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Madonna news - May 2012
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MDNA Tour kicked off in Tel Aviv
31 May 2012We've waited for it for many months, but tonight the MDNA Tour has finally kicked off! Madonna performed in a crowded Gan Ramat Stadium in Tel Aviv, Israel.
During the show, Madonna gave a speech in which she urged officials to take action towards peace in the Middle East. Before the show, she had given away 600 tickets to peace activists.
Since we want to avoid posting spoilers in our news section, you can find more details about the show in our tour section. Check out the first pictures, press reviews and stay up-to-date in our tour diary.
Have you seen the show yourself? Send us your stories and pictures by mail or share them on our Facebook page.
Madonna invites Israeli, Palestinian peace activists to Tel Aviv concert
Source: Haaretz - 31 May 2012Madonna has donated 600 tickets to her show on Thursday in Tel Aviv to members of the Israeli and Palestinian peace camps, who are set to take part in a special tribunal on peace.
The singer met with Israeli and Palestinian peace activists on Wednesday, ahead of her concert in front of an estimated 30,000 fans in Tel Aviv on Thursday.
Madonna, who has termed her show a "peace concert," met with activists including veteran journalist Ron Pundak, and Yariv Openheimer, director of Peace Now, and pledged to talk about peace from the stage at the Ramat Gan Stadium.
Pundak told Haaretz that aside from Jewish peace activists, "there will be many Palestinian and Arab-Israeli activists" at Madonna's show.
Madonna's Tel Aviv concert is the first in a world tour to promote her new album, MDNA. The Tel Aviv show is expected to start at 8:45 P.M., after performances by DJ Ofer Nissim and DJ Martin Solveig.
Exclusive first look at Madonna's tour costumes
Source: WWD - 31 May 2012[Includes spoilers!]
Madonna is set to vogue her way around the world on her MDNA concert tour, which kicks off tonight in Tel Aviv — and she's enlisted a cadre of designers to create an array of showstopping looks for the stage.
The Material Girl's parade of costume changes includes outfits from longtime collaborators Jean Paul Gaultier and Jeremy Scott, shoes from Prada and Miu Miu and pieces from Alexander Wang. Dolce & Gabbana made suits for the band and background vocalists, Fausto Puglisi created menacing bandolier vests and rams head masks for the backup dancers and even J Brand whipped up custom-made jeans.
Bras and panties — including one heart-shaped style from Madonna's new intimates line Truth or Dare — are incorporated into some numbers, as are shoes from the new Truth or Dare footwear line, at retail this fall. A somber, elegiac version of the usually peppy Like a Virgin will be sung by Madonna in an Agent Provocateur bra.
"It's a real journey from the first act to the fourth, and the way she constructs her shows is like a theater piece," said costume designer and stylist Arianne Phillips, who oversaw the entire wardrobe design for Madonna, her backup singers, musicians and 22 backup dancers. Scott, for his part, has been camped out in Tel Aviv this week, working till the last minute on some costumes.
The original Gaultier design is worn during the Vogue number and includes a white shirt, black tie, opera-length black gloves and a rigid skeleton corset. The getup references the iconic pink bustier-with-pin-striped suit look the designer created for Madonna's 1990 Blond Ambition world tour, widely considered a pinnacle of both of their careers.
"We played with the ideas of a suit and a corset. But the corset is now like a cage," explained Gaultier. "What I have done this time is a nod to the conical bra corset of the Blond Ambition tour but reinterpreted in 3-D, in patent leather on the outside with metallic leather on the inside. It's all about masculine and feminine, Madonna and Jean Paul Gaultier classics reinterpreted for 2012."
The designer and Phillips also re-created some archival Gaultier pieces for Madonna's dancers, as an homage to his long relationship with the iconic singer. Gaultier was also responsible for the kinky equestrian and "Saturday Night Fever"-inspired looks of Madonna's 2006 Confessions tour, and she once walked his runway with her nipples exposed.
"I love Madonna. She is the only woman I have asked to marry me. She refused, of course," added Gaultier. "But when she asked me to do a costume for her for this tour, I couldn't refuse."
