MADONNA, LIGHTS YEARS AWAY FROM ACTING HER AGE

Now that we’ve calmed down after Kanye’s tanty over Beck winning best album at the Grammys, I think we can safely agree that although Kanye might have some valid points, until he holds his own personal awards ceremony he is not in a position to decide who gets what gong. End of.

All this kerfuffle has distracted us from something else that happens each year at the Grammys: the relentless and constant age-shaming of Madonna. It’s become some sort of sport.

Madge turned up to the ceremony in her usual garb, ie something tight, excruciatingly short and topped off with a pair of unwearable shoes. No real surprises there. Although I did enjoy the Napoleon-slash-Spanish matador vibe of her whole ensemble. She flounced about in her now de rigueur corsetry with boobs proudly on show, legs encased in saucy fishnets. On first glance, most people thought “Nice hat” and went back to their lives.

Then she flashed her backside. At the paparazzi. Who deserve it just as much as that degrading manicam box into which celebs are forced to shove their hands to have their cuticles filmed up close. Moon them both, I say.

Of course, Madonna’s rear wasn’t encased in a comfortable pair of sensible control-top cottontail undies like most women of most ages would wear. Her backside was bare, encased only by some sort of sporty jock strap that worked as a cheek hammock (where can I get one? The lift was extraordinary). Glorious Madge. Glorious 50-something-year-old Madge. Who refuses to put it away.

Cue the naysayers on socials saying Madonna should act her age. These normally rational people, who clearly all now hold a university degree in sitting on their own backsides and having opinions of 140 characters or less, were deeply concerned that Madge really needs a friend right now who’ll be honest and tell her the truth about her clothing choices. Others worried for her children. Some stated that she has more arse than class.

To think an older person wearing revealing clothes can still get folk in a lather, yet when Taylor Swift at the barely-legal-to-drink age of 22 turns up dressing like a 45-year-old movie star no one bats an eye! And that is so sad. Why should anyone be told to act their age when it comes to getting dressed? And as an aside, what on earth does acting your age really mean in this context? I assume the answer is covering it all up. And as Tay would say: shake it off.

I attended a product launch years ago that was hosted by an octogenarian artist who has a history of pulling practical jokes and pranks. Once her speech was done she then proceeded to pour the champagne all over the place, including on herself, then hoik her skirt up to flash her undies too. It was both shocking and joyful.

This moment always serves as a reminder that I wasn’t used to people over a certain age enjoying themselves, their bodies, and just generally mucking about with societal norms. It also showed me what a terrible bunch of conservatives we’ve become. Self-expression is not only for the young.

Telling Madonna what you think she can and can’t wear at her age has a hint of the Kanyes about it. And if we all agree that Yeezus doesn’t have that right to tell someone else who deserves to win, nor do we have the right to tell someone over a certain vintage to dress their age. Isn’t it the same?

Source : TheGuardian

Why Madonna’s Mooning Was A Triumph

Nothing could have been more predictable than the scorn and disgust provoked by Madonna’s cheeky get-up at the Grammy Awards.

Commenters wanted to know why Madonna can’t age gracefully and tastefully like, say, Annie Lennox, who arrived on the red carpet draped in black, from neck to toe and shoulder to wrist.

All that was missing from Lennox’s outfit was a hijab, or head covering.

But it’s Lennox who’s being held up as a model of what’s appropriate for post-menopausal women to wear in public.

Covered up, unremarkable, blending into the background, no body part noticeable — that’s what’s required for aging women to avoid the adjectives hurled at Madonna today: old, tired, desperate, demeaning, hag, ugly, delusional, disgusting, sadly pathetic.

“Saggy baggy old hag. Has to use a big leather strap to hold up that old saggy ass to keep it from hitting her on the back of her knees. Pathetic.”

There’s a lot more nastiness about her sexy matador costume and bare flesh but you get the idea.

The revulsion for Madonna’s extreme cleavage has been outdone only by the horror about her bum exposure after she mooned millions or red carpet watchers.

The in-your-face sexuality of a 56-year old woman is intolerable for most people. It’s considered monstrous and it’s why witches are regarded as abominations.

Women’s sexuality is a potent force and aging is a source of anxiety and when the two are combined, many people are repulsed by it.

Women are traditionally required to please, to be gentle and accepting and not to call attention to their sexuality, even to hide it.

They’re also required to fade into old age, relinquishing sexuality when their bodies are no longer fecund or as pleasing to men.

