Dev Gregory remained in the background of the entertainment world as a dancer in a female impersonator review for the latter half of the 90s. But at the turn of the century, she transitioned from the sidelines to the spotlight as Michael Jackson impersonator herself. After watching videos both in real-time and slow motion and spending hours in front of the mirror honing both her moves and her make-up, the trained ballerina was able move toward the forefront. Gregory has graced stages from California to India in the past 10 years, but has seen ups and downs—citing Jackson’s legal drama as a low and his passing as a high. “I attended Michael’s arraignment and all the fans were invited to Neverland [Ranch],” she says of a career highlight. Though Gregory says Jackson’s mother Katherine stopped her limo to do a double take, his animals weren’t fooled. “When I went to visit his giraffe, he ran towards me. When I was discovered as an impostor he threw his head back and turned away,” Gregory says. But others aren’t turning away from Gregory, whose rates range from $400 to $3,000—she says the amount of work has increased substantially. The surge, she says, is bittersweet for the impersonator who dropped to the floor and sobbed for hours when she found out the man she’s studied for a decade passed away. “I want to honor him by paying tribute, but feel so sad that he is no longer with us,” Gregory says.
Courtesy of Dev Gregory
What began as childhood idolatry turned into a professional traveling theatrical performance for Britain’s Nick Hayne, who has taken his two-hour tribute show The Michael Jackson Experience all over his home country and other European locations from private parties to clubs to outdoor festivals. A Jackson fan since age five, Hayne’s adoration turned into diligent practice. “I started dancing all the time, every single day until about the age of 17 when we formed the The MJX,” he says of his show, which now costs about $1,000 per hour. Though he may not be the best look-a-like, Hayne says he’s mastered the moves. “I don’t believe the quality of someone’s show should be judged upon the shape of their nose,” he says. “I try my best to resemble Michael Jackson but the real similarity is in the dancing.” His expert footwork stood out to the Jackson family, for whom he has performed, and has received messages of support from Jackson’s former make-up artist and his sister Janet Jackson. Though he never had the pleasure of meeting the King of Pop himself, Hayne says, “I felt as though I knew him in my own way through studying books, videos, concerts, interviews, etc.” His death, therefore, hit home. “It felt like I had lost a part of my childhood because he was such a big influence on me growing up. I think to this day the news has yet to fully sink in.” Hayne had tickets to multiple nights of Jackson’s This Is It tour at London’s O2 Arena, but now knows it wasn’t meant to be. He didn’t have much time to grieve because The MJX must go on, especially considering the constant calls he’s received since the news broke. “The last thing we want people to think is that we are cashing in, but at the same time, we can’t avert the honor of performing to Michael Jackson fans.”
Courtesy of Subject
The Vegas vaudeville show at the Mirage, which now features a “Mini MJ,” costing the show’s creator, Jim Beacher, $2,500 plus expenses. “I have always had a Michael Jackson in the show,” Beacher said. “But since the guy died people want to see the impersonators more than ever.”
Donnie Davis
Though Virginia-born Kim Maurice was picked on as a child for looking like Michael Jackson, she recently learned how to parlay her childhood taunts into a moneymaker. She discovered her talent for impersonating Jackson about five years ago, though the pop star had always had a special place in her heart. “I remember coming home from school and begging my mom to put on ‘Thriller,’” she says. Now, the New York-based Maurice performs “Thriller” and various other Jackson favorites via telegram, club events, and birthday parties. The actress spent a lot of time watching Jackson videos, listening to his music and “detailing his look, almost to a science.” She says her approach from the character sense allows her to truly “ bring Michael Jackson to the party.” One of Maurice’s appearances could cost anywhere from $100 to $250 per hour and are in high demand these days, since Jackson’s death. “People have rediscovered their love of him and he’s coming sort of like a phoenix out of the dust,” Maurice says, though she admits the King of Pop’s death caused her to face some hard questions. “Up until his passing, my performances had been a celebration. But since then, it has definitely involved into a tribute to his memory,” she says, noting she’s been subconsciously wearing more black to events than usual. But, especially now, Maurice calls impersonating Jackson an honor. “He literally crossed all barriers—black and white, young and old, male and female. No one can touch that,” she says.
Courtesy of Subject
The 30-year-old blackjack dealer turned impersonator worked tirelessly to perfect Michael Jackson’s moves, surrounding himself with mirrors to do so. “Michael Jackson is the greatest,” says the military brat who performed at the Imperial Palace until recently. “I love what he stands for,” Firestone continued. “I always knew he was innocent and so do the fans.”
Imperial Palace
Perhaps one of Jackson’s most well-known tribute artists, Navi, based in the U.K., has performed in 57 different countries across five continents in his 21-year career. “I suppose I could easily be the most famous person for being someone else,” he says with a chuckle. What grew out of childhood fandom turned into the opportunity of a lifetime for Navi, who says he’s “the world’s number one Michael Jackson impersonator.” And he may have the resume to back up such a claim—not only did Navi perform for Jackson himself on multiple occasions, but he also worked as a decoy for the star for several years. The highlight of his career came when Jackson told him he was a “great dancer,” which was a great compliment for the performer who takes his work very seriously. “Too many people are just throwing on a jacket and call themselves a tribute artist,” explains Navi, who seems to be on the other end of the spectrum. “I’ve had surgery,” he admitted to BBC. “You can’t roll out of bed and look like Michael Jackson.” But that work comes with a high cost—Navi’s appearances range from $1,500 to $15,000. Still, he says, it’s not about the money, but rather the preservation of the King of Pop’s memory since his passing, which left the performer devastated. “People don't clap with their hands anymore,” he says, “but with their hearts.”
