Sunday, February 08, 2015
Madonna Hits The Gym Before The Grammys
Madonna looks like she just rolled out of bed as she leaves a dance studio in Beverly Hills on Thursday.
Sunday, February 01, 2015
Nico Archambault On Living For Love Video, The Grammys (January 30, 2015)
Dancer and choreographer Nico Archambault was interviewed by Canadian newspaper Journal de Montreal and revealed that he took part to the filming of the Living For Love video and was invited to be part of the Grammys performance in Los Angeles on February 8.
Nico told the newspaper how he was approached for the job by his friend choreographer Megan Lawson from Fanny Pack, who previously contributed to Madonna’s MDNA tour. And when Madonna calls, you would never say no, so Nico headed to New York in early January with a one day notice, in the middle of a snowstorm and no information at all on the project.
He eventually made it, and rehearsals started immediately. “Madonna attended the rehearsals every day,” he says. “She is very impressive, especially in terms of her physical shape. She does not do things by halves”.
About the video shoot, which took place over two days, Nico also told the Journal: “You can feel she is in control of everything that is happening, and she’s the one to have the last word. If she’s not satisfied, she is not afraid to set aside an idea or a concept and start over.”
"Tous les jours, Madonna assistait aux répétitions. Elle est très impressionnante, surtout au niveau de sa forme physique. Elle ne fait pas les choses à moitié. On sent qu’elle est en contrôle de tout ce qui se passe, que c’est elle qui a le dernier mot. Si elle n’est pas satisfaite, elle n’a pas peur de mettre de côté une idée ou un concept et de recommencer à zéro".
Nico is now heading to California where rehearsals for the Grammys to begin on Sunday. “That’s the only thing I’m sure about. Then, we’ll be rehearsing from six to twelve hours a day, depending on how things will progress.”
Madonna’s “Rebel Heart” Standard Edition Track Listing Revealed.
Few minutes ago iTunes revealed the 14 tracks that will make the Standard Edition of Madonna‘s Rebel Heart. Also Amazon France made it available for pre-order.
01. Living for love
02. Devil pray
03. Ghosttown
04. Unapologetic bitch
05. Illuminati
06. Bitch I’m madonna
07. Hold tight
08. Joan of Arc
09. Iconic
10. Heartbreakcity
11. Body Shop
12. Holy water
13. Inside out
14. Wash all over me
01. Living for love
02. Devil pray
03. Ghosttown
04. Unapologetic bitch
05. Illuminati
06. Bitch I’m madonna
07. Hold tight
08. Joan of Arc
09. Iconic
10. Heartbreakcity
11. Body Shop
12. Holy water
13. Inside out
14. Wash all over me
Madonna Interview With NRJ
French number one Radio NRJ aired an exclusive interview with Madonna.
Madonna: Yeah yeah, she’s great, I love her music. It’s a song having your heart broken but it’s about saying you know what I’m going to my life goes on, I will carry on, I won’t stop believing in love, I’ll pick up my crown, put it back on my head and I will walk through life proudly believing that love, true love does exist. (probably the video was directed by the French duo J.A.C.K.. They directed the video Saint Claude for Christine and The Queens)
NRJ: For this new album you worked together again with Nicki Minaj. How was collaborating with her?
M: When we work together she always comes and we sit down and she listens to the song and she says ‘Ok, tell me what is you trying to say with this song’ and you know, we just talk, we share ideas about what the song’s about and then she goes home, she thinks about it, and I know she can relay to being a strong woman who has to fight for what she does, for what she believes in, and she’s too often provocative and you know to be a successful female rapper, the rap world is really male dominated, so I respect her I think that we have a synergy when we work together.
NRJ: You worked with Avicii as well… Was it your idea to work with?
M: It was my manager’s idea that I should work with his team. I was a big fan of a few of his songs that were on the radio and I wanted to work with the team of people that he has, the team of writers that he works with, so I mean I did and it turned out really good.
NRJ: What about a collaboration with Stromae that you met few months ago?
M: I actually met him about 4 years ago and we talked about working together and then we saw each other, he came to my house a couple of months ago before Christmas and we talked about working together, so maybe one day, I like him.
NRJ: Is “Rebel Heart” an autobiographical album?
M: It’s hard to qualify or quantify how much autobiographical and how is fiction because for me when I write I’m coming from sometimes a very personal place, sometimes it’s partly made up and partly my own experience but then things get all mixed into one big part and I don’t know the difference between art and life or fiction and non fiction but it’s all coming from… I’m just channeling the information so it’s my personal experience, other people personal experiences and I just put it all together to tell a story.
NRJ: Your new album is called “Rebel Heart”. Is it important for you to be rebellious?
M: We live in a time when artists aren’t encouraged to be rebellious, we don’t live, we don’t encourage the artists of today to speak their mind, to express their opinions, to think outside the box, to take risks, so I think it’s important to call attention to the idea that being rebellious is part of art, an important part of it, and… I don’t know I just wanted to underline it. But it is also important to add the word Heart because it’s not just being rebellious for the sake of being rebellious, I think it’s also important to let people know that love… I do a lot of my rebellion.
NRJ: You are an expert of provocating. Is it also part of being rebellious?
M: Not necessarily, it does necessarily mean the same thing, you could be rebellious against something, some kind of oppression, or discrimination, or prejudices, but you wouldn’t necessarily being provocative, you know, you could also be provocative without being rebellious. So, they can cross of course and being the same but their not necessarily the same.
NRJ: Have you already thought about the next tour?
M: I have some ideas, yes, but I’ve been very focused on finishing my record, doing the first video, preparing for the Grammys and I only in the back of my mind is what I’m gonna do on my tour, not yet.
Madonna Bautiza A Taylor Swift Como Nueva Princesa del Pop (28/01/2015)
Lo que podríamos llamar 'la realeza de la música' es, probablemente, uno de los temas más controvertidos entre los fans. Durante décadas la música ha estado dominada por dos figuras casi inalcanzables: Michael Jackson, el rey del Pop, y Madonna, la reina del Pop. Pero la 'línea de sucesión' musical no está tan clara. Hasta ahora parecía que Britney Spears recogería el testigo de la Ciccone pero ésta, ni corta ni perezosa, ha decidido nombrar a su 'heredera'.
En una entrevista con Network Nine's Today Show, Madonna no ha dudado en hablar de Taylor Swift como la nueva princesa del género: "Hay un montón de bonitas princesas por ahí pero a mí me gusta Taylor Swift. Creo que escribe canciones pop muy pegadizas que no me puedo sacar de la cabeza". Este nombramiento puede ser, sin embargo, un arma de doble filo ya que hay otras grandes divas de la música que estarían encantadas de recoger el trono. ¿Qué opinarán Britney Spears, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga o Beyoncé sobre esto?