That, of course, is what’s meant by “aging gracefully” and “dressing age appropriately.”

But Madonna has always broken the rules and thank goodness for that.

She’s exactly the kind of provocateur we aging women need right now, even if we don’t feel the need to moon for photographers.

And as for dressing appropriately for the red carpet, that’s exactly what she did.

The red carpet is as much a show as any performance and the costume is what’s it’s all about.

If we’re going to watch women paraded around and judged for their appearance and body parts, then Madonna deserves applause for playing the game and, even more so, for mocking it.

Sure, we might choose to look elegant and wear something more like Lennox’s tasteful black gown when the occasion calls for dress-up.

But Madonna is doing us all a huge favour in insisting that post-menopausal women don’t have to hide themselves behind the dictates of age-appropriate fashion and graceful aging.

MADONNA IS THE OG QUEEN OF THIS POP SH*T

Today Madonna dropped off two heat rocks, reminding us all that she is the OG Queen of this pop thing, the MJ of this shit, whichever one: Jordan or Jackson. One features Chance the Rapper and Mike Tyson (“Iconic”), and the other features Nas (“Veni Vidi Vici”). Back in December she let loose “Bitch I’m Madonna” featuring her heir to the pop throne, Nicki Minaj, and the Diplo-assisted “Living for Love.” And I must say, she’s back like she never left.

“Iconic” and “Living for Love” feature hard-hitting dance beats. They’ll make you want to go hammer with some glow sticks and tongue a stranger down on the dance floor. “Bitch I’m Madonna” and “Veni Vidi Vici” are more of the traditional pop variety one would hear on a Top 40 station, a tactic that she’s perfected. Nicki, Chance, and Nas spit nothing but fire on their respective features. It’s dope that she has rappers on her upcoming project because it’s a show of respect to a genre that, over the course of her career, has gone from a “fad” to the driving force in popular culture.

Never one to shy away from controversy, Madge found herself in one with her Rebel Heart online marketing campaign. She replicated her album cover by placing the various “rebel” faces of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Bob Marley, and Jesus Christ in bondage or whatever you want to call it. I’m still trying to figure out the point of that album art. She tried to compare herself to those icons and then she apologized for doing so. This made me skeptical of the whole project at first. The aforementioned online campaign was sketchy at best, and she’s also 56 now and hasn’t made a great album in nine years, which made it feel forced (don’t hate on my opinion!). But I digress.

Once upon a time my friends and I would get lit to various Madonna albums. Mind you, we were street kids from North Jersey. We’re in our late 20s, early 30s now, and Madonna’s music was just as familiar to us back then as say Wu-Tang’s music. We would pregame to 2005’s Confessions on a Dance Floor or a mix of her greatest hits with various drugs in our systems. Play drunk Twister with a group of pretty girls while listening to Madonna before you judge the kid. These new tracks remind me of those times. I’m writing this as “Sorry” plays, and I’m feeling froggy. I wish I had some ‘shrooms or some acid, to be honest. Roc-A-Fella, Dipset, Max B, Madonna, piff, and Henny got the god through college in one piece, feel me?

Accept no duplicates. Lady Gaga can’t wash the Queen’s throne. She’s a hack at best, a shock jock. Not to say Madonna isn’t, but she manages to come across as original while Gaga comes across as trying too hard—she’s already washed up. The only ones who come close are Onika, Azealia Banks, Rihanna, and Beyonce. “Truffle Butter” samples the deep house cut “What They Say” by Maya Jane Coles, and Broke With Expensive Taste is a brilliant mixing of genres, something Madonna does very well. Rihanna is a hit-making machine, and Beyonce was born to perform. Madge birthed them all, and we must honor and respect that legacy. I’m expecting Rebel Heart to go platinum in like two weeks. “Bitch I’m Madonna” and “Living for Love” have a combined 5,253,598 Spotify streams.

Let us all bow our heads because we are not worthy. I for one can’t wait to turn up to Rebel Heart when it drops. Thugs fuck with poppy, dance bullshit sometimes too, lord. Only God can judge me. I’m going to play some 2Pac after this, though, for sure. I’m sounding kind of crazy, but fuck it, it’s the truth. ‘Pac used to fuck with Madonna, and so should you.

uk.complex.com

MADONNA’S “REBEL HEART” WILL BE A DECADE DEFINING ALBUM FOR MUSIC

http://truthfly.wpen...k.Ybh3oTIJ.dpuf

You don’t have to know much about music to know that Madonna’s “Like A Prayer” and “Ray of Light” were albums that bridged decades (‘Prayer’ the late 80’s-early 90’s, and ‘Light’ the late 90’s-early 00’s). Although, personally I feel all of her albums have shaped the music scene, I personally think that M’s own LP’s “Erotica” and “American Life” are two artistic and musical masterpieces (Rolling Stone and Idolator agree with me, but more on that later).

