Gotta blame it on Netflix. Grammy-winning producer/composer NomaD has put a fresh spin on Milli Vanilli‘s legendary 1989 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Blame It on the Rain,” giving the song an updated island vibe groove to go with his gritty lead vocals.
“Loving NomaD’s new version of ‘Blame It on the Rain.’ Gotta blame it on something,” said the tune’s songwriter, 14-time Oscar nominee Diane Warren of the track given a refresh by the artist born Damon Elliott, son of music legend Dionne Warwick. The song has blown up once again thanks to its prominent placement in the hit Netflix drama Monster: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.
The latest installment in Ryan Murphy’s Monsters series led to a 68% increase in streaming activity for “Blame It on the Rain,” in the period between Sept. 13-16, with equally impressive bumps for MV songs “Girl You Know It’s True” and “Girl I’m Gonna Miss You,” after the band’s three biggest hits were heavily featured in the first episode — whose title was also a nod to “Rain.”
“Rain” was popularized by German pop duo Milli Vanilli, whose Fab Morvan makes a cameo in a video posted by NomaD on Thursday (Oct. 3) hyping his remake. “NomaD is in the house, Fab is in the house, we about to make history bro,” says Morvan, sitting at a recording console in a studio with NomaD behind the mic. “You know I’m ready for this man, let’s go,” responds NomaD, as Morvan cues up the song and Warren wanders and waves to the singer in a sweet, blink-and-you-missed-it cameo.
Milli Vanilli shot to global fame in the late 1980s with a trio of Hot 100 No. 1 hits before being embroiled in a lip synching scandal that resulted in their best new artist Grammy Award being revoked, marking the first time in history that the Recording Academy took back a Grammy. The duo — which also included late member Rob Pilatus — were the subject of director Luke Korem’s Milli Vanilli 2023 biopic, which in a poignant twist of fate has been submitted for considering in the best film category for the Feb. 4, 2025 Grammy Awards; this writer appears in the film but was not involved in the production or marketing.
Listen to NomaD’s “Blame It on the Rain” below.
