Thirty-five years after being part of the only act to have a Grammy Award revoked, Fab Morvan of Milli Vanilli has received a second Grammy nomination. On Friday, November 7, he secured a nod in the best audio book, narration, and storytelling recording category for his work titled “You Know It’s True: The Real Story of Milli Vanilli.”

Milli Vanilli, the popular pop duo comprising Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus, was honored as the best new artist on February 21, 1990. They triumphed over notable contenders such as Neneh Cherry, Indigo Girls, Soul II Soul, and Tone Loc. The prestigious award was presented by the legendary songwriter Kris Kristofferson and rapper Young M.C., who himself earned a Grammy that evening for best rap performance with his hit “Bust a Move.” The duo's victory was widely anticipated given their immense success; their debut album, “Girl You Know It’s True,” had spent eight weeks atop the Billboard 200 and produced five top-five singles on the Billboard Hot 100: the title track, “Baby Don’t Forget My Number,” “Girl I’m Gonna Miss You,” “Blame It on the Rain,” and “All or Nothing.” They even performed “Girl You Know It’s True” during the live telecast, uniquely making them the sole best new artist nominees to perform on the show that year.

However, whispers had already begun circulating that Morvan and Pilatus might not have actually performed the vocals on their album, suggesting they were hired primarily for their appearance to promote the act's upbeat pop/dance/R&B compositions. Despite the rumors, which were often dismissed as mere jealousy due to the duo’s extraordinary success, the truth eventually came to light. On November 14, 1990, their producer, Frank Farian, publicly confessed that Morvan and Pilatus had not sung on the records and announced their dismissal. Just five days later, the Recording Academy declared that it had revoked the duo’s Grammy Award.

Since that controversial decision, the Recording Academy has largely distanced itself from Milli Vanilli’s history. Attempts to search for Milli Vanilli in the academy’s awards look-up tool yield no results. The official list of best new artist winners skips directly from Tracy Chapman, who won in 1989, to Mariah Carey, who won in 1991. Even today, searching for Pilatus in the look-up tool only indicates that Morvan's new nomination is Pilatus's first, ignoring their previous shared triumph. This stance reflects a form of revisionist history, as the duo undeniably won the award, regardless of the subsequent revelations.

The question often arises as to who might have won the best new artist award had Milli Vanilli not received it. Soul II Soul had a successful night, winning in two categories: best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal for “Back to Life” and best R&B instrumental performance for “African Dance.” Indigo Girls also secured a win for best contemporary folk recording with their album “Indigo Girls.” Tone Loc, another nominee, was recognized for best rap performance for “Funky Cold Medina.”

Looking ahead to February 1, Morvan faces stiff and remarkably diverse competition for his new Grammy. The other nominees in the best audio book, narration, and storytelling recording category include The Dalai Lama for “Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness The Dalai Lama,” U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson for “Lovely One: A Memoir,” comedian and five-time Grammy host Trevor Noah for “Into the Uncut Grass,” and Kathy Garver, known for her role in the 1960s sitcom “Family Affair,” for “Elvis, Rocky & Me: The Carol Connors Story.” Morvan had previously been part of the Grammy conversation last year when the documentary “Milli Vanilli,” directed by Luke Korem and produced by Korem and Bradley Jackson, was submitted for best music film, though it ultimately was not nominated.

While the narrative of Milli Vanilli’s ascent and downfall contains elements that were fodder for endless mockery on shows like “In Living Color” and by talk show hosts such as Arsenio Hall and David Letterman, it is crucial to remember the tragic dimension of the story. Rob Pilatus, one half of the duo, died young in April 1998, in his early 30s, from an accidental alcohol and prescription drug overdose.