La reacción de Taylor Swift no se ha hecho esperar. Un sincero "Gracias. Me muero" a través de su Tumblr personal ha sido la respuesta a semejante halago de la Reina del Pop. Hay que recordar que 1989, el más reciente proyecto discográfico de la cantante ha superado en Estados Unidos los 4 millones de discos vendidos convirtiéndose en el álbum más vendido del 2014. Red, su disco de 2012, también tuvo unas cifras de ventas espectaculares. Quizá Madonna no vaya tan desencaminada...
Madonna: Getting High Isn't For Me
Madonna has told how she never got into drugs - because they 'destroyed' her for 'days and days'.
The singer said that although she tried various substances, she didn't feel happy taking them because she wanted to look after her body.
The star, 56, told Mojo magazine: 'My problem is I don't have the stamina to take drugs. I feel terrible afterwards. I'm destroyed for days and days. I can't do anything and I don't want that inconvenience in my life. So I don't feel it's worth the price you have to pay,' she said.
'Even when I was younger and in my 20s, trying this and that....I mean, I never really did that many drugs,' she told the mag.
'I'm too big of a p***y. Also, I'm a dancer and I don't want to destroy my body. I want to feel physically good. So it never came naturally to me to get out of my brains or get so high that I couldn't get out of bed for three days. And that's what happened to me if I did anything.'
The singer said that although she tried various substances, she didn't feel happy taking them because she wanted to look after her body.
The star, 56, told Mojo magazine: 'My problem is I don't have the stamina to take drugs. I feel terrible afterwards. I'm destroyed for days and days. I can't do anything and I don't want that inconvenience in my life. So I don't feel it's worth the price you have to pay,' she said.
'Even when I was younger and in my 20s, trying this and that....I mean, I never really did that many drugs,' she told the mag.
'I'm too big of a p***y. Also, I'm a dancer and I don't want to destroy my body. I want to feel physically good. So it never came naturally to me to get out of my brains or get so high that I couldn't get out of bed for three days. And that's what happened to me if I did anything.'
Madonna Misses Her Daughter
Madonna felt like she losing her arm when her eldest daughter started university.
The 56-year-old singer admits she found it very difficult when Lourdes Leon, 18, moved out of their New York City home to attend the University of Michigan last year.
The 'Living For Love' hitmaker said: 'It's hard letting them go out into the world but when she left home to go to college I was a mess. It was really hard letting her go.'
The star, who also has son Rocco, 14, and adopted children David and Mercy, both nine, is glad that the teenager is attending her alma-mater, but still misses her.
She told Australia's 'Today Show': 'I've come to terms with it, but yes I miss her and she's a part of me, it was like losing my arm.'
Lourdes, whose father is personal trainer Carlos Leon, is pursuing a bachelor's degree of fine arts in drama and theatre, and is taking classes in a range of art forms and creative practices, from animation to traditional acting skills.
Her famous mother attended the same university in the 1970s, but dropped out before receiving her degree to pursue a career in music.
The 56-year-old singer admits she found it very difficult when Lourdes Leon, 18, moved out of their New York City home to attend the University of Michigan last year.
The 'Living For Love' hitmaker said: 'It's hard letting them go out into the world but when she left home to go to college I was a mess. It was really hard letting her go.'
The star, who also has son Rocco, 14, and adopted children David and Mercy, both nine, is glad that the teenager is attending her alma-mater, but still misses her.
She told Australia's 'Today Show': 'I've come to terms with it, but yes I miss her and she's a part of me, it was like losing my arm.'
Lourdes, whose father is personal trainer Carlos Leon, is pursuing a bachelor's degree of fine arts in drama and theatre, and is taking classes in a range of art forms and creative practices, from animation to traditional acting skills.
Her famous mother attended the same university in the 1970s, but dropped out before receiving her degree to pursue a career in music.
Liz Smith: "Living for Love" Video Shot In Brooklyn (27 January 2015)
Madonna just shot a video for the first single from her ‘Rebel Heart’ album. It’s 'Living for Love' and we did it in Brooklyn. Lots of gorgeous men and incredible dancing and she looked very sexy. But I think the most important thing was how much fun she was having!
Madonna's Statement On Arrest Of Hacker
Madonna posted this statement on her facebook page following on from the arrest of the hacker earlier this week:
'I am profoundly grateful to the FBI, the Israeli Police investigators and anyone else who helped lead to the arrest of this hacker. I deeply appreciate my fans who have provided us with pertinent information and continue to do so regarding leaks of my music. Like any citizen, I have the right to privacy. This invasion into my life - creatively, professionally, and personally remains a deeply devastating and hurtful experience, as it must be for all artists who are victims of this type of crime.'
'The end of Privacy is not something any of us are ready for! #livingforlove'
'I am profoundly grateful to the FBI, the Israeli Police investigators and anyone else who helped lead to the arrest of this hacker. I deeply appreciate my fans who have provided us with pertinent information and continue to do so regarding leaks of my music. Like any citizen, I have the right to privacy. This invasion into my life - creatively, professionally, and personally remains a deeply devastating and hurtful experience, as it must be for all artists who are victims of this type of crime.'
'The end of Privacy is not something any of us are ready for! #livingforlove'
Madonna Reveals How Kanye West "Pushes The Envelope"
Madonna has opened up for the first time about her expansive career in the music industry as she reveals all in the latest issue of MOJO magazine.
Her 13th album, 'Rebel Heart', features a number of collaborators including Kanye West, who Madge had only kind words to speak of.
'I like that he likes to push the envelope.' Madonna told MOJO. 'He hears music in a different and unique way.'
She went on to add: 'I think Diplo’s the same. I like people who think outside the box ‘cos they take a song I’ve written that’s quite straightforward and pop and deconstruct it. Rip it apart and turn it into something else.'
As for how she started making her own music and who she was inspired by, it's all down to her love of dancing.
'All my friends were DJs so I wanted my records to sound like what I wanted to dance to,' Madonna told MOJO.
'I would go to clubs and I would listen to what would make me dance. And then I would go back and I would work on my music,' she said.
'I mean, I was influenced by Debbie Harry, Talking Heads, The B-52’s. So to me the line was very blurred between what I was working on and what I was dancing to.'
Her 13th album, 'Rebel Heart', features a number of collaborators including Kanye West, who Madge had only kind words to speak of.
'I like that he likes to push the envelope.' Madonna told MOJO. 'He hears music in a different and unique way.'
She went on to add: 'I think Diplo’s the same. I like people who think outside the box ‘cos they take a song I’ve written that’s quite straightforward and pop and deconstruct it. Rip it apart and turn it into something else.'
