Sharon Gault, a celebrity makeup artist who worked with performers including Madonna, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and Rihanna, died September 16, according to an official family obituary. She was 61.
Gault’s career took off in 1990 when she joined Madonna’s Blond Ambition World Tour handling hair for dancers and singers, an experience documented in “Madonna: Truth or Dare,” where she earned the nickname “Mama Makeup.” She later worked with Michael Jackson during his Dangerous World Tour and went on to contribute to shoots for Vogue, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone and other outlets, as well as music videos and ad campaigns, per the announcement.
The obituary highlights her decades-long creative partnership with photographer David LaChapelle, who called her a close collaborator and muse in a statement included with the release. Within the professional makeup community, Gault was widely known as a mentor to younger artists, the announcement says. She is survived by her daughter, Adelaide Gault, and a grandson, Leo.
Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Nicole Poulos, sideways-media.com.