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Madonna news - March 2006
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Rumoured tour schedule so far
29 March 2006In our tour section we've assembled all the tour stops that have been rumoured so far. This list is unconfirmed, incomplete and subject to change as yet. An official announcement has been awaited for a while now but seems to have been postponed several times. Stay tuned!
Madonna learns to krump
29 March 2006Today's edition of The Sun features an article by Victoria Newton, containing a large number of spoilers of Madonna's upcoming tour, including a (rumoured) set list. If you wish to read it, go to our spoilers section.
Madonna to take Studio 54 on tour
29 March 2006The Sun has also published news on the stage set of the tour. Go to the spoilers section to read.
Is Madonna coming to Tel Aviv?
Source: Moldova.org - 29 March 2006It's not official yet, but it seems that Madonna is on her way to Israel, at Nokia Arena in Tel Aviv.
Internet sites report pop singer planning September concert in Israel. Israeli sources: 80 percent sure.
"I know negotiations are at an advanced stage. I haven't heard that anything's been sewn up – but I'd say it's 80 percent that she's coming", one source in the know told Ynet.
According to reports, the Israel appearance is intended to be the last stop on Madonna's European tour, scheduled to begin in Moscow next month. She will fly to Israel directly from Turkey.
As ynetnews.com notes, Madonna decided not to play outdoor stadiums on her current tour, choosing instead smaller arenas, "in order to create an aura of intimacy with the audience," according to her manager.
Madonna has appeared once before in Israel, and visited Israel last year to lecture on Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism. Last year she also released a new album, called Confessions on the Dance Floor.
Madonna to sing in Prague in September
Source: ceskenoviny - 29 March 2006Famous American pop star Madonna will sing in Prague for the first time on September 5-6 in Sazka Arena during a tour promoting her latest album Confessions On A Dance Floor, Radio Impuls reported.
The British tabloid The Sun recently wrote that Madonna would perform in Prague during her tour, but no concert promoter has confirmed the information as yet.
"I can say nothing. If the concert really took place here, the promoter would have to be the first to inform on it," Sazka spokesman Zdenek Zikmund told.
Madonna, 47, has scored success with the 10th album Confessions On A Dance Floor in a number of countries, including the Czech Republic where it is among the Top Ten CDs sold on the Czech market.
Madonna wins at Winter Music Conference awards
Source: WMCON - 29 March 2006On March 26, the 21st Annual International Dance Music Awards were held at the Wyndham Resort in Miami Beach. Madonna received the award for 'Best Dance Artist Solo'.
Hung Up won in the categories 'Best Pop Dance Track' and 'Best Dance Video'. Jacques Lu Cont (aka Stuart Price) was also nominated for 'Best Producer' and 'Best Remixer'.
Madonna too old, too white and too English for US radios
Source: Daily Telegraph - 26 March 2006With a country estate in Wiltshire, a love for shooting and even a taste for Timothy Taylor's real ale, Madonna has become the epitome of the English lady of the manor.
But the Queen of Pop's reincarnation as Middle England's favourite mum is alienating her American fan base and hindering chart success in her homeland.
Many leading radio stations in the United States now regard the 47-year-old Anglophile as passée and are refusing to give her the airtime she once enjoyed.
Her new single Sorry, which topped the charts in Britain, last week stalled at number 58 on the US Billboard Hot 100, which takes into account both airplay and sales. Now in its fourth week of release, the single languishes at number 77.
Madonna has not had a top five hit in the US singles chart for more than five years. Even Hung Up, which reached number one in 41 countries, peaked at number seven in America.
Music critics and fans cite her attachment to England - she once said: ''I love England and I want to be here and not in America'' - as one of the reasons for her dwindling chart success back home.
Gareth Grundy, the deputy editor of Q magazine, one of Britain's most prestigious music publications, said Madonna's move across the Atlantic had changed the perception of the American audience.
"I think the key reason why she is more popular in Britain and Europe than she is in America is that she lives here now," he said.
"A lot of Americans now think of her as an expat. She is no longer the American girl next door who turned herself into the greatest-ever pop star."
Clare Parmenter, who runs the British-based Madonnalicious website, said: "Fans in America who have tried to request Sorry on some American radio stations have found that stations are just not interested any more. They say she does not fit their demographics.
Even a commercial pop song like Hung Up, which is one of her biggest hits ever, is not considered suitable. American radio is only interested in R n B and rap these days."
Gary Blake, the corporate programme director of the American station Electric 94.9, admitted that Madonna's "Britishness" could be a factor.
He said: "I really liked Sorry and we did get some good requests on it but we're just not seeing the response we used to. It may be because of her new-found Britishness, but sometimes it's just the song."
After the comparative failure of her 2003 album, American Life, millions was spent promoting Madonna's latest album, Confessions On A Dance Floor, last November. Despite this, it has sold only 1.3 million copies in the US, less than a third of the sales of her 2000 album Music, released before she moved to Britain.