As for how she started making her own music and who she was inspired by, it's all down to her love of dancing.
'All my friends were DJs so I wanted my records to sound like what I wanted to dance to,' Madonna told MOJO.
'I would go to clubs and I would listen to what would make me dance. And then I would go back and I would work on my music,' she said.
'I mean, I was influenced by Debbie Harry, Talking Heads, The B-52’s. So to me the line was very blurred between what I was working on and what I was dancing to.'
Israeli man arrested over Madonna hack (21 January 2015)
An Israeli man has been arrested on suspicion of hacking into the computers of pop stars including Madonna and selling unreleased songs online.
Israeli police said the man was suspected of stealing work from several unnamed international stars.
A private investigator connected to the case confirmed Madonna was among them.
The pop star rush-released a number of new songs last month after demos and unfinished mixes from her new album Rebel Heart made their way online.
Madonna called the leak 'a form of terrorism.'
Her manager Guy Oseary said the 'devastating' action had prompted the surprise release of six songs from Rebel Heart in December, months earlier than planned.
Asher Wizman, the owner of a private investigation firm in Israel, told the Reuters news agency he was contacted by Madonna's team several weeks ago after rumours of an Israeli connection to the leak.
'Our investigator found her computers, at home and at a studio, were broken into from a computer in Israel,' he told Reuters.
'We tracked down the computer, and the man behind it. After gathering enough evidence, we turned to the police and he was arrested today.'
Police did not immediately name the 39-year-old man, although local reports identified him as a former contestant on one of Israel's TV talent shows.
'He is suspected of computer hacking, copyright violation and fraudulent receipt of goods,' a police spokesman said.
'During the investigation it appeared the suspect had broken into the computers of a number of international artists, stole unreleased demos and final tracks and sold them over the internet.'
The arrest in Israel comes a day after Bjork was forced to release her new album Vulnicura two months ahead of schedule after it leaked over the weekend.
Israeli police said the man was suspected of stealing work from several unnamed international stars.
A private investigator connected to the case confirmed Madonna was among them.
The pop star rush-released a number of new songs last month after demos and unfinished mixes from her new album Rebel Heart made their way online.
Madonna called the leak 'a form of terrorism.'
Her manager Guy Oseary said the 'devastating' action had prompted the surprise release of six songs from Rebel Heart in December, months earlier than planned.
Asher Wizman, the owner of a private investigation firm in Israel, told the Reuters news agency he was contacted by Madonna's team several weeks ago after rumours of an Israeli connection to the leak.
'Our investigator found her computers, at home and at a studio, were broken into from a computer in Israel,' he told Reuters.
'We tracked down the computer, and the man behind it. After gathering enough evidence, we turned to the police and he was arrested today.'
Police did not immediately name the 39-year-old man, although local reports identified him as a former contestant on one of Israel's TV talent shows.
'He is suspected of computer hacking, copyright violation and fraudulent receipt of goods,' a police spokesman said.
'During the investigation it appeared the suspect had broken into the computers of a number of international artists, stole unreleased demos and final tracks and sold them over the internet.'
The arrest in Israel comes a day after Bjork was forced to release her new album Vulnicura two months ahead of schedule after it leaked over the weekend.
Monday, December 29, 2014
Madonna Hits The Slopes As She Enjoys Family Winter Getaway In Switzerland
Madonna's new album may have been leaked ahead of its release, but the singer hasn't let that ruin her Christmas holiday. The 56-year-old hit the slopes with her family, including daughter Lourdes, as they enjoyed a festive break in Gstaad, Switzerland.
Dressed in a chic all-black skiing ensemble, Madonna took to the slopes with her children, showing off her athletic skills on the piste. The mother-of-four and her family were seen laughing and taking occasional breaks as they made the most of the snow.
Dressed in a chic all-black skiing ensemble, Madonna took to the slopes with her children, showing off her athletic skills on the piste. The mother-of-four and her family were seen laughing and taking occasional breaks as they made the most of the snow.
The small getaway could be a welcome break for Madonna, who has faced a turbulent few days after songs from her upcoming album Rebel Heart were leaked online.
The Material Girl singer took to Instagram on Sunday to share her frustration with fans, defending her unfinished work.
The Material Girl singer took to Instagram on Sunday to share her frustration with fans, defending her unfinished work.
"I will fight for my rights as an artist, a human and a woman till the end of my days," she wrote. "Because I am a #rebelheart and I will walk in the footsteps of giants and I will not apologise or defend my unpublished, unfinished, STOLEN work."
However by Monday the singer seemed to have put her frustration aside, choosing instead to make the most of quality time with her family.
However by Monday the singer seemed to have put her frustration aside, choosing instead to make the most of quality time with her family.
This also marks the first Christmas since daughter Lourdes left the family home and headed to the University of Michigan to study musical theatre and dance, so it could be that Madonna did not want to let the news of the leaked songs affect their holiday together.
It's not the first time that Madonna and her children have headed to Gstaad during the festive period, having welcomed in the New Year at the idyllic ski resort in 2012.
It's not the first time that Madonna and her children have headed to Gstaad during the festive period, having welcomed in the New Year at the idyllic ski resort in 2012.
Renowned for its luxurious ski resorts and stunning snow-covered slopes, Gstaad has also attracted stars including fashionista Olivia Palermo and husband Johannes Huebl, who were spotted enjoying a mini break, joined by Giancarlo Giammetti.
A celebrity hotspot over the winter months, Gstaad also welcomed Tatiana Santo Domingo and Andrea Casiraghi last year, who chose the Swiss resort as the location for the second round of their nuptials.
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Madonna Convocada Como Jurado por la Corte de Manhattan (07.07.2014)
Madonna (55 años) tuvo que asistir este lunes a un llamado del tribunal de Manhattan, donde había sido convocada para conformar el jurado, es lo que se conoció mediante la agencia AP.
La cantante fue eximida de integrar el jurado antes puesto que, según indicó el portavoz judicial David Bookstaver, había suficientes miembros del jurado en aquella oportunidad y quería que todos estuvieran concentrados y la presencia de la artista sería una gran distracción en el proceso de selección.
La cantante fue eximida de integrar el jurado antes puesto que, según indicó el portavoz judicial David Bookstaver, había suficientes miembros del jurado en aquella oportunidad y quería que todos estuvieran concentrados y la presencia de la artista sería una gran distracción en el proceso de selección.
La artista pop ya había sido convocada en el mes de mayo de este año sin embargo, en aquella oportunidad no se hizo presente. Esta vez, Madonna se libró en apenas dos horas de la obligaciones que tenía como jurado, según reportó TMZ. De acuerdo con dicho medio, la cantante nunca llegó a sentarse en la sala donde estaban reunidos los otros candidatos a miembros del jurado, sino que se le permitió esperar en un despacho del juez.