Prada created high-heeled shoes for the male dancers in the gender-bending Vogue performance, which includes imagery of the Vogue magazine logo on massive video screens — similar to Madonna's Super Bowl performance of the song, which was viewed by 117 million people.
"This show is epic and bigger than anything she's done before. There are many more costume changes. We're taking 700 shoes on the road. Madonna changes outfits seven or eight times and the dancers change 10 to 15 times, depending on the dancer," said Phillips of the production, which includes multiple appearances on stage by two of Madonna's children, Lourdes and Rocco, in supporting roles.
Prada has supplied custom-made shoes for many of Madonna's previous tours, noted Phillips. "They have been generous for so many years. Her relationship with them is really special. Everything is specially made and they made some incredible high-heeled boots for the boys," she added.
Phillips, who has done the costumes for Madonna's four previous tours, designed a number of looks herself, delivering a wide range for her famously chameleonlike boss. The lineup veers from a forbidding Joan of Arc-inspired outfit fashioned from metal mesh and Swarovski Elements to a vernal, miniskirted majorette getup for the 53-year-old "Girl Gone Wild" singer.
"It's inspired by a 1940s majorette and I was looking for something playful and fun," explained Phillips.
Masks are a big component to many outfits, with dancers hiding their faces behind gargoyle and bunny guises. "The show explores the idea of stripping away layers of identity and discovering the layers of who you are," said Phillips. There's a menacing streak to some looks, with themes of violence explored in certain segments, which are accessorized with swords, guns, armor and holsters.
One designer missing from the MDNA tour roster is Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci, who designed the showboating Cleopatra-on-Mars outfit Madonna donned for her Super Bowl performance. Phillips attributed Tisci's absence from the collaborator list to scheduling conflicts.
Madonna herself was closely involved with the show's costume design, said Phillips, who was nominated for an Oscar for her work on Madonna's film W.E. earlier this year. "This is her brainchild and her concept. We have a 15-year relationship and there's a rhythm to how we collaborate. She's very open-minded but she expects a lot," she explained. "She's always challenging herself and pushing herself constantly to learn new things and she pushes me further than I would myself. When you're on the world stage with her, you really have to bring your A game."
As for the media dustup this week when Madonna supposedly lobbed a grenade at Lady Gaga by mashing up her own Express Yourself with Lady Gaga's allegedly reductive "Born This Way" in rehearsals, it wasn't just a ploy for attention and it's part of the permanent show. At the end of the song, Madonna throws in the line She's Not Me, from her recent song of the same name.
"Whether it's an homage or a smack in the face or just being funny, I don't know," said Liz Rosenberg, Madonna's spokeswoman. "People can decide what it means. Madonna isn't one to explain herself."
Madonna causes controversy with MDNA stage gun sequence
Source: Digital Spy - 29 May 2012
Madonna has courted anti-gun criticism after being snapped wielding a firearm during rehearsals for her forthcoming MDNA Tour.
The 'Girl Gone Wild' singer is currently gearing up to launch the upcoming tour in Tel Aviv, Israel on May 31.
Fans have now taken photos of the star's rehearsal on stage at the Ramat Gan Stadium.
WENN reports that one sequence of the show finds the singer brandishing a pistol and aiming into the crowd, while her dancers wield machine guns and rifles.
In 2008, Madonna faced criticism from the anti-violence group Mothers Against Murder And Aggression, when she wore a pair of Chanel shoes with gun-shaped heels to an event.
The MDNA Tour has also sparked some controversy after a video of Madonna rehearsing a medley of her song Express Yourself and Lady GaGa's 'Born This Way' leaked, sparking criticism that the singer was trying to make a dig at the latter song.
The lowdown on Madonna's dance crew for her world tour
Source: TheNational - 28 May 2012These neon lunatics are …
A contemporary dance troupe, busting technicolour hip-hop moves and making a sizeable ruckus in their meteoric rise to fame. Fanny Pak is headed up by 26-year old Matt Cady who formed the crew while teaching at the Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio in Hollywood. There are now 10 of them, hailing from the US, Japan and Canada, following humble beginnings on the reality TV series America's Best Dance Crew (ABDC), where they came third in the second season. Cady and fellow crew member Megan Lawson have choreographed the entirety of Madonna's MDNA tour, bringing their aesthetic, sense of humour and rhythm to the stage.