Perhaps betraying concern about how she is now perceived in America, one track on the new album was entitled I Love New York and included the line: "Paris and London baby you can keep. . . no other city made me glad except New York."
Elsewhere, however, Confessions On A Dance Floor has been a runaway success, topping the album charts in 40 countries and spawning two number one singles in this country.
Despite the slump in the US, Geoff Mayfield, the chart editor of Billboard, said he believed that Madonna could overcome American radio's lack of support. "I think Madonna is very much her own person and does what she wants to do. The album is a triumph when compared to American Life and she will be pleased with that."
Madonna's spokesman, Liz Rosenberg, said yesterday: "Dance music isn't getting the recognition that it deserves on radio stations in America right now, but Madonna really doesn't evaluate the success of a record by its chart position. She likes to come out of a studio feeling she has done the very best work she can and earning the respect of her peers.
"She would love American radio to come on board in that way and show the same sort of commitment that European radio has done, but that is not a decision for her. She is about to go on tour and when radio stations are reminded that she is the most phenomenal performer of our time, I am sure they will tune into her again."
Madonna collaborates again with Giovanni Bianco
26 March 2006Madonna.com is thrilled to confirm that the creative collaboration which brought the world Confessions On A Dance Floor, have teamed up again!
Designing genius Giovanni Bianco from Studio 65 in New York will again work with Madonna as she prepares to dance her way across the globe for the upcoming tour!
Stay tuned to Madonna.com for more news about this summer's tour!
Hung Up wins Japanese Best International Video award
25 March 2006Based on an article by Steve McClure for The Daily Yomiuri.
Madonna's Hung Up was named Best International Video at the 10th annual edition of Japanese Space Shower Music Video Awards.
The Space Shower awards are chosen by industry professionals with the exception of their "best your choice" prize, for which some 600,000 Space Shower viewers cast votes through the channel's Web site or mobile phone-based e-mail and made rock band Remioromen's "Konayuki" win.
Listen to the new Madonna remixes online
Source: Madonna.com - 25 March 2006Being a member of Icon, Madonna's official Fanclub, is the best way to get what you won't find anywhere else. Need proof? If you're already a member, just visit iconmadonna.com and listen to Madonna's online radio station.
There you will find the new and exclusive remixes created for Get Together and I Love New York to be included in the limited edition Confessions Remixed Triple Pack. They are now available for you to listen to again and again about one month before their official release!
Want to join Icon? Just click HERE and get ready to jump!
The Queen of World Records!
Source: Madonna.com - 25 March 2006Madonna's new album, Confessions On A Dance Floor, has set a new worldwide record by hitting the number one spot in 40 different countries since its release. Her Hung Up single went number one in 41 countries, setting another world record.
Last but not least, Sorry, second single taken from the album, is now spending its seventh week at number one on the Billboard's Hot Dance Airplay chart in the U.S.A.
If that was not enough, the single is also number one for the third week in a row on the European TOP 100 sales chart. You go girl!
Madonna's video was too much for TV
Source: MSNBC - 15 March 2006Madonna is still being provocative. The 47-year-old singer's original video for Sorry was apparently too much for TV.
In the original video, Madonna makes an obscene gesture at the camera. A toned-down version was edited for TV, but the 'director's cut' can be seen at production designer Marco Puig's Web site.
"I guess it was too vulgar for general audiences," says a source. "Besides, it is a rather unseemly gesture for a mother of two who, when she's not making obscene gestures, is singing the praises of Kabbalah and writing inspirational children's books."
Will Madonna appear at Australian MTV Awards?
Source: SMH - 15 March 2006WILL she or won't she? Madonna is at the centre of fervent music industry rumours that the superstar singer is considering an appearance at this year's MTV Australia Video Music awards.
Such is the mounting speculation from music insiders one would almost assume Madge has her suitcase packed.
But while organisers of the event have tried valiantly to gain the services of the Material Girl at the Sydney awards show - including continued negotiations with her management team - at this stage it seems unlikely she'll turn up.
A record company source told S there was no way Madonna would come to Sydney just for the awards ceremony.
The only chance Madonna will make an appearance is if she is announcing (or performing) tour dates here in Australia, at about the same time as the awards, which are being held on April 12. No doubt Australian fans will keep their fingers crossed.
Of course, the rumours about Madonna are a bonus for the MTV organisers, who so far have produced only B-list star Ashlee Simpson as a key celebrity at this year's event. (Although the prospect of Simpson bumping into Lisa Origlasso from the Veronicas - who is now dating Simpson's ex-boyfriend, Ryan Cabrera - is an intriguing one.)
Madonna, who has nominations in categories including album of the year, song of the year (Hung Up), video of the year (Hung Up) and best female artist, would undoubtedly lend some extraordinary star power to the local awards ceremony. Other acts, including British rockers the Darkness, are already scheduled to perform.
