Who is Stephanie Mills, who was ready to marry Michael Jackson and continues to defend him? The R&B singer recently said she doesn’t like it ‘when people try to target what he’s built’
- Stephanie Mills, 67, first rose to fame for her role as Dorothy in The Wiz on Broadway before finding chart success with her own R&B hits in the 1980s
- Mills, who says she fell in love with Michael Jackson when they dated, said in a recent interview that he ‘would never do anything to a child’ and has consistently praised him over the years
R&B icon Stephanie Mills, 67, who dated Michael Jackson in the 70s, remains a loyal defender of his legacy despite the allegations made against him over the years. The singer and songwriter, who first rose to fame as Dorothy in Broadway’s The Wiz in 1975, recently told The New York Post, “I loved him … And I don’t like when people try to target what he’s built.”
Mills insists Jackson “would never do anything to a child” and continues to honour his memory on social media, calling him “one of the greatest entertainers in the world”.
Born in Queens and raised in Brooklyn, the sixth of six children, Mills began performing by singing gospel at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Bedford-Stuyvesant, per Blackpast. But who is she exactly? Here’s what you should know about her and her connection to the King of Pop.
Stephanie Mills’ singing career started at the age of 9
Mills entered showbiz at age nine with a role in the 1968 musical Maggie Flynn, according to Rated R&B. But it was her 1975 performance as Dorothy in Broadway’s The Wiz that made her a household name, earning rave reviews and launching her towards stardom.
Broadway success led to a recording career
After her success on Broadway, Mills shifted her focus to making her own music. The 80s saw her rise right to the top, racking up a string of hits, including 13 albums, five No. 1 singles on the R&B charts, and a Grammy Award for best female R&B vocalist in 1981, per Blackpast.
Did Stephanie Mills date Michael Jackson?
Mills and Michael Jackson began dating during her time working on The Wiz. “He was such a king, sweet soul, very gentle,” she said of the musician, according to PrideSource. “We were really friends, which is why I feel the need to defend him if someone says something about him.”