Recordamos que Madonna ya había tenido que ser miembro del jurado en 2008, en un tribunal de Beverly Hills (California). Entonces, consiguió librarse de su deber en cuatro horas. En Estados Unidos es usual que los ciudadanos mayores de edad sean convocados a integrar un jurado en su distrito. A continuación se realiza una selección.
Recordamos que Madonna ya había tenido que ser miembro del jurado en 2008, en un tribunal de Beverly Hills (California). Entonces, consiguió librarse de su deber en cuatro horas. En Estados Unidos es usual que los ciudadanos mayores de edad sean convocados a integrar un jurado en su distrito. A continuación se realiza una selección.
Inside the 2015 Official Calendar
As you will notice the 12″x12″ calendar is heavily based on the Queen of Pop’s more recent photoshoots by Tom Munro for L’Uomo Vogue and Steven Klein for V Magazine – but the interesting part is that it also uses what seem to be pictures sourced from Madonna‘s very own Instagram on the right side of the month page.
Madonna ‘may come out and sing’ at MSG New Year’s Eve bash (December 25, 2014)
Diplo and Skrillex will lead the big apple into the year 2015 with their much-anticipated gig at Madison Square Garden, and TimeOut New York asked them about their favorite New Year’s Eve bash and reveal that the Queen of Pop may come out and sing at the event.
Diplo: We’re gonna make it big. It’s New Year’s Eve. It’s the first time either of us has played this venue. We wanna make it gigantic. We’re also working on an app for the event.
TimeOut: Will Madonna sing with you at MSG?
Diplo: She may come out and sing. If me and Skrillex are in town, people will come out. I’m inviting the entire New York Knicks to come shoot warm-ups during my set.
TimeOut: Can you talk about your work with Madonna?
Diplo: The single comes out in February. There are two songs [the label] loves as singles; I don’t know which one will come out first. I go back next week on my birthday to mix more. She’s actually kind of hard-core. You can’t get away. I’ll be glad when we’re all wrapped up. It’s been a lot of work. I’ve worked harder on these songs than I’ve worked on our songs, and that’s a lot of fucking work.
Skrillex: I’ve never seen him more like, Fuck, I have to go back.
Diplo: If I can go back and wrap this up and make great songs for her…She’s the queen of making music. I remember having songs like “Cherish” and “Vogue” on cassette tapes. I’ve loved her production, and I’ve always loved how she’s a forward-thinking motherfucking beast. She was the first person to really bring in different sounds and co-opt things for her own sound, and I’ve always loved her for that.
TimeOut: Will Madonna sing with you at MSG?
Diplo: She may come out and sing. If me and Skrillex are in town, people will come out. I’m inviting the entire New York Knicks to come shoot warm-ups during my set.
TimeOut: Can you talk about your work with Madonna?
Diplo: The single comes out in February. There are two songs [the label] loves as singles; I don’t know which one will come out first. I go back next week on my birthday to mix more. She’s actually kind of hard-core. You can’t get away. I’ll be glad when we’re all wrapped up. It’s been a lot of work. I’ve worked harder on these songs than I’ve worked on our songs, and that’s a lot of fucking work.
Skrillex: I’ve never seen him more like, Fuck, I have to go back.
Diplo: If I can go back and wrap this up and make great songs for her…She’s the queen of making music. I remember having songs like “Cherish” and “Vogue” on cassette tapes. I’ve loved her production, and I’ve always loved how she’s a forward-thinking motherfucking beast. She was the first person to really bring in different sounds and co-opt things for her own sound, and I’ve always loved her for that.
Deborah Feingold presenta su libro "Music" y habla sobre Madonna y sus fotos de los 80's
Para promocionar su último libro "Music, la fotografa Deborah Feingold dio una tanda de entrevistar a diferentes medios en donde habló sobre las imágenes icónicas de Madonna durante el comienzo de su carreta, a principios de los 80's.
Al hablar con Billboard dijo:
"Yo vivía en un apartamento de una habitación en el West Village y tenía un recipiente con goma de mascar y unos chupetines. No hablamos prácticamente salvo una "ponte así, ahora de esta forma". No había ni estilista de cabello, ni maquilladores, ni vesturio. Solo eramos dos mujeres de trabajo. No tuve que convencerla de nada. Ella y yo trabajamos todo el tiempo. Le di a ella lo que necesitaba, ella me dio lo que yo necesitaba y luego se levantó y se fue. Nunca volví a verla otra vez."
Yo quería fotografiarla y "Musician" (la revista) no lo estaba cubriendo , así que llamé a David Keats en aquel entonces quien era el editor de "Star Hits" y le dije: "¡David de verdad quiero fotografiarla!! Y la reacción de el fue "OK", así era como se arreglaba todo en aquellos días. ¿Te imaginas? "¡Oh, David quiero fotografiarla!" Yo había hecho otros trabajos para Warner Bros, entonces sabía que no iba a ser algo imposible de alcanzar.
En la entrevista con Boston Globe se le preguntó por qué las tomas que hizo con Madonna marcaron un punto y aparte, a lo cual Feingold comentó:
"No tengo explicación para eso. Solo fue una sesión que duró veinte minutos en mi departamento que era tan pequeño que todo los muebles estaban amontonados, incluyendo la cama, la mesa y las sillas. Yo ya estaba preparada. Tenía un asistente. Ella vino con Liz Rosenberg, quien era su agente de publicidad. Su maquillaje ya estaba listo. Yo tenía un recipiente con chupetines y goma de mascar. Todo era muy simple. Utilicé cuatro rollos fotográficos y en cada toma ella se cambiaba. Era como una danza y yo una buena seguidora. Yo tenía la habilidad pero ella lo manejaba. Veinte minutos después, sabíamos que había finalizado y ella se fue. Ella era una mujer de trabajo y yo estaba allá para trabajar y eso es lo que se vio."
"Yo vivía en un apartamento de una habitación en el West Village y tenía un recipiente con goma de mascar y unos chupetines. No hablamos prácticamente salvo una "ponte así, ahora de esta forma". No había ni estilista de cabello, ni maquilladores, ni vesturio. Solo eramos dos mujeres de trabajo. No tuve que convencerla de nada. Ella y yo trabajamos todo el tiempo. Le di a ella lo que necesitaba, ella me dio lo que yo necesitaba y luego se levantó y se fue. Nunca volví a verla otra vez."