Their credentials
For all the absurdity of their style, Fanny Pak are committed to who they are. That clearly rang true with Her Madgesty. Despite occasionally skirting the bottom end of the scoreboard for ABDC last season, Fanny Pak didn't tone down their outrageousness. In fact, with the likelihood of being ditched from the contest mid-season, the crew actually went even more left-field, with a strange Bollywood-inspired, neon meltdown on stage. And, for all their wackiness, Cady does have the credentials of an ambitious young choreographer.
What to expect
Visually speaking, imagine if The Klaxons were teleported back to the late 1980s and told they'd got the colours right but rave was out and preppy was very much in. Irony is the name of the game; everything so passé that it's adorable. We're yet to see what Fanny Pak's choreography brings to a Madonna gig, but the crew's slot on ABDC dancing to Girl Gone Wild was a crazed whirl of synchronised flailing, spinning mirrors and big individual personalities. It's theatrical, it's Glee, it whiffs of Madonna's Material Girl era. The crew are sure to do a fine job, come stage time.
The name
Well, the name refers to the little zip-up money pouch that was big in the 1980s for tourists to store their passport and foreign currency in while on holiday. In the UK, it's better known as a bum bag. Or a fashion abomination that somehow got ironically cool. The keenly 1980s naff-chic of the fanny pack feeds into FP's overall image of neon Frankie Says Relax T-shirts and lemon-coloured crewnecks. Incidentally, they hand out said garments to their fans and refer to each other as "Fannies".
The background since their launch in 2008
Working on everything from a Kardashian dance-off to Toni Braxton's music videos. FP came up with their own line of footwear for Milkshake Kicks!, an indie shoe company out of New York, in 2008. They worked with the Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet for a documentary, Fanny Goes to the Academy, and crafted an hour-long stage-show that debuted in Maine. The crew have also released their own album of tunes in 2009. District 78, which produces the music for ABDC, worked with the Fannies on this and introduced them to the likes of Taboo from Black Eyed Peas. Their debut EP hit the iTunes dance chart at number six. Its name? A Touch of Fanny
Online
The website www.fannypak.com has a wealth of videos, semi-ironic photoshoots and even a shop that, for some reason, doesn't actually sell fanny packs. Look the part by raiding the gift shops in out-of-date hotels.
Another tour costume revealed
Source: Ynet - 28 May 2012Israeli news site Ynet has posted dress rehearsal pictures from the Express Yourself performance, which shows another tour costume. Matching the cheer-leading choreography, Madonna wears a white and red dress with matching red cape and gloves.
Madonna makes dig at GaGa in Born This Way, Express Yourself mash-up?
Source: Digital Spy - 28 May 2012Footage from Madonna's MDNA tour rehearsals has surfaced online, sparking rumours that the singer may be taking jabs at Lady GaGa during her set.
The singer came under scrutiny last year with the release of her single 'Born this Way', which some critics claimed sounded far too similar to Madonna's 1989 hit Express Yourself.
Gaga dismissed the accusations, saying that claims that the song was based on Madonna's track were "retarded".
However, Madonna said of the song: "I thought, 'What a wonderful way to redo my song'. I mean, I recognised the chord changes. I thought it was... interesting." She later described Gaga's music as "reductive" in an interview on Nightline.
In the footage - which is believed to be from rehearsals at the Ramat Gan Stadium, Tel Aviv - the 53-year-old star sings lyrics from 'Born this Way' over the music for Express Yourself. The medley ends with a rendition of She's Not Me from Madonna's 2008 album Hard Candy.
Some now believe that the 'Like a Virgin' singer may be trying to make a dig at GaGa, who recently was forced to cancel a Indonesian concert on her own tour due to threats from religious groups.
The MDNA Tour launches in Israel on Thursday (May 31). Madonna has yet to comment on the audio.