The MTV event was first held at Luna Park last year - with a wild, small after-party for invited guests and A-list stars. This time around the entire ceremony has been shifted to the Sydney SuperDome, so it'll be interesting to see if the atmosphere will be similarly exclusive - or perhaps a little oversized.
The awards will be telecast live on the MTV pay television channel, with free-to-air television stations now bidding for the rights to the event.
Madonna wins two Echo Awards
15 March 2006This year's edition of the German Echo Awards, which was held in Berlin on March 12, celebrated the Queen of the Dance Floor again!
Madonna won 2 awards for Best International Female and Hit Of The Year (Hung Up). Congratulations Your MADgesty! Source: Madonna.com
Madonna related to Camilla
Source: ContactMusic - 15 March 2006Madonna surprised Camilla, Duchess Of Cornwall when she phoned to tell the British royal they are distantly related. The 47-year-old Hung Up hitmaker - who has also discovered blood-links with Canadian singer Celine Dion - is urging her 'relations' to join her and genealogist William Addams Reitweisner in their quest to trace their entire family tree.
Reitwiesner explains, "Camilla and Madonna are both descended from Zacharie Cloutier, who lived from 1617 to 1708. And Camilla and Celine descend from Jean Guyon, who lived from 1617 to 1708.
"Both Jean and Zacharie died in Chateau-Richer, Quebec. Because of their unusual French-Canadian ancestry, they are all blood relations. Madonna is absolutely fascinated by this."
Chart updates
12 March 2006Sorry remains at the top of the United World Chart for a second week, while Hung Up slips to #3.
On the Eurochart, Sorry also stays at the top for a second week while Confessions On A Dance Floor holds at #2.
In the US, Sorry rises only to #58 on the Billboard Hot 100 but it ascends to #1 on the Hot Dance / Club Play chart, making it Madonna's 35th number one track on the chart!
In Australia, Sorry debuts at #4, while in Spain it becomes her 17th #1 single!
In Hungary, Sorry switches places with Hung Up, becoming #1 in that country too. Also, after almost 4 months, Confessions On A Dance Floor tops the Hungarian album chart, becoming the 40th country that had the album at #1!
In Flanders (Belgium) Sorry stays at #10 while Hung Up drops from #20 to #24. In Wallonia (Belgium) Sorry rises from #6 to #4 while Hung Up is down from #11 to #15. The album goes up from #8 to #5 in Flanders and from #10 to #7 in Wallonia. In the StuBru Top 50, the album goes from #5 to #3 in its 17th week.
'Confessions Remixed' set out soon!
Source: Madonna.com - 11 March 2006April 11 will see the release of a new and highly collectible Madonna item! 'Confessions Remixed' is the name of the three 12" vinyl single set to be released on Warner Bros records and featuring some new and amazing remixes of Hung Up, Sorry and more Confessions On A Dance Floor tracks. This release will be limited to 3,000 units only and will come in an exclusive black and silver sleeve.
Tracks-listing goes as follow:
1. Hung Up (SDP's Extended Vocal)
2. Hung Up (SDP's Extended Dub)
3. Sorry (Man With Guitar Mix)
4. Get Together (Jacques Lu Cont Mix)
5. I Love New York (Thin White Duke Mix)
6. Let It Will Be (Paper Faces Mix)
On the cover of Out Magazine
Source: Madonna.com - 11 March 2006Madonna is Out Magazine's cover girl for the month of April. Inside pages feature a new and amazing interview with the Queen of the Dance Floor, which she gave on the day before the premiere of her Sorry video.
If you want to learn more on her upcoming projects, be sure to check it out!
Madonna rides again
Source: Daily Mirror - 11 March 2006Madonna would have been forgiven for being an uneasy rider and, although she initially seemed pensive, she was clearly thrilled at being back in the saddle as she got on a horse again seven months after her horror fall.
The pop queen, 47, put her bay gelding through its paces on a ranch in California's Simi Valley. And there were little signs of rustiness from her accident, when she tumbled from a polo horse on her birthday last August.
Mum-of-two Madge snapped her collar bone, ribs and hand in the mishap on her Wiltshire estate - and has admitted it was sheer agony.
She said then: "I tried to stand up and my whole skeleton collapsed on me and I fainted. I cried a lot, mostly from pain. When you can't set bones it's painful."
Mind you, this isn't the first time she's been back on a horse since then.
Just two months after her accident she rode down a New York street and confessed: "My excitement is tainted with fear."
New Limited Edition Etched Wine Bottle
Source: Madonna.com - 11 March 2006Madonna fans and wine connoisseurs alike have responded with overwhelming enthusiasm to a new Madonna wine with the stunning etched glass bottle! This product has hand-painted and etched disco lights and applied an Image of Madonna.
This collectible bottle is a limited edition set of 1000. Get your bottle now! The current Cabernet Sauvignon has already sold out! Click HERE to see the full collection.
