Music Video Director Diane Martel Passed Away at the Age of 63 – Inside Her Cause of Death

In the entertainment industry, there's always a chance that you may not know someone by their name, but you certainly know them by their work. The music industry often sees this, as many of the songs we know and love were written by people who intentionally decided to stay out of the spotlight.

Music video director Diane Martel was among the artists who preferred to let their art do the talking. Diane used her visionary talent to create videos for artists like Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Robin Thicke, Alicia Keys, and Miley Cyrus.

Sadly, the director's life was cut short in September 2025. Here's what to know about her cause of death.

Diane passed away in September 2025 at the age of 63. According to Rolling Stone, her family released a statement on Sept. 18, 2025, that she died of breast cancer in a New York City hospital.

“Diane passed away peacefully at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital — surrounded by friends and family — after a long battle with breast cancer,” her family wrote. “She is survived by her Aunt, Gail Merrifield Papp (wife of Joseph Papp, founder of The Public Theatre), her three beloved, loyal cats (Poki, PopPop, PomPom), and many loving lifetime friends.”

According to Diane's Instagram, the director didn't discuss her cancer diagnosis on social media. Her posts before she died were mostly focused on her past and recent work and less about personal matters.

Throughout her life, Diane loved her work, and it showed in her lengthy and celebrated career. Her successful career began after she dropped out of high school in the late '80s. She began her creative career as a performance and street artist before she found her niche in music video directing.

Some of Diane's early music video credits came from R&B and hip-hop artists like Onyx, SWV, Gang Starr, LL Cool J, and Ol’ Dirty Bastard. The early '90s also marked the beginning of her professional relationship with Mariah Carey. The artists developed a solid bond early on, collaborating on songs such as “Dreamlover,” “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” and “My All.”

Following the news of Diane's death, many of her creative peers discussed her death on social media. Fellow music video directing legend Jessy Terrero celebrated Diane's legacy with an Instagram slideshow filled with stills of Diane directing the videos for Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, and many others. Jessy also reflected on the unimaginable loss he and the community were facing. Of their relationship, he shared that Diane, "taught me to fall in love with cinema all over again."

"This is such a tough loss for me and the entire film community," Jesse wrote. "Diane Martel was one of the most iconic directors in the history of music videos. She visually paved the way for so many of us, with a style that was unapologetic, raw, and real. What most people don’t know is that I started my career as her assistant. Diane was one of the most influential people in shaping not just my career, but the way I approach visual storytelling."

"I know you’ve been suffering for years, and I pray you are finally at peace," he added. "I love you, D. Martini. Your work, your spirit, and your impact will forever be cherished and admired by all of us who were lucky enough to learn from you. May You Rest in Peace."