Yo quería fotografiarla y "Musician" (la revista) no lo estaba cubriendo , así que llamé a David Keats en aquel entonces quien era el editor de "Star Hits" y le dije: "¡David de verdad quiero fotografiarla!! Y la reacción de el fue "OK", así era como se arreglaba todo en aquellos días. ¿Te imaginas? "¡Oh, David quiero fotografiarla!" Yo había hecho otros trabajos para Warner Bros, entonces sabía que no iba a ser algo imposible de alcanzar.
En la entrevista con Boston Globe se le preguntó por qué las tomas que hizo con Madonna marcaron un punto y aparte, a lo cual Feingold comentó:
"No tengo explicación para eso. Solo fue una sesión que duró veinte minutos en mi departamento que era tan pequeño que todo los muebles estaban amontonados, incluyendo la cama, la mesa y las sillas. Yo ya estaba preparada. Tenía un asistente. Ella vino con Liz Rosenberg, quien era su agente de publicidad. Su maquillaje ya estaba listo. Yo tenía un recipiente con chupetines y goma de mascar. Todo era muy simple. Utilicé cuatro rollos fotográficos y en cada toma ella se cambiaba. Era como una danza y yo una buena seguidora. Yo tenía la habilidad pero ella lo manejaba. Veinte minutos después, sabíamos que había finalizado y ella se fue. Ella era una mujer de trabajo y yo estaba allá para trabajar y eso es lo que se vio."
Silvie le preguntó nuevamente algo "¿por qué cree que la foto de Madonna se volvió una de las más icónicas?" y Feingold contestó:
"No lo se por qué terminó teniendo ese impacto. ¿Fue porque era de principiante? ¿Era la Madonna que todos querían ver antes de volverse famosa? Es tan interesante para mi como lo es para cualquier otra persona."
"No lo se por qué terminó teniendo ese impacto. ¿Fue porque era de principiante? ¿Era la Madonna que todos querían ver antes de volverse famosa? Es tan interesante para mi como lo es para cualquier otra persona."
"Music" es el nombre del libro de Doborah Feingold que se lanzó este mes de septiembre y actualmente el mismo cuenta con una exposición que arrancó este jueves 18 de septiembre y durará hasta el 31 de octubre de 2014. Feingold también participará de diversos paneles, de conferencias y de firma de ejemplares en diferentes lugares de New York.
Madonna celebrando Purim recreando a Daenerys (16.03.2014)
Madonna, quien estudia Kabbalah, se vistió como el personaje de La Madre de los Dragones de la serie de HBO, 'Game of Thrones', este domingo.
Madonna celebró la tradición Judía y el capitulo de estreno del domingo de "Game of Throne' todo a la vez este domingo.
La icónica estrella del pop y cantante usó un atuendo disfrazada como la Madre de los Dragones, Daenerys Targaryen (interpretada por Emilia Clarke).
Esto fue lo que Madonna escribió desde su cuenta de Instagram : “Happy Purim!!!!! All Hail All Queens! ##certainty,” junto con una foto en donde se la veía caracterizada como el personaje de Daenerys.
Madonna celebró la tradición Judía y el capitulo de estreno del domingo de "Game of Throne' todo a la vez este domingo.
La icónica estrella del pop y cantante usó un atuendo disfrazada como la Madre de los Dragones, Daenerys Targaryen (interpretada por Emilia Clarke).
Esto fue lo que Madonna escribió desde su cuenta de Instagram : “Happy Purim!!!!! All Hail All Queens! ##certainty,” junto con una foto en donde se la veía caracterizada como el personaje de Daenerys.
Desde el libro bíblico de Esther, Purim conmmemora Purim conmemora la liberación del pueblo judío en el antiguo Imperio Persa, donde se había formado un plan para destruirlos. En la historia, Mardoqueo y su primo y su hija adoptada Ester, la reina de Persia, frustraron el plan. Purim se celebra anualmente para celebrar la victoria.
Aunque Madonna fue criada como Católica, ella ingresó dentro del sistema de la mística Judía, Kabbalah, en 1997. Además de ello, Madonna no sólo participa de la festividad Judía, sino que también su nombre en Hebreo es Esther al igual que la historía que se desprende del libro bíblico.
Aunque Madonna fue criada como Católica, ella ingresó dentro del sistema de la mística Judía, Kabbalah, en 1997. Además de ello, Madonna no sólo participa de la festividad Judía, sino que también su nombre en Hebreo es Esther al igual que la historía que se desprende del libro bíblico.
Monday, December 22, 2014
Madonna: I did not say, "Hey, here’s my music, and it’s finished". It was theft (The Guardian)
In an exclusive interview, the singer defends her description of the leak of demos from her new album as "artistic rape"
Madonna has defended her description of the leak of 13 unfinished demos from her forthcoming album as “a form of terrorism” and “artistic rape”.
Speaking to the Guardian on Sunday, the singer said she was “living in a state of terror” following the leak, adding that there was “a big possibility” they were the result of her personal computer being hacked.
“Obviously there is a person, or a group of people behind this that were essentially terrorising me. I don’t want to sound alarming, but certainly that’s how I felt. It’s one thing if someone comes into your house and steals a painting off your wall: that’s also a violation, but, your work, as an artist, that’s devastating.
“I’m an artistic person, I’m very expressive. I’m sorry if words alarm people, but that’s what it felt like. It was not a consensual agreement. I did not say ‘hey, here’s my music, and it’s finished.’ It was theft.”
Speaking to the Guardian on Sunday, the singer said she was “living in a state of terror” following the leak, adding that there was “a big possibility” they were the result of her personal computer being hacked.
“Obviously there is a person, or a group of people behind this that were essentially terrorising me. I don’t want to sound alarming, but certainly that’s how I felt. It’s one thing if someone comes into your house and steals a painting off your wall: that’s also a violation, but, your work, as an artist, that’s devastating.
“I’m an artistic person, I’m very expressive. I’m sorry if words alarm people, but that’s what it felt like. It was not a consensual agreement. I did not say ‘hey, here’s my music, and it’s finished.’ It was theft.”
On Saturday, Madonna unexpectedly released six tracks from Rebel Heart on iTunes, following the leak of the unfinished songs earlier in the week: the album itself is not due for release until March. She immediately reached No 1 in the iTunes chart in 36 countries, a situation she described as a miracle.
The appearance of the unfinished recordings from Rebel Heart is the latest in a series of high-profile music leaks in the teeth of ever-more stringent security measures by record companies.
Last year, Kanye West’s keenly anticipated album Yeezus appeared in full online in advance of its release, ironically four hours after the website buzzfeed.com published a feature detailing the painstaking security around the album – which apparently included storing the music on a hard drive in an airtight, watertight case that could withstand the impact of a plane crash or tsunami – under the headline 8 Reasons You Won’t Hear Yeezus Early.