Madonna urges America to embrace female leadership
Source: Irish Examiner - 11 March 2006Pop star Madonna has accused American citizens of being afraid of electing a female as president of the United States.
The singer believes while other countries embrace female leadership, Americans are frightened by the concept.
She explains: "In Europe and Asia and elsewhere, women have ruled over millions; it's not an abstract or frightening or out-of-the-box concept.
"But in America, men are still afraid of women. And women, I don't think, trust women. I find that amazing."
The star, who famously portrayed Argentine political icon Eva Peron, would support senator Hilary Clinton if she chose to run for president.
She adds: "She should go for it, definitely. I don't think maybe now is her time, or the Democrats' time, but she should certainly go for it.
"You've got to start somewhere in terms of women leading the US."
Madonna would consider plastic surgery
Source: UK Flava - 11 March 2006The 47-year-old singer admits she has thought about going under the knife to preserve her looks - but says she would keep it a secret if she did.
Madonna is quoted in Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper as saying: "I think about it, like everybody, and I don't rule it out.
"But I am not going to hold a press conference if I have plastic surgery."
Meanwhile, pop beauty has revealed her infamous lesbian kiss with Britney Spears led to her daughter asking her if she was gay.
The sexy star locked lips with the 'Toxic' singer, as well as Christina Aguilera, at an MTV awards show in 2003 during a sizzling live performance.
Madonna has now confessed her racy antics prompted nine-year-old Lourdes to say to her: "Mom, you know that they say you are gay?"
The 'Hung Up' singer answered the difficult question by saying: "I am mommy the pop star and she is the baby pop star. I am kissing her to pass my energy on to her."
Madonna and Blunt rule the European charts
Source: ContactMusic - 7 March 2006Madonna continues to prove herself as the queen of pop as she crashes straight in at number one in the European singles chart with Sorry, while her disc Confessions On A Dance Floor remains at number two in the continent's albums chart.
At number two in the European singles chart is Chris Brown feat. Juelz Santana with Run It, while Bob Sinclair feat. Gary Pine are at number three with Love Generation. Notorious BIG feat. P Diddy drop three places to number four with Nasty Girl, while Eros Ramazotti/Anastacia are at number five with I Belong To You.
In the European albums chart, British pop star James Blunt's Back To Bedlam sits at number one for a seventh consecutive week, keeping Madonna at bay. At number three are Arctic Monkeys with Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not.
Jack Johnson's In Between Dreams is at number four, while Katie Melua is at number five with Piece By Piece.
Madonna to play in Edinburgh?
Source: Sunday Mail - 7 March 2006Is Madonna playing Murrayfield in Edinburgh this summer? Word is the show is ON.
A fortnight ago, we told you the Material Girl had checked out venues in Scotland. Now, our spies tell us the date being penned in is July 28 - but her schedule is changing daily.
A Madonna insider said: "UK tour dates are under discussion. Scotland is certainly being discussed but it's still a bit away from being cut and dried."
Some ticket agencies claim to be selling briefs for the Capital gig already. One offered us VIP tickets at £400 plus VAT - while another had best seats at £125.
But Madonna's people blasted the touts yesterday.
The insider said: "These tickets don't exist and these agencies are stealing your money."
Madonna quits acting
Source: ContactMusic - 7 March 2006Madonna has vowed never to star in another movie, because she fears her terrible acting reputation will condemn any film. The pop superstar has worked on a string of notorious flops including Shanghai Surprise, Swept Away and Body Of Evidence.
She explains, "What film can survive people saying it's going to be a bomb from the second it's announced? "Making movies is such an effort. "And to do that over and over again, with the possibility that I am going to get the (bleep) kicked out of me - and they really enjoy doing it - I mean, it doesn't make sense. "I have sort of let it go."
Madonna says daughter asked if she was gay
Source: AP - 7 March 2006Madonna says she had some explaining to do when her daughter, Lourdes, asked about that kiss with Britney Spears at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.
"(Lourdes) is really obsessed with who is gay," says Madonna in an interview in Out magazine's April issue. "And she even asked, 'Mom, you know they say that you are gay?' And I'm, 'Oh, do they? Why?' And she says, 'Because you kissed Britney Spears.'"
"And I said, 'No, it just means I kissed Britney Spears. I am the mommy pop star and she is the baby pop star. And I am kissing her to pass my energy on to her."
Madonna, 47, famously locked lips with Spears, 24, while performing her songs Like a Virgin and Hollywood at the awards ceremony.
The pop diva, considered by some to be an icon in the gay community, tells the magazine her 9-year-old daughter likes to guess who is gay: "Oh, and the other thing she likes to do when we go out, she says, 'Mom, do you want me to point out who the gay men are?' And I say, 'Okay, but I think I already know.'"
Madonna also addresses her feud with Elton John, who in 2004 accused her of lip-synching.