Watch Madonna's medley during the tour rehearsals here.
-*- Mad-Eyes: You can also read an interesting comment at Popjustice. We're sure that all this will cause another heated debate among fans and critics.
Madonna secretly meets Tel Aviv Kabbalah Center teachers
Source: Haaretz - 28 May 2012Madonna flew into Israel with her entourage on Friday afternoon, spending the holiday in prayer and Kabbalah study before starting rehearsals for her Thursday concert in Ramat Gan Stadium.
Along with her 70-member crew, she is accompanied by her partner Brahim Zaibat and her four children, including the eldest, Lourdes, 15, who will appear on stage as a dancer.
To avoid the press, Madonna and her children traveled in three separate taxis from Ben-Gurion International Airport to Tel Aviv's Dan Hotel. Teachers from Tel Aviv's Kabbalah Center secretly arrived at the hotel, while Madonna's children spent most of Sunday on the beach, close to the hotel.
On Sunday, Madonna held her first rehearsal on the special stage set up for her scheduled Thursday concert at Ramat Gan Stadium. A special play compound has been built for her children in the stadium area, complete with a private pool and playroom.
A number of special visitors are expected to attend the concert. American television personality Conan O'Brien, who has exclusive rights to cover the opening of Madonna's world tour, should be on hand, along with actors George Clooney, Natalie Portman and Sacha Baron Cohen.
The concert coincides with the recent release of Madonna's 12th album, MDNA. Immediately after its release, it topped the sales charts, selling 359,000 copies during its first week in the stores. The disc's sales, however, dropped dramatically thereafter - by 88% in its second week.
More dress rehearsal pictures
Source: Madonna - 27 May 2012While Madonna and her tour crew has arrived in Tel Aviv, Israel, more dress rehearsal pictures have been posted online.
Four days left till kick-off!!
Meanwhile in other news, Madonna is supposedly filming a music video for next single Turn Up The Radio on June 10th, in between the shows of Istanbul and Rome (time that has freed up due to the cancellation of the Zagreb show).
New tour rehearsal pictures increase excitement
Source: Madonna - 25 May 2012The opening show of the MDNA Tour is only one week away and the excitement is heating up!
Madonna's team has now posted a set of 10 new rehearsal pictures. Contrary to the previous pictures, that were in black & white and rather unrecognizable, the new shots are from the dress rehearsals and show more of Madonna, the dancers and the backdrop videos.
Some feature a violent theme, others have religious elements. Soon we'll know which song is actually being performed in them!
What do you think of them? Discuss here
Mick Jagger's daughter is new face of Material Girl
Source: Mix FM - 23 May 2012 
In 2011, Madonna tapped Kelly Osbourne, Ozzy Osbourne's daughter, to be the face of Material Girl, the clothing line she and her teenage daughter Lourdes created for Macy's. Now, Madonna has chosen the daughter of another famous rocker to be the face of the line for 2012.
The brand's Facebook page announces the news that Georgia May Jagger -- daughter of Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger -- is the Material Girl. "Liking" the page reveals a photo of Georgia posing with Madonna and Lourdes.
Georgia, who's 20, is the daughter of Jagger and supermodel Jerry Hall. Jagger has had seven kids by four different women, including four with Hall.
Second show added for Mexico
Source: Madonna - 22 May 2012
A second show at Mexico City's Foro Sol has just been added to the MDNA Tour schedule and will take place on November 25th!
Tickets will go on sale at 11am local time on May 30th, while a devoted Icon pre-sale will start on May 23, at 11am local time for Legacy members / 12 Noon local time for Live Pass members (pre-sales week #15).
First picture of MDNA Tour stage
Source: Madonna - 21 May 2012
Guy Oseary has posted a first picture of the tour stage that is being set up in Tel Aviv for the opening show on the 31st.
Israeli media are also reporting on it.
Rumours on MDNA singles
Source: Fansites - 21 May 2012
A few days ago, we featured the rumour from fansite Madonnarama that Madonna intends to film a music video for Turn Up The Radio, as third single. Though this hasn't been officially confirmed, this seems consistent with earlier rumours and predictions. After all, Turn Up The Radio is the perfect summer tune and very accessible for radio.