Courtesy of Subject
As Michael Jackson continued to ride out the success of his sixth solo album, Thriller, 16-year-old Joby Rogers was unknowingly beginning his career at Connecticut’s New Britain High School prom in 1984. Rogers’ friends asked him to impersonate the famed artist and were blown away by his likeness. He began booking shows for a local restaurant and was soon hired to appear as the King of Pop at birthday parties, for which he made $35 an hour. Soon thereafter, Rogers entered a Michael Jackson look-a-like dance contest at Weaver High School in Hartford and won the first place title along with $1,000. “It was then I realized I could make money at something I truly enjoyed doing,” Rogers said, soon landing his first weekly gig as Jackson tribute artist at New York’s off-Broadway club Café Society. He continued to perfect his performance, which paid off when famed photographer David LaChapelle chose him to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone and Jackson himself selected Rogers as “his number one choice” of over 100 of his top impersonators. He has also taken his act to various talk shows, arenas, casinos, and college campuses from Alaska to China over his 25-year career as well as performed for celebrities from B.B. King to Cyndi Lauper. But on June 25th, Rogers’ career came to a halt upon learning of Jackson’s death via endless text messages. “It really felt like I lost a sibling,” he says. “The journeys I’ve taken, the places I’ve seen, the friends I’ve made along the way, would never have been possible if not for this caring, loving, inspirational, giving human being.” In the months that followed, Rogers has been inundated with support from friends and fans from all over the world and as well as calls via his agency, Bubby Gram requesting performances, which begin at $800 per hour and are now “much more emotional for myself and the fans” he says. “The world has never seen anything like Michael Jackson,” Rogers recalls. “And never again will this planet be graced by the presence of such a profound talent.”
Courtesy of Rolling Stone
Florida-based Danny Ware seems far more nonchalant about Michael Jackson than the rest of the tribute artists out there. Sticking solely to the pop star’s 80s era, Ware found that his ability to sing like Jackson could turn into a profitable skill. A mechanic by day, Ware began performing as Jackson in 1995, when he was called to the stage to perform karaoke. Friends were blown away by the similarities in his voice to the real Jackson’s and encouraged him to purchase a fedora, attach a ponytail, and don a white t-shirt and some black slacks and take his show on the karaoke road. Ware performed at nearly 20 venues and eventually won top prize at a copycat karaoke event. He then took his show to the Sterling Cruise line, which also recognized the unmistakable likeness in his voice. “People say I sound just like the CDs,” Ware says. Still, he’s shocked by his ability to move an audience. “People cry,” he says incredulously of his show, which he’s taken to birthdays, wedding, and other events in the South and soon to New York, costing anywhere from $650 to $3,000. Though Ware says he’s having fun, he still maintains his sense of self. “People tell me, ‘Michael passed, but I’ll be able to see him through you’ or ‘You are Michael now,’” Ware recalls of fans’ responses after Jackson’s death. “I’m a fan of Mike, but he was a human being just like everybody else. I’m not Michael Jackson, I’m Danny.”
Courtesy of Subject
The Las Vegas-based performer currently takes the Stratosphere Hotel & Casino stage as Michael Jackson in “American Superstars.” Henry has toured as the King of Pop internationally since 1998, but notes that Jackson’s death has made him “hot again.” The Stratosphere, for example, now features “Tribute to the Legend, Michael” in the “American Superstars” show, for which Henry spends 90 minutes in make up.
AP Photo
Though she’s now proud to be the Middle East’s only female Michael Jackson impersonator, the King of Pop’s dancing skills did not always come easily to 26-year-old Talar Soghomonian. The Lebanese-Armenian professional basketball player’s love for Jackson began at a very young age, but despite her early efforts to master his signature dancing style, Soghomonian wasn’t able to do so until a sleep-induced vision at 12. “I saw him in my dream. He held my hand, took me to the dance floor in his house and taught me how to dance,” she recalls. Upon waking at 6 the next morning, Soghomonian turned on “Billie Jean” and started dancing just like the man she’d been trying to emulate. After years of performing for family and friends, she eventually moved onto larger events. But Soghomonian has never asked for compensation in return. “I hate people who used Michael money. They killed him. Mine is not business,” she says indignantly of her tribute work. “It is love.” When she learned of the pop star’s death via a text message from a friend in California, Soghomonian felt like her initial miracle Michael Jackson dream had turned into a nightmare. She couldn’t sleep for two days and says she “cannot accept” his passing, dispute months of mourning. She believes it was the physical stress and the pressure Jackson put on himself to perform that lead to his untimely passing. “In my opinion, this tour killed him,” she says. “‘This Is It’ turned into ‘This Is Not.’”
Courtesy of Subject
Though the impersonator from French Guyana says he previously worshipped the ground John Travolta walked on, seeing Michael Jackson’s music video for “Billie Jean” 23 years ago changed Rolando Chretien’s life forever. He both dances and sings live during his nearly quarter-century long career, which has brought him to stages not only in his home country, but to Suriname, Brazil, Martinique, and France. Chretien says his facial similarities to Jackson are natural and that the likenesses go on from there—their self-proclaimed “androgynous” appearance, coming from a family of six brother and three sister, the middle name Joseph, and their love of children. One time, in fact, a woman stopped Chretien on the road so that she could take a picture him and her child. His life has revolved around the King of Pop to just an extent that he compared Jackson’s passing to September 11th—he asked his girlfriend to leave him along and didn’t talk or eat for the entire day, he says. Though his initial reaction to Jackson’s death was to stop his career as an impersonator, encouragement from friends and family allowed him to continue. Still, he says, “It’s not easy.”
Courtesy of Subject
