Real Milli Vanilli Singer Dead After COVID-19 Diagnosis

John Davis, one of the real singers behind Milli Vanilli, died on Monday after he was diagnosed with the coronavirus. He was 66. Milli Vanilli was the infamous 1980s pop duo made up of Fabrice Morvan and Rob Pilatus, who won the Grammy for Best New Artist before it was revealed that they did not play or sing on any of their releases. Davis was among the studio performers who sang on their hits, including “Girl You Know It’s True” and “Blame It On The Rain.”

Davis’ daughter, Jasmin, confirmed her father’s death in a Facebook post on Monday, reports Variety. “My dad passed away this evening through the coronavirus,” Jasmin wrote. “e made a lot of people happy with his laughter and smile, his happy spirit, love and especially through his music. He gave so much to the world! Please give him the last round of applause. We will miss him dearly.”

The singer was among the three lead singers on Milli Vanilli’s debut album, All or Nothing, which was first released in Europe in 1988. In 1989, the album was re-released in the U.S. as Girl You Know It’s True and sold over 1 million copies. The second version of the album included “Blame It On The Rain,” an international hit single. In 1990, the group won the Best New Artist Grammy.

Davis, Brad Howell, and Charles Shaw were credited as backing vocalists on Girl You Know It’s True, but it was later revealed that they did all the singing, while Morvan and Pilatus did not write or perform on any of the songs. Milli Vanilli returned their Grammy. The producers behind Milli Vanilli tried to keep the band alive by crediting the second album, The Moment of Truth, to “The Real Milli Vanilli” and featuring Davis and the other musicians on the cover. The album wasn’t successful though and only saw a limited release. In 1992, Morvan and Pilatus also tried to revive their career by recording as the duo Rob & Fab.

Morvan recognized Davis’ work, sharing his condolences on Twitter. “R.I.P brother @johndavisrmv Can’t believe it, thanks for all the love you’ve spread throughout the years, from the edge of the stage,” Morvan wrote. “You and I had a great run, it was fun to celebrate life with the help of music. Peace one love Your voice will live on. Play it loud everybody.”

Davis was born in South Carolina and moved to Germany, where he continued collaborating with Morvan as Face Meets Voice. “It’s a sad day….. RIP John. We wouldn’t be who we are without you,” the Milli Vanilli Twitter handle tweeted on Monday.