"He seems to be angry," she says. "I seem to have become a target. It's not very gentlemanly or gracious. But he did send me a letter apologizing for his last outburst, right before his wedding." (John and filmmaker David Furnish took civil-union vows in December.)
Lourdes is Madonna's daughter with actor/fitness instructor Carlos Leon. She has a 5-year-old son, Rocco, with husband of five years, filmmaker Guy Ritchie.
Madonna at Vanity Fair's Oscar Party
Source: Madonna.com - 7 March 2006Madonna and hubby Guy Ritchie attended the Oscars post show party held by Vanity Fair in Los Angeles yesterday night. Also attending were her manager Angela Becker and photographer Steven Klein, who is behind the photography of Madonna's Confessions On A Dance Floor album.
In related news, we're happy to confirm that Sorry, (second single taken from the album) tops Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart this week. Congratulations Madonna!
Madonna, Bowie get in 'toon
Source: E! Online - 7 March 2006The queen and king of reinvention strike again.
Madonna and David Bowie are morphing themselves once more, this time into French cartoons.
The Grammy winners, along with Snoop Dogg, have signed on to star in director Luc Besson's big-screen adaptation of his own fantasy children's book, Arthur and the Minimoys.
The animation/live-action hybrid stars Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's Freddie Highmore and follows a child's quest to save the home of grandmother ( Mia Farrow) from demolition by seeking out his grandfather's treasure in the land of tiny Minimoys.
Along the way, the adventurous boy encounters Princess Selenia (Madonna) and Max (Snoop Dogg), who accompany him on his journey to a city ruled by the nefarious Maltazard (Bowie).
With the Minimoys themselves merely a tenth of an inch tall, the film focuses on the feel-good message that even the smallest heroes can make a difference.
The fam-friendly film is an adaptation of the first of Besson's four-volume children's book series, which have been a huge hit in his native France.
While Arthur and the Minimoys was first published in 2003, it only hit U.S. bookstores last May, while it's follow-up, Arthur and the Forbidden City, was made available last September.
The last two books in the series, Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard and Arthur and the War of the Two Worlds have yet to be released stateside.
But with young readers eagerly awaiting the new print editions and a movie in the works, the series would appear to be positioning itself--or hope to be positioning itself--as the next Harry Potter or Chronicles of Narnia.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Besson, who previously wrote and directed The Fifth Element and The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, has been prepping for the film adaptation for the past three-and-a-half years.
The film is currently in production, and while there's no word on when Madge will find the time to lend her voice to the movie, it will need to be soon: She kicks off a highly anticipated world tour this summer.
Former Miramax honchos Bob and Harvey Weinstein announced Thursday that they have acquired the U.S. rights to Arthur and the Minimoys and will release it through their newly formed Weinstein Company.
"We are thrilled to be bringing this exciting adventure story to the big screen," Harvey Weinstein told the industry mag. "Arthur is an enchanting and heroic tale and will be enjoyed by family audiences everywhere."
The film is due to hit theaters this Christmas.
Madonna's new video on iTunes now
Source: Madonna.com - 7 March 2006Madonna's video for Sorry is now available for immediate download from iTunes. Just click HERE to download it. Do not own a compatible iPod?
Just watch it through your iTunes software. Click HERE to download iTunes for free now.
Madonna to appear on 'The Simpsons'?
Source: Digital Spy - 7 March 2006Madonna is set to make a guest appearance on The Simpsons.
According to the Daily Star, the Queen of Pop will take a liking to Homer before going head-to-head with Marge in a battle for his heart.
"It's Madge versus Marge, and Madonna will certainly show Homer a thing or two that Marge has never attempted," a source told the newspaper.
The singer is following in the footsteps of U2, Elton John, Tom Jones and Paul McCartney, who have all made visits to Springfield in the past.
Confessions from Madonna's makeup artist
Source: The Honolulu Advertiser - 7 March 2006Working with Madonna is so exhilarating because she's not afraid to take risks. How many people do you know who are truly open and susceptible to experimenting? It's really gutsy to put yourself out there and allow yourself to go against the grain," said Madonna's makeup artist Gina Brooke.
Brooke should know. She's been working with the star for three years, traveling with her to photo shoots for the covers of fashion magazines, working backstage at her concerts and creating her makeup for a wide range of public appearances all over the world.
Brooke, who was recently named artistic director of the Tokyo-based cosmetics company Shu Uemura, will bring some of the theatricality of her world to Honolulu when she leads a choreographed makeup show here on March 16 at Neiman Marcus.
Madonna, of course, is renowned for reinventing herself, and a key aspect of her reinventions is her makeup.
"We've gone from a clean, natural beauty to the '70s and a 'Saturday Night Fever' look, because she wanted to take herself back there," Brooke explained, when we caught up with her by phone in Los Angeles. "Recently her look has been soft and glowing, with no hard edges or harshness. Her skin always looks luminous.