But Madonna suggested the leak of her demos differed from previous security breaches – frequently traced back to employees of record companies or recording studios – because other non-musical material appeared online at the same time.
“It wasn’t just music,” she said. “Images were coming out that I’d never seen before. It was then I started to think ok, what’s happening? What is the source of the leak? It’s not just one person, or someone sitting next to me in an office, or someone in a recording studio. I’ve had leaks before, a couple of weeks before an album was released, a lot of other artists have too, we all have to deal with that. But to have songs in the earliest demo form, from last March, that’s extremely disturbing to me.”
The singer said that the leak had forced her to reconsider her working practices, and, in the wake of the Sony Pictures hacking scandal, posed wider questions for the entertainment industry as a whole.
“You have to rethink your approach to making music, how to get the information back and forth to people, how to work in a more secure environment. It’s alarming . Alarming because what do we do as artists? We want to finish writing our book or editing our film, we want to finish writing or producing our music. People need the arts, we need to be inspired, we need to hear people’s records and see people’s films. Why destroy that process for creative people? It’s going to affect everybody.”
The six songs from Rebel Heart released thus far do not shy away from controversy: one, Illuminati, mocks the various conspiracy theories on the internet that implicate a variety of entertainers – including Jay-Z and Lady Gaga – in membership of a shadowy ruling elite.
“There’s a lot of talk in pop music right now about people saying, ‘Oh, this person’s a member of the Illuminati,’ or they’re Illuminati, or you’re Illuminati, and people’s idea that there’s a group of entertainers or very wealthy people, they’re referred to as the Illuminati, and they work behind the scenes and they control things and they’re very powerful, and there’s possibly a reference to something dark, or black magic, or something like that. And I have to say I laugh at all of those things.
“I think there are some people who don’t mind being referred to as that, but I know who the real Illuminati are, and where that word came from. The root of the word is “illuminate”, and that means “The enlightened ones”, and it came from the Age of Enlightenment, when a lot of arts and creativity flourished, from Shakespeare to Isaac Newton, to Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo: the philosophers, artists, scientists were all engaged in a kind of high level of consciousness through their work, and they were enlightening and inspiring people around the world. And those are the true Illuminati. So the purpose for writing that song was really in a way, ‘So, if you think I’m the Illuminati, then thank you very much, a compliment, because I would like very much to be part of that group, the real Illuminati, and this is what it’s not’”.
Madonna also claimed that her children acted as her artistic advisors, helping her to make decisions about which producers she worked with: Rebel Heart features contributions from, among others, Kanye West and EDM stars Avicii and Diplo. “I’m certainly not out in nightclubs all the time, but my kids are. My daughter and my son are my A&R people now. They’re constantly playing stuff in the house, in the car, and I’m like, “Who’s that? Who’s that? Who did that?” They bring me stuff all the time. And I listen to music as well, it’s a combination. I manage to surround myself with people who introduce stuff to me, keep me in touch, in tune. I feel like just as connected to street culture, pop culture, underground culture, as I’ve ever been.”
"Rebel Heart": Madonna Reveals the Story Behind Six Surprise Songs (Rolling Stone)
In her first Q&A about the surprise launch of her 13th album, the Queen of Pop opens up about working with Nicki and Kanye and who's really in the Illuminati
For the past year, Madonna has been updating fans on the progress of her 13th studio album through Instagram posts picturing collaborators (Nicki Minaj, Avicii, Diplo) and inspirations (children in Malawi, Miley Cyrus, placards reading "I need more money and power and less shit from you people"). But last week her creative process was interrupted by the leak of 13 songs she characterized as "unfinished demos." Faced with a potential calamity, her team made a quick decision: finish and release six of the tracks immediately on iTunes and set a firm early-March 2015 release date for the full LP, titled Rebel Heart.
The day after the tracks hit iTunes, Madonna was Number One on the digital music service's charts in 41 countries — everywhere from the U.S. and Israel to Russia and the Philippines. And she gave her first interview about the surprise launch to Rolling Stone:
It's safe to presume you've had a busy couple of days?
Oh my goodness. So busy. Let's talk about something good.
Oh my goodness. So busy. Let's talk about something good.
The album focuses on two themes: listening to your heart and being a rebel. When you sat down to write, were you guided by these ideas above any musical plans?
I never sit down and consciously think I want to write a song about a subject. Music leads me to ideas and to where I want to go emotionally. When I first started, I was writing with Avicii's team of writers and they were separated into two different groups. One of them had a much more upbeat approach to songwriting, sonically speaking, and the other team chose darker chords. The music leads me – so I get lost in the sound of the music, and that creates a kind of emotional palate. I found as I would look back at my songs and witness what I had written, I was coming from two very distinct places. That happened organically, not planned out, and I was observing, "Oh, these are two very strong sides of me that I need to express."
I never sit down and consciously think I want to write a song about a subject. Music leads me to ideas and to where I want to go emotionally. When I first started, I was writing with Avicii's team of writers and they were separated into two different groups. One of them had a much more upbeat approach to songwriting, sonically speaking, and the other team chose darker chords. The music leads me – so I get lost in the sound of the music, and that creates a kind of emotional palate. I found as I would look back at my songs and witness what I had written, I was coming from two very distinct places. That happened organically, not planned out, and I was observing, "Oh, these are two very strong sides of me that I need to express."
"The way we're going to change the world or ultimately feel joy is through unity."
So decisions about who you trust to guide you, musically, are clearly quite crucial.
Yeah. And sometimes in the writing phase of the music, there are some people who I really felt a connection to, just as human beings, and felt they understood me as a songwriter and a person, so those people were easier for me to write with. Writing songs, you have to be vulnerable, you have to not be afraid to express yourself and to say things or share. It's almost like writing your diary in front of somebody and reading it out loud. Some people made me feel comfortable and I felt connected to them and other people seemed very strange to me. It was almost like an acting exercise, you know, just putting myself in a room and letting ideas flow even if I didn't feel so connected to the people.
"Living for Love" is a pretty triumphant breakup song.
It's a breakup song. [Laughs]
But it's not a mopey breakup song.
The thing is, lots of people write about being in love and being happy or they write about having a broken heart and being inconsolable. But nobody writes about having a broken heart and being hopeful and triumphant afterwards. So I thought, how can I do this? I didn't want to share the sentiment of being a victim. This scenario devastated me, but it just made me stronger.
The track marries a classic house-y vibe with some of Diplo's very synthetic sounds. Did you encourage him to push it a little bit?
Oh, I don't ever have to encourage Diplo to push anything. In fact, I have to encourage him to tone things down sometimes. He's a turn-up man. In fact, I think "Living for Love" is probably one of his more mellow productions.
