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Madonna

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This article is about the singer. For the religious figure, see Mary, mother of Jesus. For other uses, see Madonna (disambiguation).
Madonna Ciccone
A closeup photo of Madonna Ciccone with shoulder-length wavy blonde hair, wearing a colorful, low-cut blouse, holding a microphone to her mouth with her right hand.
Madonna in 2023
Born
Madonna Louise Ciccone

(1958-08-16) August 16, 1958 (age 65)
Bay City, Michigan, U.S.
Other namesVeronica (Catholic confirmation name)[1]
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • actress
  • businesswoman
  • record producer
  • dancer
  • film director
  • author
  • humanitarian
Years active1979–present
Spouses
PartnerCarlos Leon (1995–1997)
Children6
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • piano
  • ukulele
Labels
Websitewww.madonna.com
Signature

Madonna Louise Ciccone (born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress, author, director, philanthropist, businesswoman, record producer, film director, and humanitarian. Madonna was born in Bay City, Michigan, but she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance.

During her career, she has sold over 400 million records worldwide and is the top-selling female artist of all time. Some of her most famous albums are Like a Virgin, True Blue, Like a Prayer, Ray of Light and Confessions On a Dance-Floor. She has won seven Grammy awards. Madonna is considered the "Queen Of Pop" due to her extremely successful career on music and for being the most selling female singer in history. She has been in many movies; she received positive reviews for her role in Desperately Seeking Susan (1985).[4] Her later movies received mixed reviews. She received critical acclaim and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Evita (1996). She got harsh feedback for other performances.

Early life and career[change | change source]

Madonna Louise Ciccone[5] was born on August 16, 1958, in Bay City, Michigan, She was born to Catholic parents Madonna Louise (née Fortin) and Silvio Anthony "Tony" Ciccone.[6][7] Madonna was raised in the Detroit suburbs of Pontiac and Avon Township (now Rochester Hills), with her two older brothers—Anthony and Martin—and three younger siblings; Paula, Christopher, and Melanie.[8]

Madonna went to St. Frederick's and St. Andrew's Catholic Elementary Schools, and West Middle School.

Madonna's father put her in classical piano lessons, but she later asked him to allow her to take ballet lessons.[9] Christopher Flynn, her ballet teacher, persuaded her to pursue a career in dance.[10] Madonna later attended Rochester Adams High School and became a straight-A student as well as a member of its cheerleading squad.[11][12] After graduating in January 1976, she received a dance scholarship to the University of Michigan and studied over the summer at the American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina.[13][14]

In 1978, Madonna dropped out of college and relocated to New York City.[15] She said of her move to New York, "It was the first time I'd ever taken a plane, the first time I'd ever gotten a taxi cab. I came here with $35 in my pocket. It was the bravest thing I'd ever done."[16] Madonna soon found an apartment in the Alphabet City neighborhood of the East Village[17] and had little money while working as a hatcheck girl for the Russian Tea Room, an elevator operator at Terrace on the Park, and with modern dance troupes, taking classes at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and eventually performing with Pearl Lang Dance Theater.[18][14][19] She also studied dance under the tutelage of the noted American dancer and choreographer Martha Graham.[20] Madonna started to work as a backup dancer for other established artists. One night, while returning from a rehearsal, a pair of men held her at knifepoint and forced her to perform fellatio. She later found the incident to be "a taste of my weakness, it showed me that I still could not save myself in spite of all the strong-girl show. I could never forget it."[21]

1983–89: Madonna, Like a Virgin, True Blue, and Like a Prayer[change | change source]

After the release of some dance hits she released her first album, Madonna, in 1983. The album was a great success.[22][23] Her next album, Like a Virgin (1984), sold over 6 million copies in the United States only and overall 10 million copies worldwide. Her album True Blue has sold 25 million copies. Her album Like a Prayer caused controversy, as it had to do with Christianity but the album sold over 15 million records worldwide. During the 1980s, Madonna was a huge fashion icon and was an idol for millions of girls and boys. Songs like Like a Virgin, Material Girl, Into the Groove, Papa Don't Preach, Holiday, Lucky Star, La Isla Bonita, and Like a Prayer are believed to be classics.

1990–99: The Immaculate Collection, Erotica, film success, Bedtime Stories, and Ray of Light[change | change source]

In 1990, she released her best selling greatest-hits album The Immaculate Collection which sold over 30 million copies, and this album became the most-sold greatest-hits album in music history. She released a book of naked pictures called SEX in that year. Her album Erotica was a big hit but was criticized by some, the album sold 5 million copies. Madonna starred in the film A League of Their Own, alongside American actor Tom Hanks and comedienne Rosie O'Donnell. In 1994, her album Bedtime Stories was released. She also performed in the movie Evita, which was very successful and released a soundtrack album of the same name. She also received the Golden Globe for Best Actress. Her 1998 album Ray of Light is considered to be a masterpiece and sold over 18 million copies worldwide. Some of her most famous and classic songs of the '90s are Vogue, This Used to Be My Playground, Erotica, Take a Bow, Don't Cry for Me Argentina, You Must Love Me, Frozen and Ray of Light.

2000–10: Music, American Life, Confessions on a Dance Floor, and Hard Candy[change | change source]

In 2000, her album Music sold over 15 million copies worldwide, helped by the global hit song of the same name. Music became her twelfth number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100. She also released a successful greatest hits album titled GHV2. Madonna acted in the film The Next Best Thing, along with Swept Away, which got bad reviews. On October 22, 2002, a single called Die Another Day was released. The music video for the single was the second most expensive music video ever to make. The single reached number one in several countries. Her 2003 album, American Life, reached #1 in many countries but it was criticized by some, as it was against war in Iraq and sold 5 million copies. In 2005, her album Confessions on a Dance Floor, helped by the singles Hung Up and Sorry that reached #1 in 45 countries, sold 12 million copies. In 2008 she released her album Hard Candy which reached #1 in almost every country in the world and has sold over 4 million copies worldwide. The first single from the album, 4 Minutes, had Justin Timberlake singing in it.

