Diane Martel
American music video director (1962–2025)
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Diane Martel (May 7, 1962 – September 18, 2025) was an American music video director and choreographer. As a music video director, she worked with Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Ciara, Sting and Jennifer Lopez.[1] One of her most well-known videos was for "Blurred Lines" (2013) by Robin Thicke featuring T.I. & Pharrell.[2]
Diamond Martel
- Film director
- choreographer
Diane Martel | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 7, 1962 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | September 18, 2025 (aged 63) New York City, U.S. |
| Other names | Bucky Chrome Diamond Martel |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1989–2025 |
| Relatives | Joseph Papp (uncle) |
Early life
Martel was born in Brooklyn, New York City, on May 7, 1962.[3] Her uncle was theatre producer and director Joseph Papp.[3]
Career
Martel began her career as a street artist after dropping out of high school, and soon became a choreographer.[3] Her first film-based projects in the early 1990s were dance-focused documentaries, including 1992's Wreckin' Shop: Live from Brooklyn,[3] funded by the National Endowment for the Arts aired on the Public Broadcasting Service.[4]
Martel began directing music videos in the early 1990s, beginning with "Throw Ya Gunz" by Onyx.[3] Martel was creative director of Miley Cyrus's MTV Video Music Awards performance with Robin Thicke, the 2013 video for Cyrus's song "We Can't Stop", and her subsequent Bangerz Tour.[5] Martel had also directed the 2013 video for Thicke's song "Blurred Lines". Both the song and the video were accused of misogyny. Martel defended the video, saying she intended it to be satirical: "[The women in the video] are actually ridiculing the men. It's hysterical".[3] Martel's career spanned more than thirty years, concluding with the video for "Ecstasy" by Ciara, released in April 2025.[3]
In 2022, Martel was the Harlan J. Strauss Visiting Filmmaker at the University of Oregon.[6]
Death
Martel died of breast cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, on September 18, 2025, at the age of 63.[7] She never married and had no children.[3]
Credits
Choreographer
- 1989: Bloodhounds of Broadway – film
- 1991: "Shiny Happy People" – R.E.M. music video, directed by Katherine Dieckmann[8]
- 1993: Life with Mikey – feature film directed by James Lapine
Documentary director
- 1990: House of Tres – short documentary on voguing in the New York ballroom scene[9]
- 1992: Reckin' Shop: Live From Brooklyn – PBS documentary about hip-hop dancers in Brooklyn[10]
Music video director
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
| Year | Video | Artist | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | My Love | Jack Gilinsky featuring Don Toliver | [80] |
| 2021 | Obsessed | Addison Rae | [81] |
| Billy Goodbye | Franz Ferdinand (co-directed with Alex Kapranos & Ben Cole) | ||
| Make Some Money | Fabolous & Dave East featuring Snoop Dogg | [82] | |
| 2022 | Grace | Marcus Mumford | [83] |
| Ojala | Maluma, the Rudeboyz and Adam Levine | [84] | |
| 2023 | Lifeline | Alicia Keys | |
| 2025 | Ecstasy | Ciara |
Awards
Martel was nominated for the following MTV Video of the Year awards:
- 2000 for "What a girl wants" by Christina Aguilera[85]
- 2013 for "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke feat. Pharrell & T.I.[86]