"Madonna is a beautiful woman, of course," Brooke said. "It doesn't take much, just a little contouring and focusing on her features. Her eyes are beautiful, so I like to focus on them. Even though she has long, beautiful lashes, I put lashes on her; I put lashes on everyone. No matter who you are, they really enhance and define the eye dramatically."
Madonna's beauty secrets begin from within, Brooke said. She sleeps well and works out daily. She eats healthy foods and avoids junk.
Brooke does the same. She lives a tricoastal existence between Los Angeles, New York and London. When in New York, she rides her bike. In Los Angeles, she swims or hikes.
Brooke's list of celebrity clients also includes Eva Longoria, Selma Blair, Reese Witherspoon and supermodel Alek Wek, to name a few. She has created makeup for the covers and pages of Vanity Fair, Vogue, W, Elle, People and InStyle. She also works regularly with the world's most influential photographers, including Steven Klein and David LaChapelle.
MEETING MADONNA
When Brooke signed on with the Caliente Agency in Los Angeles, the first thing the agent asked her was: "If you could make up anyone in the world, who would you choose?" The first person she mentioned was Queen Rania of Jordan. The second was Madonna. Madonna responded immediately to the looks portrayed in Brooke's portfolio, and three days later Brooke was on a plane to New York to do the icon's makeup.
The first time Brooke met Madonna, the makeup artist had her signature head lamp on (picture the lamps miners wear on their foreheads). "What is that on your head?" Madonna said. They had a laugh together, and Brooke has been doing Madonna's makeup for photo shoots, videos and public appearances ever since.
By the way, Brooke is now designing a head lamp for Shu Uemura to manufacture for professional makeup artists.
"Whenever we go to different interviews, I'm always running around like crazy making sure the lighting is flawless. Light is everything to me. A makeup artist can't work on a set if the lighting is not perfection — the whole shoot will just be a waste," Brooke said.
"I never get nervous or starstruck. At the end of the day, everybody is the same, and we all have the same worries and insecurities. The outside public may think, 'Oh, my God, she has this and that,' but these women — and it doesn't matter who it is — have even more worries because they're so exposed. Imagine if every time you stepped out the door someone wanted to take your picture. God, if I had to live like that it would take me hours to get out the door every day."
LESS IS MORE
As women age, it's important not to wear too much makeup. "It can add wrinkles and age the face," said Brooke, who is known for her light touch. That puts the emphasis back on healthy skin.
Brooke's tips for skin care are similar to tips one might hear from a healthcare professional:
Love yourself.
Respect your skin.
Drink tons of water.
Eat fruits, vegetables and grains.
Cleanse your face thoroughly twice a day.
Hydrate your lips.
For cleaning the face, she uses Shu Uemura's Cleansing Oil in Chamomile, a product created in the 1950s to remove makeup. It was a favorite of Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe, and Madonna uses it now. "The only thing that will cut oil is oil," Brooke insists.
THOSE MINK EYELASHES
During the fall of 2005, the buzz about bling centered on Madonna's mink-and-diamond eyelashes. The custom-made mink lashes laced with one carat of diamonds were the talk of the town in New York.
Brooke explained how they came about. Shu Uemura was the innovator of luxe lashes made of animal fur, and they became famous at his lash bars in Japan. He then added diamante details to give a sparkle to the eyes.
As Brooke was making up Madonna for the launch of her CD, Confessions on a Dance Floor, the makeup artist said lightly, "Oh, wouldn't it be amazing if I could put real diamonds on these lashes?"
Madonna replied enthusiastically, "What a great idea. Let's do it."
"Well, you know, when you need something for Madonna, everyone will drop whatever they're doing and help you." Brooke said. "So I called a friend and asked him to bring us some flat-back diamonds. The first set wasn't so special, but the second set was perfect. So there I was on her bathroom floor, gluing these diamonds to the lashes. She was all dressed, with her shoes on and her makeup done, ready to go out the door, and I was gluing diamonds to her lash lines. It was nerve-wracking."
The lashes stayed on and are now part of the biography of bling.
Brooke is quick to explain that no little minks die for the lashes. Minks shed their fur during the winter months, and the eyelashes are made from the shed fur.
Think you want a pair of mink and diamond eyelashes? A pair is being brought in to Neiman Marcus here just for the Shu Uemura events. The cost: $10,000.
For those who can't afford $10,000 eyelashes, Shu Uemura sells a diamante version for $25.
Stop the US boycott
3 March 2006It's too obvious not to notice and it must be said: the US, and especially the US radio boycotts Madonna. Ever since the release of the American Life single, Madonna's music has been neglected under the so-called excuse that the American music audience likes different styles of music than the one she makes. But singles like Hung Up and Sorry are rocketing to the top of the charts all over the world, with the sole exception of the US.