2011–present: W.E., MDNA, Rebel Heart, and Madame X[change | change source]

In 2011, W.E., the second movie directed by Madonna, was released. It got bad reviews.

Madonna performed at the 46th Super Bowl on February 5, 2012. She released her twelfth album, MDNA, in April of that year. The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 album chart. Trinidadian-born American rapper Nicki Minaj was featured on the lead single, Give Me All Your Luvin', which reached the top ten in the United States and reached number one in Canada. Minaj also raps on the album track I Don't Give A.

Madonna's thirteenth studio album, Rebel Heart, was released in March 2015. It featured the singles Living For Love and Bitch I'm Madonna featuring frequent collaborator Nicki Minaj. The Rebel Heart World Tour made $169.8 million.[24]

Her fourteenth studio album, Madame X, was released on June 14, 2019, and became her ninth number-one album in the US.[25] It featured collaborations with Maluma, Quavo, Swae Lee & Anitta. It has sold 90,000 copies in the US so far. She will be going on a theatre-only tour to promote it.

Tours[change | change source]

See the main article: List of Madonna tours

Her tours during the 80's ("Who's That Girl Tour," "Blond Ambition Tour," etc.) were very successful. Her 1993 "The Girlie Show Tour" was very controversial—some thought of it as bad—but was a great success. The "Drowned World Tour" and the "Re-Invention World Tour" were the most successful tours of their years. The "Confessions Tour" was very successful and the "Sticky & Sweet Tour," with over $408 million earned, became the most successful tour of all time for a solo artist.

  • The Virgin Tour (1985) (US only): the tour grossed $33 million.
  • Who's That Girl World Tour (1987): the tour grossed $25 million.
  • Blond Ambition Tour (1990): the tour grossed $60 million.
  • The Girlie Show World Tour (1993): the tour grossed $70 million.
  • Drowned World Tour (2001): the tour grossed $75 million.
  • Re-Invention World Tour (2004): the tour grossed $125 million.
  • Confessions Tour (2006): the tour grossed $194 million.
  • Sticky & Sweet Tour (2008-2009): the tour grossed $408 million.
  • MDNA Tour (2012): the tour grossed $302 million.
  • Rebel Heart Tour (2015)
  • Madame X Tour (2019)

Discography[change | change source]

See the main article: Madonna discography

Personal life[change | change source]

Madonna is the third of six siblings and was named after her mother, Madonna Fortin, who died of breast cancer when Madonna was only five years old.[26]

Both Madonna's marriages ended in divorce. She was married to Sean Penn from 1985 until 1989 and to Guy Ritchie from 2000 to 2008. She has a daughter, Lourdes (born 1996), and son, Rocco (born 2000). She adopted a Malawian son, David Banda, and a daughter, Mercy.

In February 2017, it was announced that she had adopted two more Malawian children, twin girls Esther and Stella.[27]

References[change | change source]

  1. ↑ "Libraries Australia Authorities – Madonna". National Library of Australia. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  2. ↑ "2018 America's Self-Made Women Net Worth". Forbes. July 10, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  3. ↑ Vasel, Kathryn (December 2, 2014). "The world's 10 richest recording artists". CNNMoney. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  4. ↑ Ebert, Roger. "Desperately Seeking Susan". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on 2012-06-22. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
  5. ↑ Leonard & D'Acierno 1998, p. 492.
  6. ↑ Taraborrelli 2002, pp. 11–13
  7. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Madonna Biography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 24, 2022. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  8. ↑ "The Child Who Became a Star: Madonna Timeline". The Daily Telegraph. July 26, 2006. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2008.
  9. ↑ Cross 2007, p. 10.
  10. ↑ Taraborrelli 2002, pp. 26–29
  11. ↑ Claro 1994, pp. 24, 27
  12. ↑ Cross 2007, p. 9
  13. ↑ Tilden, Imogen (July 4, 2001). "Madonna". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 17, 2017. Retrieved May 29, 2008.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Menconi, David (June 7, 2015). "Madonna before she was Madonna – dancing at American Dance Festival". The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  15. ↑ Hosted by Paula Zahn (2004). "A Star with Staying Power". People in the News. CNN. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  16. ↑ Rettenmund 1995, p. 45
  17. ↑ Taraborrelli 2002, p. 37
  18. ↑ Anderson, Christopher (October 14, 1991). "Madonna Rising". New York Magazine. pp. 40–51. Archived from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  19. ↑ Hosted by Jim Wallasky. "Madonna: Queen of Pop". Biography. 5 minutes in. The History Channel.
  20. ↑ Polk, Milan (April 22, 2019). "Everything We Know About Madonna's New Album Madame X". Vulture. Archived from the original on April 22, 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  21. ↑ O'Brien 2007, p. 56
  22. ↑ "Madonna – Charts & Awards – Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  23. ↑ "Madonna – Charts & Awards – Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  24. ↑ Morgan, Richard (2016-03-26). "Madonna reclaims crown as highest-grossing solo artist". New York Post. Retrieved 2019-08-04.
  25. ↑ "Madonna Achieves Ninth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'Madame X'". Billboard. 23 June 2019. Retrieved 2019-08-04.
  26. ↑ "Madonna". Biography.
  27. ↑ "Madonna Overjoyed After Adopting Twins Esther and Stella". E! Online. 8 February 2017.

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