Occasionally, an individual finds a way into our consciousness, and they remain there forever. They have this infectious personality, aura, appeal, energy, and presence that draw you deep into their world. I am a music lover and there is a brief list of entertainers, athletes, and scholars that I gravitate to on such a deep level. Madonna Louise Ciccone is one of those individuals. Madonna is universally known as the Queen of Pop, but this diminishes her music genius, which places her in a bubble. I will explain this in more detail at some point during this article. At any rate, the musician born in Bay City, Michigan on April 16, 1958, is talented, complicated, sexy, and a wild child. Art imitates life and life often imitated in art, and I honestly believe Madonna has maximized both up to this point. Madonna has pushed boundaries for almost 4 decades and while other people were uncomfortable, she did so with a smile.
In 1977, Madonna moved to New York City to pursue a dance and music career. Of course, this was standard during the seventies and 80’s. At that time Los Angeles, Detroit and New York were melting pots for aspiring entertainers. By 1979, Madonna was in a group called Breakfast Club and then the group Emmy. In both groups Madonna was a guitarist, drummer and of course, a vocalist. I am not sure how many people know Madonna plays multiple instruments. When you have a certain persona, it is easy to overlook other details within a person’s arsenal. Fans saw provocative clothes, edgy lyrics, often off-stage antics and viewed her mostly as a party girl and wild. I get it though, in the initial stages of her career, I did not realize the totality of her talent. I enjoyed her music and even liked her on the big screen. The movie “Who’s That Girl” and the title track are each personal favorites of mine. I cannot front; I dig Madonna.
It is funny people often look at Madonna as more of a performer instead of the amazing musician that she is. Madonna is one of those rare artists that has written and produced a lot of her own music. I can promise you casual fans are unaware of this reality. In fact, several of these tracks ended up receiving international fame. The list of these songs includes “Vogue,” “Like A Virgin,” “Frozen,” “Papa Don’t Preach,” “Music,” “Like A Prayer,” “Take A Bow” and so many others. To achieve this level of success with your own writing and production ability has placed Madonna among the greatest. Madonna is underrated in my opinion. In the opening paragraph I stated that Madonna is the Queen of Pop. I also made the comment that this title minimizes her skills as an overall artist. Madonna has a diverse style that grew and expanded throughout her career.
Yes, in the beginning of Madonna’s career and debut album, there was a strong Pop and crossover appeal the Record Label pushed. Her debut album was a clear attempt to sale albums, produce 5-6 Radio Singles and grow a fan base. I cannot lie; I became an instant fan after hearing “Holiday” and “Borderline.” In 1983 when this album was released, I was a kid enjoying whatever music my older family members played. I remember listening to the early years of Hip Hop and Run DMC. I also remember listening to Michael Jackson because everyone loved Michael Jackson. I discovered Madonna by mistake. BET was not a popular network and there were not many Urban Radio Stations at the time. Madonna, along with Hall and Oates, became my favorite non-Black singers. As Madonna started to move into the second phase of her career, tracks like the above mentioned “Frozen” kept me interested in her music. Madonna found a way to balance her Pop Star appeal with deep (poetic) lyrics and visuals on this song. This was 1998 and the album was Ray of Light. The reason I mentioned this album and song is because this was 16 years after her debut album. Over a 16-year span Madonna released 6 albums, played in several movies, world tours and a lengthy list of controversial activities as well. Madonna simply grew as an artist and continued after this project, which became one of her highest selling and most critically acclaimed ventures.
Throughout the years we knew the “Wild Child” would make an appearance. I mean, the Vatican condemned her Song and Video “Like A Prayer,” for the visuals that they felt were disrespectful and blasphemous. Madonna’s book SEX also pushed boundaries, and the nudity and images caused controversy. Madonna was the Marilyn Monroe of her generation. Madonna had her share of hostile relationships (Ex: Marriage to Sean Penn) and other relationships and marriages that were roller coasters. Madonna’s childhood was not without pain, as her mother died while she was a young kid. We know this can cause trauma for a lifetime. I am not saying her history of rocky relationships is a direct result of her mother dying in her youth. I am merely stating that it could be a factor. Even with all the riches, Madonna has dealt with a lot of pleasure and pain.
At the end of the day, Madonna is never going away. Her legacy is one for the ages. After being a young musician inspired by Debbie Harry, David Bowie, Karen Carpenter, Led Zeppelin, and others, she has turned out to be the highest selling female artist of all time. Madonna is the fourth highest selling artist of all time following The Beatles, Michael Jackson, and Elvis Presley. Madonna is ranked the Top Female in Music by various publications. Madonna has seen success as a Singer, Actor, Author, Model, and continues to tour in 2017. I would love to see her live in concert but honestly, I wish I could have seen her during the mid-90’s. It is also ironic that in a 15-month period Prince, Anita Baker, SADE, Michael Jackson, and Madonna were born. They are all the same age. I also love each of them as artists and they are my favorite artists along with Marvin Gaye. It meant to be a fan of Madonna. People that know me are aware that my favorite song is Marvin Gaye's "I Want You" and ironically, Madonna remade the track and released a video for its years ago. It was a great version. Madonna remains in great company and her genius will transcend time.
Peace
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