In the Madonna community, there are two groups of people: The “Ray of Light” and “Like A Prayer” group, and the “Erotica” and “American Life” group. For arguments sake, let’s not argue: the common theme between these (and all of Madonna’s albums, honestly) is singular: they remain relevant and fresh as if they were released today, they broke ground in musicality and sound, and they are – literally – works of art. Where as in my opinion Ray of Light and Like A Prayer are musical masterpieces, Erotica and American Life are both musical and artistic masterpieces… (again, just me – huge fan here since I was a baby, so don’t judge too harsh – I’ll defend this woman to the death – just a personal opinion from my deep love of those two albums).

Enter Rebel Heart, Madonna’s forthcoming album, due to release on March 10th around the globe. When Madonna was forced to release 6 songs (“Living For Love”, “Bitch, I’m Madonna”, “Illuminati”, “Ghosttown”, “Devil Pray”, and “Unapologetic Bitch”), die-hard fans (myself included) and the casual fan alike were delighted, slinging ALL SIX songs into the top ten and making her album number one in pre-orders.

I was as much happy as I was furious at those that leaked her songs – I personally still have not (and will never) listen to the leaked demos – true fans know better, and I didn’t want to add any energy to that negativity. I was also afraid that this 1/3rd release of the album would hurt the actual official release. There is always a magic that surrounds a Madonna release – the excitement for the stroke of midnight when the first single is released, the excruciating wait for the first music video, the joy when the whole album is finally out, and the nervous excitement of wondering if she will or won’t do a tour (I’m almost 27, and you younger ones are lucky because you don’t remember that little period when we had to wait almost NINE years for our lady M to tour after The Girlie Show – so some of us still have PTSD from that ;-)).

But, in the last seven days, all of that anger and fear has washed away. The video for Living For Love dropped (which I reviewed here in my “7 Reasons Why Madonna’s New “Living For Love” Is The Best Music Video Ever” ) and it is amazing. Then, last night, Madonna raised the bar for ever single live musical act on Earth with her incredible, spellbinding Grammy performance. Then, today, she released three more songs (all of which currently are sitting at number one on the iTunes chart) – “Iconic”, “Hold Tight”, and “Joan of Arc”.

When I heard Joan of Arc, I almost hit the ground. “Take A Bow” (and Madonna’s American Music Awards performance of it which was one of the most flawless live performances she’s ever done) and “Crazy For You” have held the position for favorite Madonna ballads ever – until, literally in the first listen, “Joan of Arc” ripped that crown right from those other two and planted in firmly on it’s head – right where it belongs.

That’s also the moment the writer and artist in me knew – “Rebel Heart” is going to not be just a Madonna defining album, but a MUSICALLY, Decade-defining album – just like “Ray of Light” and “Like A Prayer”. “Joan of Arc” has it all – it’s the song that brings the album from incredible to transformative for the listener. It’s deep, she’s feeling every word, and we are right there with her – although we all don’t have to deal with things being written about us everyday, photographers following us constantly – the song is relatable in that same, magical way that “Drowned World/Substitute For Love” was from “Ray of Light”.

Madonna and her manager have gotten everything right with this album and everything surrounding it thus far – don’t even get me started on the how the album artwork and photographs released thus far are some of her best since “Justify My Love” and “Vogue” – and I have a strong suspicion that “Rebel Heart” will be not just the Madonna album fans will talk about for years, but that ALBUM (Madonna or not) that everyone (Madonna fan or not) will be talking about for years.

P.S. I think we all need to give M’s manager, Mr. Guy Oseary a big thank you for working with M to turn the lemons of the leak into some of the best lemonade us fans have had in years. Maybe we should get #ThankYouGuyOseary trending?