The American fans are not to blame, because the fact that both videos made it to #1 on TRL and the fact that Mad-Eyes has received tons of mails of desperate US fans, prove that the fans haven't given up on their idol.
However, their requests are simply ignored by the radio DJs and programmers. It's time this boycott stops once and for all. It's a radio station's duty to play what their audience wants to hear, not what they prefer themselves, and especially in a country that preaches the freedom of speech.
Madonnafan Robster (from MadonnaMad) has set up a petition against this boycott. The Mad-Eyes team supports this initiative and kindly asks all of you to take 30 seconds of your time to sign the petition.
Madonna replaces herself on the World Chart
3 March 2006After a staggering 15 weeks on the top, Hung Up goes down to #2 on the United World Chart, leaving the top spot to Madonna's second single, Sorry. This is the first time in the history of the chart that the same act occupies the first two positions. Hung Up remains the longest running single on the top spot tied with Cher's 'Believe'. The album Confessions On A Dance Floor stays still at #4.
~ In other chart news, Sorry debuts at #70 on the Billboard Hot 100 while the album passes the 1.3 million mark in the US (#56 on the Billboard 200), closing in to the total sales of GHV2 (1.331 million scanned).
Chart positions of Sorry so far:
United World Chart: #1
Eurochart/European Hot 100 Singles: #1
UK: #1 (sales & airplay)
US: #70
Italy: #1
France: #5
Belgium (Flanders): #10
Belgium (Wallonia): #6
Hungary: #2 (Hung Up #1)
Finland: #3
Denmark: #4
Norway: #4
Switzerland: #4
Ireland: #5
Sweden: #13
Madonna plays Coachella festival
Source: Madonna.com - 1 March 2006Madonna has joined this year's line-up for the seventh annual COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL at the Empire Polo Field in Indio, CA (Saturday, April 29 and Sunday, April 30).
Look for Madonna Sunday in the Sahara dance tent with a performance that comes prior to the launch of her summer concert tour. This announcement comes on the heels of the recent line-up additions of Massive Attack and Daft Punk.
"I've never performed at a festival", says Madonna, "and I'm especially excited about playing at Coachella before I start my own tour."
Tickets for the 2006 COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL can be purchased via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at (213) 480-3232 and at all Ticketmaster retail ticket centers or at www.ticketmaster.com.
General admission tickets are priced at $85.00 for a one-day ticket and $165.00 for two-day pass, plus applicable service charges and a $1 donation per day for charity. In addition, camping passes are still available at $35 for a three-night stay (Friday, April 28 at 3:00 PM through Monday, May 1 at 10:00 AM). The campground facilities include a general store, food court, restrooms, showers and shade areas.
The COACHELLA campground is conveniently located adjacent to the festival grounds and campers may park in a special camping parking lot next to the campground. Parking is included with the price of each camping ticket. In the COACHELLA festival tradition, there is free parking and the doors to the venue will open at 11:00 AM on both days. Parking lots and the box office open at 9:00 AM.
For information about nearby hotels, camping facilities, restaurants and more, check out www.coachella.com.
The COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL line-up (as of 2/23/2006) is as follows:
Saturday, April 29th Depeche Mode, Daft Punk (in the dance tent), Franz Ferdinand, Sigur Ros, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, Common, Atmosphere, Carl Cox, My Morning Jacket, TV on the Radio, Ladytron, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Tosca, Cat Power, Animal Collective, HARD-Fi, Derrick Carter, Devendra Banhart, She Wants Revenge, The Walkmen, The Juan Maclean, Imogen Heap, Audio Bullys, Lady Sovereign, Deerhoof, The Duke Spirit, Eagles of Death Metal, Lyrics Born, Matt Costa, The New Amsterdams, The Zutons, Platinum Pied Pipers, White Rose Movement, Chris Liberator, Colette, Joey Beltram, Hybrid, Living Things, Wolfmother, The Like, Nine Black Alps, Celebration, The Section Quartet, Shy FX & T Power, Infusion.
Sunday, April 30th Tool, Massive Attack, Madonna (in the dance tent), Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bloc Party, Paul Oakenfold, Scissor Sisters, Matisyahu, James Blunt, Sleater-Kinney, Mogwai, Coheed and Cambria, Wolf Parade, Gnarls Barkley, Phoenix, Coldcut, Digable Planets, Amadou & Mariam, Louie Vega, Mylo (DJ Set), Seu Jorge, Ted Leo / Pharmacists , The Go! Team, Kaskade, Metric, Editors, Art Brut, Dungen, The Dears, Jamie Lidell, The Magic Numbers, Los Amigos Invisibles, Jazzanova, stellastarr*, Michael Mayer, Murs featuring 9th Wonder, Mates of State, Gilles Peterson, Infadels, Gabriel & Dresden, The Subways, Minus the Bear, OneRepublic, Be Your Own Pet, Youth Group, Giant Drag, Kristina Sky, The Octopus Project.