"Devil Pray" is at risk of being misunderstood as a song encouraging or condemning drugs, but it's more about a search for spirituality, correct?
I don't think when people are experimenting with drugs they're actually consciously saying to themselves, I want to get closer to God. I think it's a primal thing, a more inexplicable thing that happens where I think the feeling people have when they're high is plugging into the universe and appreciating things or seeing details that they otherwise may have missed, or feeling a certain kind of euphoric joy. Ultimately those feelings never last, because the drugs wear off and then there's the aftereffect. Whenever you synthetically make yourself feel euphoria there's going to be the crash. I'm certainly not judging people who take drugs or saying "don't do drugs," however, I'm saying you can do all of these things to connect to a higher level, but ultimately you're going to be lost. People who are getting high are instinctively also trying to connect to a higher level of consciousness, but are doing it in a way that will not sustain them.
There's also a message of seeking spirituality via togetherness and not being isolated.
Yeah, and that's another subtle message of the song, and you really do have to pay attention to the lyrics, and I hope people do over time. The way we're going to change the world, or the way we're going to ultimately feel joy, is through unity. I'm certainly not encouraging religious behavior; when I say people are thinking in a religious way, I think they're thinking about rules and dogma and laws that separate. When I say spirituality, I mean a consciousness that has an understanding that we are all in this together, that we are all one. We have to find a way to feel joy and to bring joy to the world together. That ultimately is with consciousness, not drugs.
We're at a critical moment — a weird and scary time — that doesn't seem far from the fallen world of "Ghosttown."
Yes, we are, and that song is kind of looking at the world in a way, seeing civilization collapse around us, for lack of a better word. And at the end of the day, if we run out of oil and we don't have electricity and we don't have all the modern conveniences, and we have no phones and computers, all we're going to have is each other, is humans. And that song's about recognizing that.
"I know who the real Illuminati are, and I know where that word comes from."
Still, it's a comforting song, it's not a frightful or fearful song.
No. Again, hopeful. Looking at the destruction and seeing hope. And that's what a lot of my songs are about on this record.
If "Living for Love" is the inspiring breakup song, "Unapologetic Bitch" is the "fuck you."
Yeah. [Laughs] But it's like, fuck you, I'm going to have fun. You think you're going to ruin my life and you think that it's over for me, but guess what? It's not. Life goes on.
Diplo, who produced that track, plays an interesting role in music right now, traveling the world collecting sounds and helping other cultures make sense of them. How did you two relate?
You know when you meet somebody and you work with them and you recognize that you both look at life the same way? I'm one of those people, I travel the world also and I engage in other cultures, and I absorb and see the beauty in other culture from many different perspectives — through art, through literature, through music — and reference a lot of those things that inspire me through my work. And I think Diplo does the same thing. So we recognized kindred spirits. When we got together, he didn't know that side of me and I didn't know that side of him, so again, not a discussion that we had per se, just more about hey, check this out? Did you hear this? Listen to this track. Do you like this group? Playing each other music that we loved and just recognizing we both enjoyed a lot of the same things, and then just getting to work.
How does an idea for "Illuminati" come together when you're working with Kanye West?
"Illuminati " was a song I'd written back in March or April. People are always using the word Illuminati but they're always referencing it in an incorrect way. People often accuse me of being a member of the Illuminati and I think in today's pop culture the Illuminati is perceived as a group of powerful, successful people who are working behind the scenes to control the universe. Not people with consciousness, not people who are enlightened. So people were accusing me of being a member of the Illuminati, and I kept going, wait – so first I had to figure out what that meant.
Do you Google these things, because it's quite amusing.
Yeah. But the thing is, I know who the real Illuminati are, and I know where that word comes from. The real Illuminati were a group of scientists, artists, philosophers, writers, who came about in what is referred to as the Age of Enlightenment, after the Dark Ages, when there was no writing and no art and no creativity and no spirituality, and life was really at a standstill. And right after that, everything flourished. So we had people like Shakespeare and Leonardo Da Vinci and Michaelangelo and Isaac Newton, and all these great minds and great thinkers, and they were called Illuminati.
Because they were illuminating consciousness.
Yes, to go to the root of the word, they were illuminating people. It had nothing to do with money and power. Of course they were powerful, because they influenced people. But their goal was to inspire and enlighten. So when people refer to me as a member of the Illuminati, I always want to say thank you. Thank you for putting me in that category. But before I can say thank you, I feel like I had to write a song about what I believe the Illuminati to be, and what it isn't.
When I played a lot of my songs that were unproduced for Kanye, that song resonated with him. He loved the melody, and he was actually jumping up and down on the soundboard. He literally stood on top of the mixing board — we were worried he was going to hit his head on the ceiling, but he didn't. He ended up being very excited about that track, and then he added his spin to it, musically, and I love it. To me, he elevated the lyrics with the music. It's like a siren, alerting people.
When you work with Nicki Minaj on a track like "Bitch I'm Madonna," do you give her guidance or let her go wherever she desires?
Whenever we work together she always sits with me and listens to the song, and says "tell me what this song is about to you." She's very methodical in her thinking. We talk about it, she writes down words that I say describing what the song's about and the sentiment that I'd like her to get out there, and then she goes away and she works on it. She writes it, she comes back. She does a version of it, we talk about it. It's a back and forth until she gets it right. It's a total collaboration.
You said you wanted every song on this album to stand on its own without production, to be able to strip down each track to its acoustic root and still have it work. Was that something you'd thought about on past albums?
No, I didn't. A lot of times I just thought about sounds. Or I want to make a dance record, or I want to write a ballad. This time I really thought — this is all part of my Armageddon thinking right now — the world is changing and for me, it's like, OK, what does it all come down to at the end of the day? It comes down to the songs.
If you're alone at the end of the world, can you just perform the songs?
Yes. If it's just me and the guitar, can I still do it? All the songs, I needed to be able to break them down on the most simple level and be able to impart what I have to say with my voice and a guitar.
Have you started thinking about reinventing these songs for tour?
I'm thinking about it. Right now, the deadline of getting this music out for iTunes was a 50-yard dash.
The songs went Number One in 41 countries – that's got to feel good. And demonstrate true fans are still willing to pay for the music.
Yeah. They're extremely [loyal] and I'm really super grateful for that.
No. Again, hopeful. Looking at the destruction and seeing hope. And that's what a lot of my songs are about on this record.
If "Living for Love" is the inspiring breakup song, "Unapologetic Bitch" is the "fuck you."
Yeah. [Laughs] But it's like, fuck you, I'm going to have fun. You think you're going to ruin my life and you think that it's over for me, but guess what? It's not. Life goes on.
Diplo, who produced that track, plays an interesting role in music right now, traveling the world collecting sounds and helping other cultures make sense of them. How did you two relate?
