I love music, but more than that, I love the artists behind the world-changing albums, songs, soundtracks… I love getting to know them even if it’s through a screen, simply watching an interview of them. It’s the closest I can get to digging into their minds and get a taste of their thoughts, mentalities, philosophies, creativity, etc. Therefore, when it comes to documentaries, I love it when it’s about an artist, living or dead, whether I am a fan of their music or not, because the one thing all musicians have in common is music. Though different, they all have creative processes they follow, they all go on a life-changing journey, and they almost all have a similar life/background. It’s thus never really about the artist per se but more about their creativity. Here is a list of my favourite music documentaries.

1- Nina Simone – What Happened, Miss Simone?

I feel like this documentary, although great, doesn’t do justice to the ingenuity of Nina Simone, as much the artist as the woman she was. The documentary unintentionally depicts how misunderstood Nina was and that hurt me.

2- Billie Eilish – The World’s a Little Blurry

The title says it all and the documentary perfectly depicts how blurry Billie’s world is. Navigating fame is not easy for any celebrity, certainly not teenagers. The movie shows you how fame not only affects the singer but also all the people around her like her parents.

3- Selena Gomez – My Mind and Me

I personally think that, although there are nowadays more and more conversations around mental health, it is extremely difficult to open up about it. Imagine how hard it must be for a celebrity to expose her struggles regarding mental illness. Selena Gomez is brave to publicly share her pain and she does it gracefully.

4- Amy Winehouse – Amy

I remember watching Amy at the movies with my friends. It put us in some kind of mood: after the movie, we kept discussing how Amy was mistreated and misunderstood. There was always a recurring “what if” in our conversation. The documentary will indeed make you reflect on how society views and treats famous people, especially if they’re addicts.

5- Quincy Jones – Quincy

A look at the genius producer’s life from childhood until now. His character, qualities, loves, and vices.

6- Lady Gaga – GAGA: FIVE FOOT TWO

When Lady Gaga started her career, she was a mysterious and controversial pop singer. She was compared to many female artists that almost every person on this planet had an opinion on her. But has it ever occurred to you that we might all be wrong about her and that there is more to Gaga than what she shows on the surface? Watch that documentary and you will never see Gaga the same way again.

7- Dolly Parton – Here I Am

In my opinion, Dolly revolutionized storytelling in country music. Her image, her wit, her intelligence, her upbringing… all of these made her the artist she became and is today. She wrote some of the best songs of all time, from “Jolene” to “I Will Always Love You” (yes, she wrote it, not Whitney Houston). Plus, she’s so cute, it’s fun to listen to her.

https://www.netflix.com/ca/title/81204624

8- Jennifer Lopez – Halftime

The best thing about this documentary is to watch Jennifer Lopez in shape, work her hardest, and deliver one of the best shows she ever did. To see her fight for her ideas and put her all in the Super Bowl halftime show is motivating and inspiring.

9- Michael Jackson – This is it

It’s heartbreaking to see one of the most talented performers in the world under the influence of drugs and medication. You can feel the pain Michael’s enduring while he’s practising for a show he never got perform. The title has a double meaning: the positive one, coming from the lyrics of a song Michael wrote (“This is it, here I stand / I’m the light of the world, I feel grand”), and the negative one, meaning this was it for Michael, the end, since the movie was released after his death.

10- Taylor Swift – Miss Americana

I am obviously saving Taylor Swift for last. She’s currently breaking records and shaking the music industry up. That’s enough for you to watch her documentary. The best part is seeing her in the studio writing songs. I simply love that.