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🖤 A little story from Michael Jackson’s final photo shoots. In a July 13, 2017 interview with Paper Magazine, makeup artist Kabuki Starshine shared how he got the opportunity to work with Michael. Bruce Weber, whom Kabuki had never worked with before, personally chose him for a L’Uomo Vogue photo shoot. It was Michael’s first photo shoot in 10 years. Kabuki was later invited back to work on Michael’s Ebony cover as well. Both would become Michael’s final photo shoots. Before their first meeting, Kabuki was so nervous about speaking to Michael on the phone that he started hyperventilating and had to breathe into a Ziploc bag! He was told Michael would call in seven minutes, so he rushed home to escape the noise of the street. But when Michael finally called, Kabuki realized he sounded scared himself, which instantly calmed him down. He recalled their first meeting: “And when I met him in person, he had dark glasses on so you couldn't see his eyes. He seemed very shy, but when we started to work together, I guess he got my energy, and he was so sweet, quite considerate of me and my working process.” — Kabuki Starshine, Paper Magazine (July 13, 2017)