Milli Vanilli’s quick rise to fame ended abruptly when it was revealed that they weren’t the authentic voices behind their top-charting hits. The idea to deceive the public wasn’t theirs; it came from German producer Frank Farian and his partner, Ingrid “Milli” Segieth. Blame it on the Fame: Milli Vanilli delves into their story, showing how their success brought unforeseen consequences.

Seales, 42, exclusively spoke to Blavity about the new podcast series and her motivation to unveil the truth about Pilatus and Morvan’s story. 

“I am wholly committed to the search for truth and justice, particularly when it comes to the exploitation of Black people,” Seales said. “I was shocked to hear the truth about Milli Vanilli, originally believing the story that they were simply fakes tryna come up. To learn the truth of their exploitation by a [white] German record exec was a shock and I felt compelled to be a part of reclaiming their narrative.”

Seales mentioned that because Milli Vanilli’s tale involves complex dynamics between fame, success, and deception, she found that infusing her own wit and humor helped maintain stability within the group’s narrative.

“I think it’s a perfect match. The brilliance of my humor is in its ability to be woven through difficult topics in otherwise folks might run from,” Seales explained. “It also helped that so much of the commentary from those involved was so obliviously self-centered that the jokes write themselves.”

Blame it on the Fame: Milli Vanilli is now accessible on Wondery+. The series will premiere on Amazon Music and all major podcast platforms on Monday, May 13.

Seales aims for listeners of the new podcast series to cultivate a mindset of critical thinking, encouraging them to examine situations from various perspectives rather than accepting information at face value without understanding the intricacies involved.

“I hope that listeners become more interested in asking questions versus simply chomping at the bit at the first mention of scandal. I hope listeners become more aware of the reality that all of us are human and having this human experience. I hope that listeners think twice about discarding folks in the public eye when they fall short of expectation. Yes, they are objects of affection, but ultimately they are not objects. Lastly, I hope listeners clear Milli Vanilli of the stigma that was put upon them by their exploiter who, exercised his colonizer capabilities to the fullest completely at their expense,” she said.