Diane Martel, the celebrated US music video director known for her work on hits including Blurred Lines, Genie in a Bottle, and All I Want for Christmas Is You, has died of breast cancer at the age of 63.
Martel's career began with the debut single of hardcore hip-hop group Onyx, filmed in South Jamaica, Queens. Onyx member Fredro Starr recalled her hands-on approach: 'She would be getting on the floor, like getting dirty with it. She made that video.'
She directed several videos for Mariah Carey, including Dreamlover and the festive classic All I Want for Christmas Is You, which was filmed before the song was written. Martel described her style as 'minimalist work', putting artists 'front and centre'.
Her portfolio also included videos for Christina Aguilera's Genie in a Bottle, Justin Timberlake's Like I Love You, and the controversial Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke. Martel once said: 'Even if there's a sexual fantasy involved, it doesn't have to be a lazy, exploitive mess.'
Martel viewed music videos as both a 'sales tool' and 'a visual presentation of the artist's poetry and culture'. Her work with NERD on Lapdance included an explicit version that foreshadowed the Blurred Lines controversy.
