Fab Morvan Sets the Record Straight: Milli Vanilli, the Lies, and Why the Truth Always Wins

0:00You can make people feel uncomfortable when they shine that much. But I remember one instance where someone was very angry and said, you know, one of the reasons why I was hating on you is because you're still fighting for your dream. And I gave up and I was like, wow. And I tell people, it's never too late. There is no time. I try to remove the world turned out of my vocabulary by focusing on now. All I have is now.

0:32Mara:Welcome back to the BillsPod where authenticity trumps authority. Wow, my name is Mara Dorn and I am your host today. But I am fangirling over here because I am coming back to my prime. I am feeling myself. We have the greatest, the best. I mean, I would give you an amazing introduction, but I'm pretty sure everybody knows who Fab Morvan is. I mean, and if you don't know who he is, you really need to figure it out. Like, that's not, you know, I don't feel like I need to give you this. They need to know. They need to know who Fab is. Fab, welcome to the BILF pod. I'm so excited for this. Thank you.

1:08Thank you. Thank you, Mara. It's a pleasure to come here. And I know we're going to have a good time because that introduction was fun. Thank you.

1:16Mara:Oh, my God. If they don't know, should we tell them, girl, you know it's true? Oh, man. I mean, we got girl, you know it's true. We got blaming on the rain. We're going to miss you. Blaming on the girl, you know it's true. I mean, you know, we have all those heads. You know, I just blur them out like that. And I'm sure in their heads there's an echo happening. And they hear it right away. I am amazing. But, you know, the reality is you've had an incredible career. you know, filled with trials, tribulations. But I think the most, I think the most reputable thing about you and the most profound thing is regardless.

1:58Mara:And it was pretty big. I mean, if you don't know what happened, I'm not getting into the whole thing that happened. Cause I don't, I feel like that's just part of the story. That's not the story, but you overcame it. You are doing amazing things, which we'll talk about. You're doing absolutely amazing things. Also, you know, you have an incredible voice, which I think is really important. Let me say that again you have an incredible voice you know so that's I think that's super that is so amazing to highlight but you know really what I want to talk about and I hope it's okay with you is I kind of want to talk about the and I'm sure for you it's kind of is it like a is this like deja vu like the controversy that's going on with this whole concert so I feel like you know like we're here again so I think it's time that you set this record straight because we had some things to talk about let's go let's go let's go well you know I've been a part of a few major storm in my life okay and one of the first one that happened that took me away you know in this path I had no control over and you know when you ran into the game you really don't know how things going to happen you have no you know there was no team around to protect us through the years I went through other storms but this very specific storm regarding freedom 5050 and the 250 year anniversary in washington dc with the state fair that was something else because it was nestled with politics and i understand how politics works and it's it's it's a chess game so So, you know, I didn't want to be a pawn on this equation.

3:44So I bowed down. I bowed out of the equation. I pulled out 100 % out of the way because I felt like I was going towards something that I was not supposed to be part of. You know? As an artist, you're here to entertain. You're here to take people down memory lane. you're here to take them out of their daily lives you're here to shower them with beautiful vibrations and that's what I was planning on doing but when we started to look at what was going on, it looked like a duck it walked like a duck and it was like, well, you know, we can't be part of that you know, we just have to and the thing is, other artists that were part of the bill started walking out early on but i'm not a follower so i had to find out exactly what's going on get the facts right so you don't make any mistakes you know once you're out you're out but once i found out exactly what was going on and what was because you know the media has tendency oftentimes to distort stories and we know right now we use climate everything is distorted left, right, center and people benefit from that let's not forget that controversy sells, people watch DVD you know you have the term clickbait, I like to use that term because it really explains exactly what it is about and there's a lot of that going on right now in the media and now let's not forget that you have all those podcasts and all those other things that are there just to direct traffic their way and try to win this way that's the only way they know how to win you know that's why i'm happy to be here with you because it's about positivity what happened to me in the story people know some people don't and you know and there's a book for that there was a documentary for that there was a movie but we're here to talk about how did i manage to pull through because people fall and you know you make mistakes and that's one of the messages that i like to to convey to people that you can fall, make mistakes, but you can't stand back up.

6:02It's up to you. Take the noise to zero and just go over your bad self, you know, and it's you, yourself, and yourself, me, myself, and I in the journey.

6:13Mara:Yeah, absolutely. No, I think that is one of the, I think that is one of the most amazing parts of your story. And I, and I do think that people forget that it's part of the story. It's not the story. And the media, yeah. And the media loves to make it the story, but that's not the story. It's a part. And I mean, let's, and first of all, I do want to point this out and maybe people are going to get annoyed with me for saying that just going back to the lip singing thing. There are tons of there. I've been at concerts where lip singing was going on. I mean, I don't know why this, this was like such a big, like, wow.