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Madonna Owns the Grammys with Her “Living for Love” Performance

BY JOSH DUBOFF

Introduced by Nicki Minaj and Miley Cyrus (“Give it up for our bitch, Madonna,” Cyrus shouted), Madonna put on a frankly stupendous performance of her new single “Living for Love” at the Grammys. In a red matador-themed ensemble, Madonna (who is 56, let’s not forget) put on a spectacle that many of the under-30 starlets in the game would struggle to achieve. She danced (amongst a crew of lithe male dancers in Maleficent-style horns); she got the crowd on its feet (including a dancing Taylor Swift); and she has us humming “Living for love, living for love” an hour later!

Also, if you haven’t yet, be sure to properly behold the outfit Madge wore on the red carpet—it's a doozy.

Vanity fair

10 REASONS “LIVING FOR LOVE” VIDEO IS MADONNA’S BEST VIDEO IN YEARS

1. That unusual choreography with all of its masculine posturing and grappling. It’s like if Madonna joined the man-slave brawl at the end of the “Express Yourself” video.

2. That matador costume is gorgeous. Madonna’s idols Frida Kahlo and Marlene Dietrich would both covet it.

3. This is her Annie Lennox “Diva” moment. She’s accepting the role of a veteran and playing on familiar imagery from her career (“Take a Bow,” specifically) without forfeiting any of her signature nerve, headmistress grandeur, or ingenuity. She’s a raging stateswoman strutting on broken glass.

4. The song’s hymn vibe is a perfect match for the studied, solemn movements of a matador.

5. She looks incredible. That body! She’s like if Belinda Carlisle were an American Gladiator.

6. The sappiness and bullfighting theme give us reason to call her Earnest Hemingway. Just a thought.

7. She’s titillating those shirtless dudes as they sweat and claw beneath her. This is like if the “Open Your Heart” video turned into a cage match.

8. The pulsating redness gives the video a carnal and tender feel.

9. The slow-motion rose pedals are like something out of most glamorous De Beers commercial ever.

10. Of course Madonna is slaying minotaurs. She’s living mythology.

Source : Hitfix

MADONNA AND THE JOINT VENTURE WITH SNAPCHAT

Even after all these years, Madonna is still finding ways to innovate and present her art to the masses.

“Living For Love” is the lead single from the singer’s upcoming thirteenth album Rebel Heart, due in March. The video is reportedly being shot by French artistic duo JACK, who have worked primarily with fashion houses, but who have directed a few musicvideos as well.



The singer’s label had to rush a pre-order of the album before they were truly ready, as leak after leak were hurting sales prospects and upsetting the singer to no end. After one very compromising release of the entire album (as it stood then), Madonna posted the album on iTunes, allowing fans to download six songs immediately after ordering.

Joining with Snapchat is beneficial for both Madonna and the messaging app, even if it sounds odd at first. Snapchat’s biggest segment of users are millennials—the group that Madonna is trying to reach most, with mixed results so far. While she’s been a massive star for years, Madge has had a hard time connecting with the younger crowds, those who don’t appreciate the legacy she’s left and her staying power. On the other side of things, the prospect of a new Madonna music video—especially the first from a new album campaign—might be enough to convince older fans to download Snapchat, increasing their total number of users.

Though it may only be three years old, Snapchat is one of the most used and most valuable messaging apps out there. By the middle of last year, the company claimed that its users were sending over 700 million photos and videos per day. Experts vary on how much the company is actually worth, but many projections have it around the $10 billion mark.

Last year, it was revealed (thanks to the now-infamous Sony hack) that Snapchat was working on ways to further incorporate music into the app. Leaked emails show that the messaging giant had been in talks with music video platform Vevo to figure out a way to bring clips to the service. There is no word yet on exactly how that is going, though Madonna’s signing on could be a sign that music videos on Snapchat may be closer than we think.

Source : Forbes

Madonna Rebel Heart Standard Edition Cover.

BRITS I’M MADONNA!’ REBEL HEART SINGER MADGE CONFIRMS BRIT AWARDS PERFORMANCE

The 56-year-old singer is set to take the stage at the London music ceremony on 25 February to perform a medley of hits.

Her turn on stage will mark 20 years since her last performance when, in 1995, she belted out her top 5 single Bedtime Stories for fans.

This year, the star will give the audience a show-stopping preview of her thirteenth studio album – Rebel Heart – set to be released in March.

Madonna has had 12 BRIT Award nominations in total, including two wins in 2001 and 2006, both for Best International Female.The award-winning singer now joins a seriously star-studded line up including Taylor Swift, Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, and Take That at the award ceremony.

BRITs Chairman Max Lousada said: “We’re delighted to bring Madonna back to the BRITS. She’s an icon, an innovator and, above all, an entertainer.Having her as part of the show will guarantee an unforgettable night of music.”

