Diane Martel, the groundbreaking music video director behind iconic visuals for artists like Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, and Justin Timberlake, has died at the age of 63. Martel passed away peacefully on Thursday in New York City at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital after a lengthy battle with breast cancer, surrounded by friends and family.
Martel's family released a statement saying, "Diane passed away peacefully at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital – surrounded by friends and family – after a long battle with breast cancer. She is survived by her Aunt, Gail Merrifield Papp (wife of Joseph Papp, founder of The Public Theatre), her three beloved, loyal cats (Poki, PopPop, PomPom) and many loving lifetime friends."
A native New Yorker, Martel rose to prominence in the city's vibrant downtown scene. She developed a signature style characterized by visually arresting imagery and a willingness to push boundaries. In 2013, she directed two of the most talked-about and controversial music videos of the decade: Miley Cyrus's "We Can't Stop" and Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines," featuring Pharrell and T.I.
Despite the controversy surrounding both videos, Martel remained unapologetic. "My shit is on point right now," she told Rolling Stone in 2013. "I do have to admit I like being provocative. That’s punk, that’s rock & roll, that’s hip-hop. It’s passionate. We’re not doing pharmaceutical ads."
Pharrell, who had collaborated with Martel previously, praised her enduring creativity, saying, "Diane is like a 17-year-old girl who never grows up. Her creativity continues to evolve.”
Martel's career began in the late Eighties and early Nineties, where she worked in performance and street art. She was also a dancer and choreographer. One of her early film projects was Reckin' Shop: Live From Brooklyn, a documentary about hip-hop dancers that aired on PBS in 1992. Her influence on the music video landscape will be felt for years to come.