6:46Mara:Oh my God. Like why? This made no sense, but it's the media. It's what they do. They hype up things to make it seem like it was bigger than what it actually was. But do you remember when you used to perform, you're jumping around, you're doing this, you're dancing. It's kind of impossible to do both. So I don't know why this is such a big thing. The thing is, let me take you through the whole gamut. I grew up on Michael Jackson, James Brown, Marvin Gaye. Those are the people that I look up to. And if you look at the level of performances, I've always looked up that. As a kid, I was a dance maker.

7:23So I went to see shows. I've seen shades on Broadway and it's not impossible to sing and dance it just takes a lot of work right now there's another thing that took place through the years music has changed, music has evolved and maybe it has something to do with some of the bands that we used to see jumping on stage and rocking it out and just crazy but maybe age has a tendency to slow people down so maybe now everything is very kind of cruddy-cutter. We don't have the pipes anymore, so maybe we introduce out of tune straight into the microphone. People are doing it, you know, so there's a lot of chips, but I'm not pointing a finger at anybody.

8:11Things do evolve. Technology brings certain facility and ease to make things that were more difficult, more easy for some, but as far as I'm concerned, I feel like to keep it raw is necessary because when you start to use all kinds of tools to mask your energy, you will sever parts of the connection with the audience. But we have in this world we tend to go towards perfection. If something is not perfect, like, oh, no, that's wrong. So if you listen to some records from the 70s and the 80s, you'll hear some of the records like, oh, that was flat. But it was normal. As a matter of fact, the record sound a certain way.

9:04But when you went to see the band live, they sounded amazing and two times better than the record. So that's what I'm saying. It's a sign of the times. Things do change. and as an artist, it's up to you to pick and choose what do you want to be and don't listen to what anybody says. But unfortunately, there is pressure from your handlers, from your management. Now it's got to be perfect. It can't be... It has to be just like the record. And then you fall into backup tape and having your mix and your lead be tucked in on your lead and then you scar through... hmm, then it's got to sound like, and if you make a mistake when you sing, when Mike is here and the voice keeps going, you're like, oh, is he singing?

9:53And the person was singing possibly, but because they have that other lead tucked in under to support the vocals, because if the person is tied, well, it can happen that you won't be perfect. Nothing is perfect.

10:06Mara:Yeah, but let's just do it. I want to hear you sing a little something because I know you could sing. Give me a little something, Fab, just a little. Just let's show these people that had questions about who you are. Anything. What are you working on right now? Give me a little tidbit. Just like a one-liner. No, everything I'm working on right now is top secret. Oh, okay. All right. Take it old school. Take it old school. Let's take it old school. I'll do, Drew, I'm going to miss you because it always works. Every time when you perform this, it's just, wow. I'm excited. Amazing. So, it's a tragedy for me to see.

10:41the dream is over and I never will forget the day we met girl I'm gonna miss you

10:53it's a tragedy for me to see the dream is over and I never will forget the day we met girl I'm gonna miss you

11:14Mara:Oh, my God. I am, like, taking it back to, like, roller skating. I remember roller skating. It was a couple of skates, and I was holding, yeah, it doesn't matter. But, oh, my, just for the record, in case anyone wants to know, Fab can sing. So let's just clear that up right now. And he's amazing. That was incredible. The thing is, I've been touring in Europe for over 30 years. That's the one thing America doesn't know about. So I did about two or three shows already with US because I'm coming back to the American market with the I Love the 90s brand. And I'm also touring with other shows. But the one brand that brought me back to America is I Love the 90s.

11:54And we've got Vanilla Ice, we've got Tone Lope, Young MC, Culling Bad, and Jazzy Jeff on the bill. July 10th, Rockford, Illinois. I'll be there. to entertain you so keep watching my man who doesn't love who doesn't love the 90s music like

12:14Mara:i well obviously you can tell i'm a huge fan of the 90s music but you know at such a young age you faced this controversy right this it was huge i mean it was and i'm sure i don't i don't remember because i was so young and as and you were young when this happened how did you not let it define you? Like, how were you able to like come back from it? Well, you know, it took some time for me to not let it define me. Because at first, you know, I was new to the game and I really had no tools to know how to handle it. So, you know, you learn the hard way. I started thinking of books about self-improvement.

12:56also I had gone to rehab as well and in rehab I talked to psychiatrists and people that were really knowledgeable about addiction I was not necessarily an addict but I went there to support Rob who was definitely an addict but in the process of going to rehab I learned a lot of things and I walked away with those tools and kind of further my education on the issue and it made me better and year after year I got better but the one thing that got me to survive is music because through music I was able to to take that pain that solo that pressure that I had felt and write about it so then because I was making music I wrote first because I like to write text first it's one of the systems that I use I write the text and then I go into the music So I was working with various producers and then some of the songs came to life.

