Michael Jackson ‘In The Closet’ With Madonna & Naomi
From the outset Michael Jackson’s next single was never intended to just be a radio friendly creation. With the provocative title, ‘In the Closet’, Michael Jackson decided to, once again, use the years of gossip headlines and controversy that followed him for his own commercial advantage, that had proven successful with ‘Black or White’. This time he alluded to the very public speculation over his sexuality, knowing the press attention this would cause. Producer, Teddy Riley, commenting, “this is some of Michael’s more explicit material, in terms of lyrical content.”
Jackson also intended to up the ante on this track by setting his sights on the master of media hype and somewhat pop rival, Madonna. Who was at the very peak of her pop powers at this time and whose musical involvement would only heighten public interest in the song. Having just vogued her way around the world on the iconic Blond Ambition Tour, all conical bras, catholic imagery, hip thrusting and simulated masturbation. She said, “He wanted to write a song with me, and I was curious. He played me a bit of music, it was a very unfinished track and he said that he wanted to call the song In the Closet, and I said, ‘Really’?”
Given the position Madonna was in at the time, slap bang in between the Justify My Love furore and right before Erotica and the Sex book, it is probably not surprising that she didn’t want to just tease the audience with a provocative title but take it up a notch. Madonna said in a 1991 interview; “The thing is, I’m not going to get together and do some stupid ballad or love duet — no one’s going to buy it, first of all. I said, ‘Look, Michael, if you want to do something with me, you have to be willing to go all the way or I’m not going to do it’.”
With a sense of gusto, Madonna claimed that she came onto the musical collaboration with clear ideas on the track’s direction, including more sexually provocative lyrics and a video concept that would require Michael Jackson to cut his hair as well as present himself in drag. But when she expressed these ideas to Jackson, he deemed them to be far too provocative and in turn cancelled the whole idea of a collaboration.
However, Jackson would continue working on the track, that appeared on the album albeit without Madonna. Sung as a duet with a female, called ‘Mystery Girl’ on the album cover. The elusive move was an attempt to conjure up rumours that Jackson was in fact having a secret affair with an unnamed lover, in tune with the lyrical content of the song. The vocals were actually that of Stéphanie from Monaco. With Michael Jackson seeking a very particular voice and having had the opportunity to hear Princess Stéphanie of Monaco sing, invited the princess to come and record the spoken verses in the song.
The initial project, according to Stéphanie of Monaco, was to open a competition after the release of the single with this question, ‘Who is the mysterious girl?’. The project was later abandoned, but the album and the booklets having already been pressed and printed, meant that Stéphanie of Monaco was never credited for her duet with Michael Jackson.
Instead of both artists appearing in the track’s accompanying music video, Michael Jackson enlisted Naomi Campbell to make an appearance as his object of desire for the shoot. An offer the highly in demand supermodel initially refused due to her packed-out fashion week schedule during the time of shooting. However, she later agreed once Michael convinced her by announcing he would repay her for all the fees she would have earned over fashion week.
To heighten the stakes, world-renowned fashion photographer, Herb Ritts, was enlisted to co-direct the music video, with Jackson due to direct for the first time, after shooting Madonna’s ‘Cherish’ and Janet Jackson’s ‘Love With Never Do (Without You)’ videos. Having worked together before, Michael Jackson recreated the slick down ponytail and minimalistic attire he wore during his last Herb Ritts shoot, that appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone in January 1992. The location chosen was the Californian desert, where a whole Spanish style church left in ruins was constructed out of Styrofoam. The film was shot in sepia tone and its setting reflected the sparse and steamy nature of the track.
Naomi Campbell was instructed by the director to dance, caress and gyrate all over the characteristically shy Michael Jackson throughout the shoot. Campbell, who had long admired Jackson having listened to his music since being a child, had no problem getting hot and heavy with the King of Pop while filming. Herb Ritts was keen to push Michael, for him to express the sexual nature of the song and break away from his Peter Pan image. However, the video shoot was reportedly cut short when Michael Jackson refused to continue after the supermodel aggressively came onto him off camera.
The video’s world premiere took place on April 23rd, 1992, on the Fox network and cable’s MTV and BET. The video was the centrepiece of a “planetary premiere’. Which meant it would be shown on MTV Europe, MTV Brazil and MTV Asia all at the same time, as well as a whole evening of Michael Jackson programming including scenes from the ‘My Dinner with Michael’ party that — concluded the taping in the desert. Reviews the next day commended the song itself, but were predictably confused by Jackson’s change in image, questioning whether the song’s title meant it really was about an affair between a man and a woman.
The provocative title and its accompanying steamy video caused controversy when the video was banned by the South African government. The government’s Directorate of Publications saying the lyrics of 15 songs on Jackson’s latest album were considered undesirable. The government-run South African Broadcasting Corp. said the Jackson video was “of a very sensual nature which could offend viewers” and therefore the video will not be allowed for broadcasting.