You know when you meet somebody and you work with them and you recognize that you both look at life the same way? I'm one of those people, I travel the world also and I engage in other cultures, and I absorb and see the beauty in other culture from many different perspectives — through art, through literature, through music — and reference a lot of those things that inspire me through my work. And I think Diplo does the same thing. So we recognized kindred spirits. When we got together, he didn't know that side of me and I didn't know that side of him, so again, not a discussion that we had per se, just more about hey, check this out? Did you hear this? Listen to this track. Do you like this group? Playing each other music that we loved and just recognizing we both enjoyed a lot of the same things, and then just getting to work.
How does an idea for "Illuminati" come together when you're working with Kanye West?
"Illuminati " was a song I'd written back in March or April. People are always using the word Illuminati but they're always referencing it in an incorrect way. People often accuse me of being a member of the Illuminati and I think in today's pop culture the Illuminati is perceived as a group of powerful, successful people who are working behind the scenes to control the universe. Not people with consciousness, not people who are enlightened. So people were accusing me of being a member of the Illuminati, and I kept going, wait – so first I had to figure out what that meant.
Do you Google these things, because it's quite amusing.
Yeah. But the thing is, I know who the real Illuminati are, and I know where that word comes from. The real Illuminati were a group of scientists, artists, philosophers, writers, who came about in what is referred to as the Age of Enlightenment, after the Dark Ages, when there was no writing and no art and no creativity and no spirituality, and life was really at a standstill. And right after that, everything flourished. So we had people like Shakespeare and Leonardo Da Vinci and Michaelangelo and Isaac Newton, and all these great minds and great thinkers, and they were called Illuminati.
Because they were illuminating consciousness.
Yes, to go to the root of the word, they were illuminating people. It had nothing to do with money and power. Of course they were powerful, because they influenced people. But their goal was to inspire and enlighten. So when people refer to me as a member of the Illuminati, I always want to say thank you. Thank you for putting me in that category. But before I can say thank you, I feel like I had to write a song about what I believe the Illuminati to be, and what it isn't.
When I played a lot of my songs that were unproduced for Kanye, that song resonated with him. He loved the melody, and he was actually jumping up and down on the soundboard. He literally stood on top of the mixing board — we were worried he was going to hit his head on the ceiling, but he didn't. He ended up being very excited about that track, and then he added his spin to it, musically, and I love it. To me, he elevated the lyrics with the music. It's like a siren, alerting people.
When you work with Nicki Minaj on a track like "Bitch I'm Madonna," do you give her guidance or let her go wherever she desires?
Whenever we work together she always sits with me and listens to the song, and says "tell me what this song is about to you." She's very methodical in her thinking. We talk about it, she writes down words that I say describing what the song's about and the sentiment that I'd like her to get out there, and then she goes away and she works on it. She writes it, she comes back. She does a version of it, we talk about it. It's a back and forth until she gets it right. It's a total collaboration.
You said you wanted every song on this album to stand on its own without production, to be able to strip down each track to its acoustic root and still have it work. Was that something you'd thought about on past albums?
No, I didn't. A lot of times I just thought about sounds. Or I want to make a dance record, or I want to write a ballad. This time I really thought — this is all part of my Armageddon thinking right now — the world is changing and for me, it's like, OK, what does it all come down to at the end of the day? It comes down to the songs.
If you're alone at the end of the world, can you just perform the songs?
Yes. If it's just me and the guitar, can I still do it? All the songs, I needed to be able to break them down on the most simple level and be able to impart what I have to say with my voice and a guitar.
Have you started thinking about reinventing these songs for tour?
I'm thinking about it. Right now, the deadline of getting this music out for iTunes was a 50-yard dash.
The songs went Number One in 41 countries – that's got to feel good. And demonstrate true fans are still willing to pay for the music.
Yeah. They're extremely [loyal] and I'm really super grateful for that.
Madonna’s Next Album Is Shaping Up to Be Her Best in a Decade (Time Magazine)
The singer's surprise release of several new songs reveals that the Queen of Pop hasn't lost her edge
When a handful of Madonna demos leaked last week — an event she called “artistic rape” and a “form of terrorism” — she decided to fight fire with fire by releasing the official versions of six songs cut from her upcoming thirteenth studio album, Rebel Heart. The bundle of new tracks represent her first collection of new material since 2012’s MDNA, a lukewarm flirtation with contemporary club music. Thing is, though, there’s a joy to every new Madonna release that’s just separated from determining the quality of the actual music: at this point in her career she’s pop’s cockroach, resilient and hardy and shockingly adaptable. With each new record, there are lessons about the genre’s present and near future in the specific sounds and figures she chooses to help realize her vision.
Based on this first batch of Rebel Heart material, Madonna is looking to strike a balance. First, there’s are the figures at the centre of EDM and synth-pop, her chosen modes of operation — meaning writers and producers like Diplo, Avicii, and Savan Kotecha. Then, she ropes in artists working at the vanguard across a variety of genres, from superstars like Kanye West to relative nobodies like producers Ariel Rechtshaid and Sophie. This is a savvy move — what a surprise, a smart play from one of the canniest pop stars to ever roam an arena — because it allows her to play to the masses while still pushing boundaries.
The songs that lead off this first Rebel Heart blast, lead single “Living for Love” and “Devil Pray,” could fit in neatly on the radio beside this year’s British house-pop crossovers and Avicii’s own “Hey Brother.” The ones that close it, namely the abrasive half-rapped Kanye collaboration “Illuminati” and caffeine-drunk trap anthem/Nicki Minaj feature “Bitch I’m Madonna,” hew closer to the spirit of PC Music’s obscure SoundCloud accounts and the sharp edges of Yeezus.
And because Madonna exists in rarefied air, the kind reserved for luminaries like herself and Prince and very few others, each of her new releases is less of an independent statement than a response to everything she’s done before, another chapter tacked onto an epic novel with no definite end. The tones, themes, and imagery that make up her musical toolbox — the frank sensuality, the various methods of intoxication, the lapsed Catholicism, the uncompromising confidence — are gospel at this point, and they elevate some of the more forgettable Rebel Heart material to a base level of pleasure. It’s fun to hear Madonna deliver a line like, “It might sound like I’m an unapologetic bitch / but sometimes you know I gotta call I like it is” (and try on 2 Chainz’ flow, just for kicks) because she has three’ decades worth of unapologetic bitchiness in her back pocket. It’s an easy score, sure, but it’s effective. And if the complete version of Rebel Heart, due March 10th via Interscope, can deliver a few more of those easy scores alongside a bit more adventurous songwriting, the album could be Madonna’s finest in almost a decade.
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