13:59Some of them, they didn't. But for the most part, the exercise of just writing lyrics and songs and making music gave me then the confidence to go further. It was very therapeutic and it helped me on the journey. And I think that everyone has to do the work. And that was part of the work that I was forced to do. And that felt like as I was getting better with the music, I felt better at the same time. So I always say music saved my life. It truly, truly did.

14:33Mara:I mean, it's kind of ironic if you really think about it, the irony. Music almost ended your life. And then as far as like your career, not your life, but, you know, your career. And then music is what got you through everything. So, I mean, I think like when you really think about it, it's like it's really irony when you think about it. it is I'll tell you another one you know I when we talk about ironic is that I did a commercial for a very big company I won't say the name and then at the end of the filming in the car the person asked me so what do you think you want to be known for and I said hmm for being one of the most the realist because that's the one thing that's one of the misconceptions with news is that people have no idea that I am one of the most realest person you'll ever meet.

15:25Yeah. So when you have this dichotomy with, you know, oh, I'm really, you know, not real or whatever, but I'm one of the realest. And that's why 2026 is such an important year because I'm going to release music. I'm going to release an EP. And once this EP comes out, I'm going to be releasing EPs after EP, single after single. We're not going to stop because finally now I'm at a place where I'm putting the pieces together and oh man, once we start we're not going to stop. But I've been sitting on a lot of music but sometimes you have to wait for things to evolve and the industry has evolved so now you can actually release your song.

16:15Now you don't have to sign through a label. so you can sign through the studio and then you're in control of releasing whenever you want, whatever you like, and bring people into your musical universe. So I look forward to doing that this year to be continued.

16:33Mara:And you're just, I mean, think about it this way too. You know, allow, which I think you have by now. How old, what were you in your 20s when you first came to the US and you were singing? And what were you, really? How old were you? I was about 23 or something. And I'll tell you something. 23 years old. A baby. I was 23 years. And let me tell you how new we were to this world. When I stepped out of it, when I was driving in the lunatic, you know, towards downtown, we heard Milli Vanelli on the radio, on three radio stations. We turned it. Wow. We were losing our mind. It was such a shock, right?

17:15And as we were driving down the street and we were now in New York, I opened the windows and I was wondering, why are the streets so quiet? Because I grew up watching American movies with the sound, extra sound, you know, the sound that's added in post. And I thought in my head that that's how it sounded. so the streets were sounding so quiet that's how new and so naive we were robbing that we thought everything that we have seen in movies definitely we were about to meet so when we went back to New York we were introduced to that crazy energy that New York has and the people and we just embraced it because it was so fresh and we met a lot of amazing people.

18:13And so many people that we met in the street gave you so much energy that in the night when we went on stage, you were like, wow, this is nothing but love. But eventually that love turned to something else. And that was a tough part, to go from one end of the spectrum to go to the other, and not knowing how to deal with it. And that was triggered by what was the media, by the narrative, because there was only one part of the narrative being told. Of course, because it sells more. It's more sensational. So the fault and the blame was placed on robbing fouls. So it took years, years of work, of performing, of working.

19:01And you know, the best work you can make is when nobody's watching. And that work that you pull in when nobody's watching, that's the most important. So I never did anything for anyone else but myself and my career. Now it's different because I want four kids to the same woman. I'm very proud of it. And now I do everything but them. So I have an unlimited amount of energy. And with this being said, I feel like, you know, when you're young, you are unstoppable. and it's just it comes with you you just and after all those years I'm so surprised to see how unstoppable I feel

19:45Mara:and especially what's happening in 2026 coming back to America performing live reintroduce myself to the audience to the media and and not only just performing but but doing a great job and I can't wait for people to come and I hope one of these days you can come city show because I don't play. You know, I give my all. And the energy that people are used to when it comes to Northern Italy and what they saw in the videos, that energy is right there. To the nod. You know, I think, you know, I think, again, you know, the irony of this is, and we were talking about this the first time we spoke, is that, you know, it's almost like you have something to prove.

20:32Mara:so now like you you know the world had one misconception now you get to come back and be like okay i got you you think i can't think you want to but here i am today no no but there's a but you know i i study that very carefully uh for example when it came to the producer you know i felt like i had that that anger towards the producer towards all the people that that abused us. We spoke badly about us. The people who bullied us. And I had to forgive them first. I had to learn to forgive others. And when I was able to forgive, I was able to start over and fresh. Now, I don't try to prove anything to anybody else.