Yet, we hear a contradicting rumour from our friends at MadonnaNed, who claim that Love Spent will be the third single in The Netherlands. That seems to feed the rumours that said Turn Up The Radio would be released in the US, while Europe would get Love Spent as a single. Personally, I think that's a weird choice, since Solveig's track better feeds the style of European radio.
And finally, DrownedMadonna brings us the rumour that Gang Bang will be a 4th single (after Turn Up The Radio) this summer. While that would be great for fans, it doesn't sound very accessible for radios, and talk about a 4th single without confirmation of the 3rd one seems rather premature.
Among all these fan rumours, it would be nice of Guy Oseary gave us some clarity on the subject. We can only hope that the third single release will get some more attention than the second one...
Madonna's anti-bullying tour video
Source: Daily Item - 21 May 2012It doesn't get much bigger than Madonna picking up your cause.
A Swedish film company will use a photo of Brandon Bitner in a video it's producing for Madonna's upcoming world tour, and will donate $5,000 to the Susquehanna University scholarship in Brandon's name.
Katie Goodling, Brandon's cousin, confirmed Saturday a deal with Adamsky Film Production of Stockholm to use Brandon's photo, one of seven portraits of bullying victims to run in the video.
Each will display with an RIP sign and the person's name for about three seconds.
BrandonBitner.com, a website dedicated to bullying prevention and Brandon's memory. He committed suicide in November 2010, citing incessant bullying at Midd-West High School in the note he left.
Here's a video report on Brandon. Share it. Stop bullying.
Madonna's presidential ambition
Source: TVNZ - 21 May 2012Madonna wishes she could be President of the United States.
The pop superstar believes she would do a great job if she was able to take control of the country and her main goal would be to stop the country wasting money on "weapons of mass destruction".
When asked what she would do if she was President of the United States for one day, she said: "You can't really change much in one day. I think I would like to be president for a longer time. I wouldn't spend as much money for weapons of mass destruction but instead for education and art."
Although she has achieved worldwide success, Madonna's ambition and drive has not diminished over the years.
The 53-year-old singer attributes her success to her thirst for reinvention and never taking "anything for granted".
She explained: "It's harder to stay famous than become famous. I don't think there's a rule for that (staying successful). You have to really love what you're doing. You have to feed your soul with ideas and you're not allowed to stop growing as a human. That's what helps to create art. When it comes to my work I don't take anything for granted."
William Orbit reveals how he wishes album would have fared
Source: Huffington Post - 19 May 2012 
Hopes that Madonna would re-claim her pop crown from Lady Gaga with MDNA were dashed when the album plunged on the charts shortly after its March release -- a victim of weak single choices and, some say, a lack of promotion on the Material Girl's part.
Now one high-profile producer is opening up about the experience on Facebook, saying he wishes MDNA would've turned out differently and blaming the album's failure on rush marketing and timing.
"[Madonna] was on form and better than ever with her singing and writing and musicality, and was having a great time," writes William Orbit, who previously collaborated with the pop star on her 1998 album Ray of Light, which won four Grammy awards. "We had songs lined up that were breathtaking."
But then, from the sounds of it, things turned sour. After one fan comments on Orbit's page, noting that "most people are writing off" the album and accusing Madonna's record company Interscope of "gradually destroying" her career, the producer notes, "All I will say is that certain thoughts about it that I see expressed online by committed fans such as yourself, were blindingly obvious to me from the very get go, well before the release." He continues: "But you won't see me exactly jumping up and down with delight over the way that things have panned out...we were very pushed for time."
He doesn't mince words when it comes to working with Madonna herself, either, noting the "various pressing commitments that took up the artist's limited time, such as perfume ranges and teen fashion contests and other such endeavors which are beyond my own limited understanding of pop star agendas."
Claiming that he would "lie down in the mud if she didn't want to get her shoes messed up," he adds, "It's hard to be an effective knight when your hands are bound."