For more information on Coachella, please contact: MSO: 818-380-0400
Madonna smashes record in UK charts
Source: RTE - 1 March 2006Madonna has smashed the record to become the female artist with the most Number One singles in the UK charts.
Sorry, which hit the top spot last Sunday, was the Queen of Pop's twelfth UK Number One single.
She first reached Number One in the UK chart over 20 years ago with Into the Groove, in July 1985.
Melanie C previously held the record, with 11 Number One UK singles, including her Spice Girls hits.
Sorry, Madonna's sixtieth UK hit, is the second track to be released from her latest album, Confessions On A Dance Floor.
Elvis Presley had 21 UK Number Ones and The Beatles 17, holding the record for recording artist and band.
Among Madonna's other Number One singles were Papa Don't Preach, True Blue, La Isla Bonita, Who's That Girl, Like A Prayer, Vogue, Frozen, American Pie, Music and Hung Up.
Stone slams Madonna's Evita performance
Source: Irish Examiner - 1 March 2006Controversial film-maker Oliver Stone has dismissed Madonna's performance in 1996 musical Evita as inadequate, because she could only play the historical figure like a "hooker".
The Oscar-winning director, who had long dreamed of making the Eva Peron biopic, admits he made his "biggest mistake" when he failed to see his ambition through.
And Stone was less than impressed when Alan Parker, who ended up directing Evita, cast pop queen Madonna in the title role.
He says: "The thing about Eva Peron was that she was a hooker and a saint. Madonna could do the hooker but not the saint."
Madonna targeted over trademark
Source: News.com.au - 1 March 2006The Czech company Explosia which owns the rights to the trademark Semtex said today it had launched legal action to prevent American pop star Madonna from misusing its most valued and internationally known asset.
Madonna was revealed yesterday locally to have registered a company in Britain called Semtex Girls Limited, although the British-based singer's intentions are still the subject of speculation.
"She never asked our permission to use the name Semtex," said Ladislav Lehky, director of the Research Centre for Industrial Chemistry, which owns the state-owned company, Explosia.
"I only heard about this today. She (Madonna) appears to be carrying out some kind of advertising stunt." Explosia lawyers have been asked to take steps to safeguard the Semtex name against any misuse of it by Madonna.
They should report back with firm proposals within two weeks, Mr Lehky said.
Semtex is the most valuable of the company's trademarks, with the total collection valued at around 130 million koruna ($7.41 million), Mr Lehky said.
Production of the plastic explosive, begun in the 1960's but made famous in the 1980's as a favourite tool for terrorists because it was virtually undetectable, has now all but ended, Mr Lehky said.
"We only produce small amounts for use by the army and other companies", such as civil demolition businesses, he said.
Czech drinks producer, Pinelli, had the right to call one of its energy drinks Semtex, Mr Lehky said.
Madonna feared dancing end
Source: ContactMusic - 1 March 2006Pop queen Madonna was terrified she would never dance again after she fell off her horse last year (05).
The Sorry hitmaker, who suffered a broken collarbone, three cracked ribs and a fractured hand during the fall at her English country estate during her 47th birthday celebrations, was terrified her injuries would prevent her from promoting her latest album Confessions On A Dance Floor.
She says, "It was a very tumultuous year. I felt like I came out of my disco ball like most people get shot out of a cannon.
"Forget about riding a horse again - I didn't know if I was going to be able to dance again."
Madonna better after horse accident
Source: ABC News - 1 March 2006Madonna says she's "strong again" after breaking nine bones in a horse riding accident at her country home outside London last year.
"Well, I did survive 2005," the pop diva says in an interview in the March issue of Harper's Bazaar, now on newsstands. "It was a very tumultuous year. I felt like I came out of my disco ball like most people get shot out of a cannon. Forget about riding a horse again I didn't know if I was going to be able to dance again."
Madonna suffered three cracked ribs, a broken collarbone and a broken hand after falling off a horse on her 47th birthday on Aug. 16.
"When I shot the video (for Hung Up) none of the bones had gone together. Pharmaceuticals and my will got me through the shoot. So to come out of that, I felt so much inspiration and so much joy just to have my body back and to feel strong again," she says.
Madonna says she stopped doing yoga while her shoulder was healing.
"I used to be a freak about doing yoga, but I had to do a lot of Pilates to rehab my shoulder joint and get the use of my arm back. So I started really getting into Pilates and dancing more," she says.
"My Pilates instructor was a dancer, so my workouts became much more ballet-oriented, rather than the visceral, gymnastic, Ashtanga yoga thing."
Madonna's love affair with Britain, where she lives with husband/filmmaker Guy Ritchie and her two children, continued as Sorry, the second single from her Confessions on a Dance Floor album, shot straight to the top of the singles chart.
Sorry is her 12th British No. 1 and matches the success of her last release, Hung Up, the Official UK Charts Co. said Sunday.
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