Photo Credit: Hannibal Matthew
Laurieann Gibson is one of the best choreographers in the game – period.
From a technical and creative standpoint, Laurieann’s ability to capture the essence of an artist lands her in the upper-echelon of influential choreographers.
And with influence comes controversy.
Laurieann is the mastermind behind Lady Gaga’s most shocking performances, including her controversial video “Alejandro” and Nicki Minaj’s jaw-dropping Grammy performance.
Being the creative force behind of Nicki Minaj’s “Roman Holiday” performance, Laurieann is finally speaking out against those who call the performance sacrilegious and reveals her inspiration behind “Roman Holiday.”
Check out our exclusive interview below!
GlobalGrind: What was your inspiration behind creating Nicki Minaj’s Grammy performance?
Laurieann Gibson: It started with Nicki wanting Roman to be exorcised. Once she gave me that, I just went to work. I had to also consider that Nicki was working with Hype Williams on a video to accompany the performance, which was basically based on the 1973 classic The Exorcist. I never watched The Exorcist as a child because it scared the boots off of me, so I looked to the House of Borghese and the Vatican for inspiration. The rich colors and that architectural world provided so much theatrical inspiration that I could use to bring the idea to life.
What do you say to the Catholic Church and other religious figures who feel “Roman Holiday” is blasphemous, sacrilegious, or disrespectful towards their beliefs?
I say, take a closer look. I personally chose to stay away from any religious moves. There were no crosses. There were no religious symbols. We made sure we were very respectable. The bishop was a symbolic figurehead. He was not intended to be viewed in a negative light, but in a position of authority instead.
What goes behind choreographing a huge number like a Grammy performance?
First of all, there is much more than the choreography. It’s the stage design, props, wardrobe, lighting, etc. All of the components must come together within a common vision or an underlying story or theme to be effective.
The choreography enhances and compliments all of the other elements, as do all of the other elements enhance and compliment the choreography.
The choreography evolves for me from the sonic inspiration of the song. To me, this was such a great song with a heavy beat and a strong verbal assassination by Nicki and it was this that drove the choreography.
Is there a difference behind the creative process of choreographing a video vs. a live performance?
The creative process is not much different between creative directing and choreographing a video as compared to a live performance – the difference is in the production. There are different creative elements that need to be executed and these will vary between a video and live performance.
Lady Gaga’s “Alejandro” received a little backlash for is perceived blasphemous messages, did you expect the same controversy to be surrounded around “Roman Holiday?”
I didn’t have any preconceived notions of anyone finding anything blasphemous about this performance. I just think that any performance that borrows from this type of Catholic imagery alongside pop music just does. It happens that you don’t get press on the other stuff. As far as the theatrical and dramatic performance, it’s entertainment.
Have you spoken to Nicki or given her any advice on how to deal with the criticism?
Nicki can handle herself – this isn’t her first encounter with criticism. Any advice that I may have given her is that not to take any of the negativity on, because there will always be someone with something to say.
What sets artists like Nicki Minaj and Lady Gaga apart from other artists?
I would say their boldness and their willingness to want to go to another level. They don’t shy away from controversy – their aim is to give their fans a great unique experience that is reflected by their performance and their music.
What is Laurieann Gibson working on next?
I am excited about working with the Korean K-Pop band Big Bang. It’s the first time Live Nation is backing a K-Pop group to bring them to the world and I will be creatively directing their comeback tour. I will also be continuing to work with Nicki and am looking forward to working with Katy Perry again. Lots is on the horizon – I am also excited about being a judge on season 2 of the Canadian show – Canada Sings, which is a hugely popular national show that has a great positive spin to it.