21:18The only person that I'm trying to prove something to is myself. To know that originally you made a mistake, you failed, but year after year, you've proven yourself that you could do this from the start. And that really frees you from this emotional entanglement that you could find yourself into because emotions are complicated and people's energy and dealing with online personalities who have issues as well. And I found myself sometimes confrontive. It's very rare, but I remember one instance where someone was very angry. And then I don't react to people like that, but some of my fans came up with this person.

22:06And then a few days later, I didn't take him out because I don't take him out and give him there and let him be. And then they came back to the senses and said, you know, one of the reasons why I was hating on you is because you're still fighting for your dream. and I gave up and I was like, wow. And you can make people feel uncomfortable when you shine that much, when you take the chances and others don't think there's chances because, and I tell people, it's never too late. You know, just, you know, gather yourself together. I like to say there is no time. You know, there's people you have now, you have past, you have present.

22:54But for me, I try to remove the word turn out of my vocabulary by focusing on now. All I have is now. So in the now, I make my decisions. Tomorrow, maybe, no. Like right now, so when I'm talking to you right now, in the now, when I speak about what I want to do, you know I'm connecting the doubts you know I'm solidifying my situation in the near future because what you do is in the now you put those dots and those dots will connect eventually and I feel like people who look too much into the future you know there's a word for that procrastinating you know you have to do it now you know it's like I've seen this thing where I forget the name of that this person but she was saying that there was a time when she was so depressed and dead that she couldn't get up but then she watched the departure of a second light to space and there was a countdown 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0 and she devised a system where she would say 5, 4, 3 3, 1, 0 and that prompted her brain to just let me get out of bed.

24:22And I feel like, you know, I've come up with some tools that I've been able to use in my life daily that have allowed me to deal with that depression and with that, oh, I have more energy for that. And doubt, because doubt, everybody will doubt. You know, it happens to the best of us, but you have to find a way to center yourself. Find a way to center yourself and say, Like, you know what? Forget the fear. Go forward and just go. You know? So I had to learn the hard way because, man, it felt like Rob and I, there were two kids in the playground, but the playground was the planet, and we were being bullied by the planet.

25:08So it took a lot of effort, and that allowed me to just self-improve. And all the gains that I've made, I made sure to keep them. And that's the reason why people wonder, now you feel so happy. I said, yeah, I found what I love. I love making music. I love creating. I love inspiring others. I am the frequency modulator. FM. I'm here to inspire.

25:34Mara:Listen, there's two types of people, right? There's two types of mindsets. There's an open mindset and a closed mindset. Closed mindset are the people that are like, they're the victims. They're always the victims. Then you have the people that are, you know, they're a part of the victim. They're not victims themselves. So you take what you learned and you can use that negative energy and you can use it to propel yourself forward or you can take that negative energy and be angry. And what you said at the beginning, you were like, you know what I took, I had to first forgive everybody else. But you're right.

26:07Mara:The only person that you have to ever prove yourself to is yourself because you come in to this life with yourself and you lead this life with yourself. And as long as you allow yourself grace and as long as you know who you are, your eternal authentic self, it really doesn't matter what everybody else thinks, which is kind of funny because I do want to bring this up. We have to, we, I have to address this because it really made me mad when I heard about this. So first of all, I'm just going to, so rumor on the street is that there are these women that swear they, that they're Milli Vanilli. So I really have an issue with this, that 30 years later, some ladies are coming out saying that they're really the vocals behind everything.

26:49Mara:So I do want to on air offer them a job, Fab. If they are that desperate for work, I am happy because I'm hiring right now. So if they need to work, I am happy to do that for them because 30 years later, they come out and say, oh, we're really the vocals. That's a little problematic for me. Let's cover that. So we're talking about, you know, it's funny because we're talking about background singers. I've never heard of background singers acting as if they were the lead to begin with. Now it's a twin pair. But in reality, it's one of them that is pushing this specific agenda. Maybe because here's a business that's an issue to push.

27:32But let's talk about this. I've been performing in Europe for over 30 years. I've never heard of this person performing with the rest of the group. The first time I heard that she was performing with the group was about 32 or 33 years ago when Frank Farring decided to take the members, all the people who sang on the record in the studio. He was trying to prove a point, right? After that, I've never heard of this person. But she's been trying on the internet to talk smack, and I call that clickbait. If you think about Milli Vanilli to finish, you think about two shadows, two shadows with long hair, and it's Rob and Fowl and nobody else.

28:24Whatever you can think of, whatever, oh, they didn't sing, no. Milli Vanilli is Rob and Fowl. As a matter of fact, I've been granted the rights to perform and use the name Millievin' N when I perform live. For the promotion, for the posters. Nobody else has the right to perform under the name Millievin' N. So I don't know what she's talking about, but again, you know.