Music Features

Navi

Navi's the Man in the Mirror!

Clubbers in Luton will be able to witness the man described as the world's no. 1 Michael Jackson impersonator this month, when Navi does his act at the Liquid Envy club in Gordon Street.

But this is no ordinary tribute act, for Navi has gone to extremes to make sure that he gives the most accurate representation possible of the King of Pop by having plastic surgery to make his features look as close to the real thing as possible!

In 17 years as an impersonator, Navi, who is originally from Trinidad and Tobago, has performed on five continents, in over 33 countries and at least 80 major cities worldwide.

Navi with Michael

His work has also led him to be employed by companies such as MTV, Sony Music, Coca Cola, Vodafone, and Virgin Mega-stores and he has made adverts, appeared in films and done stints in pop videos. He has also worked as a decoy to protect Michael from his hoards of fans.

As well as his numerous club appearances, one of his latest ventures will be to appear in "Thriller: The Musical" at London's Dominion Theatre for one night only at the end of August.

But in Navi's list of achievements nothing ranks higher than working for Michael Jackson himself, which he has also done on several occasions. One of these was as the opening act at Michael's birthday party during August 2003 in Los Angeles, where his performance received a standing ovation from Jackson himself. The following day Navi was invited to visit Michael's home 'Neverland Ranch', which he says is one of his most memorable experiences to date.

He told us what clubbers can expect to see when he performs at Liquid, how he became an impersonator and all about meeting the man himself.

You have been described as the world's No. 1 Michael Jackson impersonator. How do you become that?

Navi

Navi: I think I'm described as that because I've performed in 39 different countries on five continents and done over 200 international shows. I now do around 125-150 shows a year. As a Jackson impersonator, it is such a brand, that you are sometimes bigger than other big artists!

What can people expect from your "act"?

Navi: It's the visual impact of the Michael Jackson "magic", the energy, and the visual strength of the Jackson show. I do songs like Thriller, Billie Jean, Black or White and dance to them, sometimes with other dancers, and the costumes are replicas of those that he's worn.

I will be doing my club style at Liquid which will be up tempo and visually very strong, but I also do a cabaret type show, which is more intimate. Different places require different shows and I think that's why I am so busy because I can adapt.

Do you sing as well?

Navi: Well, we sing a long with it. We have mikes and it looks and sounds live but I have to be honest, it's not 100 per cent live because it's difficult to sing and do a performance at the same time.

It's a Michael Jackson experience, the Michael Jackson effect - the strength and vision - it's the closest thing to him but not as good!

That's very modest of you! How did you become a Michael Jackson impersonator?

Navi: When I first came over from Trinidad in the late 70s / early 80s it was Jackson mania everywhere. It was around the time of the Thriller album etc. and it really gripped me but I was just a fan who didn't know anything about the tribute world. Then I did the make up one day and started working as a lookalike.

Then I had an injury and broke my nose and had reconstructive surgery for that. After I had that done, I realised that plastic surgery would be no different so I went down that route to look more like Michael.

So, how many operations have you had?

Navi: I will say I've had a "few" operations since then, more than one, but they have taken my work and my strength as an impersonator to different levels.

Do you book in for an op whenever Michael changes then?

Navi on stage in New York

Navi: No - but I wouldn't mind it being like that though! Basically your face is a canvas and I've got my own look. I am very much darker than him but I've got the features so the look only comes out when I've got the make-up on. But basically I keep a look of Michael around the mid-1990s.

So if he changes radically will you too?

Navi: There has been talk of him doing weights and stuff, I don't want to change but if he changes very radically I might have to in order to get the work.

You say that as well as doing shows, you've worked as a decoy for him, what have you done?

Navi: I've done some promotion of his albums and I've come out of hotels and stuff. Basically if he's in a hotel I can be called in to take the crowd somewhere else, or if he's not there I come along to take the crowd there. All sorts of things really.

Is that frightening sometimes?

Navi: Yes - it can be very scary. When I was in Thailand once I had 12 bodyguards and 36 police escorts and was chased by 2,000 people who didn't speak English so it was hard to try and tell them to get back and off me.

In the end I had to stoop down and the police made a dome over me and called more police. I was extremely frightened.

What would you have done if he had been convicted at his trial?

Navi: At the trial I was inside the courthouse and I was also pictured outside with a banner saying "Smooth but not a Criminal". Every morning there was a raffle and you queued for tickets. They only let about 40 people in and I think I was actually in the court room for about seven days. It was surreal, watching this man I had been impersonating for 17 years and thinking I have studied you and I believe in you.

I didn't want to impersonate somebody who had been convicted with evidence but I knew he was innocent from being inside the courtroom because from 115 search warrants they couldn't find one piece of evidence, they couldn't even get a drink charge to stick.

But during that 18 months he was on trial I think I had one of the busiest years ever workwise.

So, if he'd been convicted with evidence would you have thrown in the towel?

Navi with Simon Cowell

Navi: Totally. I wouldn't have impersonated him anymore if he'd been convicted with evidence.

You've performed in front of him haven't you?

Navi: Yes - I performed at his birthday party and I can tell you I was a bag of nerves. You're in front of this person that created your product, it was very nerve wracking.

And you met him as well?

Navi: Yes - he said "you're a great dancer, do you practise every day?" And I thought "is he SERIOUS?"

But he is very humble, and when I said "you're a great dancer too" he said "really?!"

He really makes you feel like he is overwhelmed to meet you, that you're the talented one and that he's learning from you. He's either taking the mickey or he's very humble. I really couldn't tell but he's like that with everyone so I think it's genuine. I think that he's around so many big names all the time that he just loves Joe public and seeing what they can do. It makes him feel good that you are not surrounded by showbiz and are back in reality so to speak.

You were also invited to his home, Neverland, what was that like?

Navi: It was amazing. It was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets Disney World meets Peter Pan. You go through these big gates and there's all this land cultivated, about 2700 acres I think. There's a theme park, a zoo and a cinema - it has it all.

The main thing I noticed was that there were a lot of underprivileged and disabled children there and he employs some 60 staff to look after them and feed them, all free of charge.

I spoke to one girl from the Virgin Islands with cerebral palsy and Michael had flown her and her mother and two companions over and paid for everything - flights, hotels and spending money. And nobody ever hears about this.

Why doesn't he tell people what he's doing do you think?

Navi: I think he's just a very private man. When a court case came up ten years ago he was advised to let it go by his record company. But he understands that there is a private and public domain and opinion is important whatever the situation which is why he went through the trial. It cost him a lot of money but he had to put it right once and for all.