With over 30 million albums sold worldwide, the mother-of-four will no doubt cause a stir when she takes to the stage.

The artist took to Twitter this afternoon to confirm the news, she said: “Hello to all my UK Rebel Hearts!!! See you at the Brits on Feb 25th #BritsImMadonna #livingforlove #rebelheart”

The BRIT Awards 2015 will be held at The O2 in London on Wednesday 25 February and will be broadcast live on ITV.

“REBEL HEART” IS A WONDERFULL ADDITION TO MADONNA’S DISCOGRAPHY

It’s been years since Madonna had released some new material which would be good enough to please both critics and fans. We all remember the sweet, yet underwhelming disco-throwback “Hard Candy” offered us, and well as the carefree euro-dance of “MDNA”. Both of these albums, while containing some good songs, weren’t strong enough as a body of work. On “Hard Candy”, Madonna was often out-shadowed by Pharrell, Justin Timberlake, and Timbaland’s productions. On “MDNA”, she tried too hard to please young fans with basic dance music and generic singles that the rich lyrical layer (mostly treating of her divorce with Guy Ritchie) was put aside in favor of cliché songwriting (remember “Turn Up the Radio”?). These periods were hard to swallow for fans who knew and loved “Ray of Light” or even “American Life” for its lyrical depths and experimental music, or even “Confessions”, for its re-invention of Madonna’s persona.

The “Rebel Heart” era will be remembered mostly for its many leaks (all of the songs from the album somewhat leaked in over a month), but it’s a shame. “Rebel Heart” is actually a wonderful addition to Madonna’s discography, and her greatest album of the last decade. While we experienced the first six songs early, as Madonna released them on iTunes back in late December, waiting was required for the other ones. And here they are, after the whole album and its 25 (!) songs leaked. And guess what? They’re actually really good.
Those who heard the demos know that Avicii heavily contributed on some of the songs, including the title track. Well, here, his productions are more subtle. Goodbye, good old dance breakdowns, welcome actual melodies. “Rebel Heart” becomes a country song, which would perfectly fit on “Music”, while “Wash All Over Me” is now a symphonic album closer, where Madonna reflects on her loneliness. Of all the demo songs, “Body Shop” is actually the one who transitioned the most successfully. It is now a sweet, guitar-driven song, where Madonna shines as a playful, loving partner for her lover.
The album raises the question of Madonna’s identity: is she a revolutionist, a loner, a deluded woman, a fierce diva, …? She’s actually all of that, and she says it herself. Yes, she may have flaws and she may come off as a heartless diva, but really, she’s as much a sucker for love as we all are. “Take me with all my stupid flaws”, she sings, and we happily oblige. This album could easily be compared to “American Life” and its sumptuous, personal ballads, as Madonna delivers here some of her best material in years. “Ghosttown”, an apocalyptic ballad, “Joan of Arc”, a confession of lack of confidence facing the hardest times, and “Messiah” a masterpiece of unrequited love: they are delicate, honest songs, and the proof that Madonna can actually deliver real down-tempo songs with talent and confidence (remember “Take a Bow”?).
But let’s not forget the more up-tempo songs: “Living for Love” and its mix between dubstep and “Like a Prayer” gospel-throwback is a winning mix, while “Hold Tight” is a soaring anthem to be. “Iconic” is the most basic song on the standard version and yet its dark, yet empowering nature makes it all work alright. Plus, how good is self-reference when it’s about playing “Vogue” halfway through your songs? The Natalia Kills-penned “Holy Water” feels straight out of “Hard Candy”, and its futurist production and cheeky lyrics remind us of what the 2008 could have been. Madonna also self-references herself on “Veni Vedi Vici”, an autobiographical piece where she remembers her success throughout past successes.
Madonna offers us her best dance material thanks to eclectic genres mixes and autobiographical exploration, yet she shines the most through her ballads, where the woman behind the persona reveals herself for the first time since 2003. In a world that changes, Madonna stays the same, and we are so much thankful for that “Rebel Heart” in our lives.



Source : DiscoPopHeaven

MADONNA AT THE JFK AIRPORT, NEW YORK (1 FEBRUARY 2015)

Madonna NRJ Interview Transcript!

NRJ: Can you talk about your new hit Living For Love? By the way, for the video you worked with a French team who collaborated with Christine and The Queens.
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. from Paris. 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?
Madonna: 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.