Diane Martel, a visionary director renowned for shaping the visual identities of music icons such as Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, and Mariah Carey, passed away on Thursday in Manhattan at the age of 63. Her career spanned decades, during which she carved a significant path as a woman in a predominantly male-dominated industry.
Her aunt, Gail Merrifield Papp, confirmed that her death at a hospital was due to breast cancer.
Martel was celebrated for her bold and innovative approach, consistently pushing creative boundaries within the music video landscape. This made her one of the most in-demand directors for a diverse roster of artists, from The 1975 and Franz Ferdinand to Method Man, The White Stripes, Mobb Deep, Jennifer Lopez, and Avril Lavigne.
Notably, she enjoyed a long-standing creative partnership with Miley Cyrus, directing her 2017 videos for “Younger Now” and “Malibu,” and serving as creative director for Cyrus’s 2014 “Bangerz” tour.
According to Ms. Papp, Martel was a true ‘self-invented’ artist who defied conventional paths, embarking on her illustrious career as a video director after leaving high school.
“She leaves behind a permanent legacy, one she pioneered from the very beginning of her journey in music videos,” Ms. Papp remarked, recalling how Martel’s initial explorations into the medium began right in her own bedroom.
Her breakthrough moment arrived in 1992 with the PBS documentary “Wreckin’ Shop: Live From Brooklyn,” a vibrant exploration of New York’s evolving hip-hop dance scene.
In 1993, Martel directed her first music video for “Throw Ya Gunz” by the New York hardcore rap group Onyx. That same year, she helmed Mariah Carey’s “Dreamlover,” followed by the beloved holiday classic “All I Want for Christmas” in 1994. Martel famously captured the festive spirit of the latter, showing Carey frolicking with Santa in a charming, grainy, home-video style.
2013 saw Martel direct two of the decade’s most widely discussed and controversial music videos: Miley Cyrus’s rebellious and provocative “We Can’t Stop,” featuring a wild house party, and Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” which ignited widespread debate and was heavily criticized for being sexist and misogynistic. An unrated version of the “Blurred Lines” video was even banned from YouTube.
In a 2013 interview with The New York Times, Martel defended “Blurred Lines,” explaining her intention was to portray women confidently using their physical allure to playfully mock the fully clothed male singers. She described it as “a romp; it’s for adults,” adding, “They are actually ridiculing the men. It’s hysterical.”
She also noted a shift in the industry, observing that record labels in the 2010s exerted significantly less creative control over her videos compared to the 1990s.
“At the top of the chain,” she stated, “you don’t have people trying to curate complicated, thoughtful work.”
Martel characterized her video style as minimalist, telling the sports and pop-culture publication Grantland in 2013 that her directorial choices were intentionally crafted to keep the artists themselves at the forefront.
“Artists have to perform because there isn’t much else happening visually,” she explained. “They sense this during filming, and my approach encourages them to contribute significantly. Some tracks inherently deal with sexuality, and certain career phases do too. When it’s appropriate, we explore those themes.”
Born on May 7, 1962, in Brooklyn to Philip and Marsha Martel, Diane Martel pursued a career as a dancer and choreographer after leaving high school, as reported by People magazine.
Ms. Papp noted that Martel never married nor had children. A full list of surviving family members was not immediately disclosed. Her uncle, Joseph Papp, Ms. Papp’s late husband, was the esteemed founder of New York’s Public Theater.
Beyoncé, who collaborated with Martel on the videos for her songs “Listen” and “Best Thing I Never Had,” shared an online tribute. She praised Martel for consistently working at the “highest and most provocative level,” asserting that she “challenged the norm and delivered visual symphonies.”
Among Martel’s last works was Ciara’s April release, “Ecstasy,” an understated video highlighting the singer’s captivating dance moves without the use of backup performers.
In an Instagram tribute, Ciara revealed her nearly two-decade-long friendship and professional relationship with Martel, mentioning that Martel also directed her videos for “Promise” and “Ride.”
“You believed in me, and I believed in you,” Ciara wrote movingly, expressing her “forever gratitude for all the magic” they created.
Kitty Bennett contributed research.