024 at 2:17 PM Update: a day ago
Frank Farian, the producer and voice of bands such as Milli Vanilli and Boney M., has died at the age of 82. His management announced this to German media on Tuesday.
Farian started his career as a singer, but achieved his greatest successes as a producer of other artists. The German’s first major success was Boney M. in the 1970s.
The group scored worldwide with songs such as Daddy Cool, Rasputin in Rivers of Babylon. The songs were sung by Farian himself. Frontman and dancer Bobby Farrell mimed the songs.
The same tactic later caused a major media scandal when it became known that the members of the group Milli Vanilli did not sing themselves. When the playback did not go well during a performance, Farian admitted that Robert Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan did not sing themselves. Due to the fuss surrounding this incident, the duo had to return their 1990 Grammy Award.
Farian later produced for groups such as La Bouche and No Mercy. He had hits with both bands in the 1990s. In 2006, a musical was made about Boney M. and other groups the producer had worked with.
Farian died at his home in Miami. The cause of death is unknown.
Beeld: Getty Images
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