"The thing about having little appetite for riches and fame, and no great tower of expectations, you haven't got anything to be taken away," he observes. "And having always been an outsider, outside in the cold, It's always clear which way the wind is blowing."
For their part, Madonna's devoted gay fanbase has largely responded to MDNA with mixed reviews. Boy Culture blogger and Madonna authority Matthew Rettenmund called the album "arguably... her best effort since Ray of Light in his detailed review, while Kenneth In The 212 guest blogger Christopher Carozzo slammed Madge's "ridiculous lyrics" and use of "cold" electronic vocoder effects.
Carazzo then echoed the sentiments of many diehard fans by concluding, "It makes me ache for a new collaboration with Patrick Leonard or Stephen Bray," a nod to the producers of some of Madonna's biggest hits like Like a Prayer and Into The Groove.
The truth about Madonna's daring new scent
Source: The Globe and Mail - 19 May 2012
The pop star took a long time to enter the celebrity-fragrance arena, where she pushes the envelope (yet again) with a borderline cloying juice that'll no doubt be a hit.
The scent
Truth or Dare by Madonna
The back story
Truth: This highly anticipated scent shares its name with the 1991 documentary profiling pop culture's best-known material girl. Dare: Madge has finally decided to enter into the celebrity-fragrance fray, making the stakes for the product high. (Reportedly, more than 200 samples were created before this potent floral gourmand blend made the cut.)
What it smells like
Truth: Madonna's starting point was her mother's fondness for gardenia and tuberose. Dare: While neroli and lily have also been added to the bouquet, it's the sticky, sweet hits of licorice-like benzoin and vanilla that give the fragrance its tingly thrill, just a wink shy of cloying.
The nose
Truth: New York-based Stephen Nilsen's repertoire includes Tom Ford's Moss Breches, With Love Hilary Duff, a couple of Tommy Hilfiger scents and a duo from Anthropologie. He gives credit to Madonna, insisting the star has a "great nose." Dare: Nilsen's not considered a blockbuster perfumer. "I think it was a little daunting, working with someone like Madonna," he admits in a phone interview. This is definitely his Like a Prayer moment.
The look
Truth: Fabian Baron, master of provocative packaging, is responsible for the "beaded" hexagonal white bottle and gold orb cap. It's just a pity that the bustier bottle belongs to Gaultier. Dare: Australian artist and skateboarder RJ Williams has claimed that the logo – an M intersected by a cross – too closely resembles his signature insignia.
The face
Truth: The never-aging star herself – who else! Dare: For some television networks, the commercial showing a lip-licking, writhing Madge was deemed too racy. According to an article in the New York Post, ABC requested various modifications, such as digitally increasing the coverage provided by her lingerie.
Who it's for
Truth: "Rather than age demographic, I definitely think it's for the person who appreciates quality and makes it [her] own," Nilsen says. "It's a great way of taking a classic floral and bringing it into the modern age – almost like a vintage piece of high fashion worn with H&M." Dare: It's still too borderline mass-market for niche-obsessed noses. You can take the star out of the pop but not the pop out of the star.
Cachet factor
Truth: Who isn't at least moderately curious? Dare: Can it achieve Sarah Jessica Parker/ Elizabeth Taylor/Beyoncé success? Me, I smell the olfactory equivalent of her hit Vogue, so go with the flow.
Where to buy it
The Bay, Sears, Sephora, Shoppers Drug Mart.
Price
$65 for 50 ml, $75 for 75 ml.
4 Songs to be filmed at Tel Aviv show
Source: Madonnarama - 18 May 2012According to fansite Madonnarama, the following songs will be professionally filmed at the opening show of the MDNA Tour in Tel Aviv on May 31st:
Girl Gone Wild
Express Yourself
Give Me All Your Luvin'
Turn Up The Radio
These videos will be used to promote the tour using various partners around the world.
Madonna is also trying to find time in her crazy schedule to film a real video for her forthcoming single Turn up the Radio, and not just a live performance of the song.
Abu Dhabi venue gets refurbishment for Madonna's show
Source: Albawaba - 18 May 2012
Organisers of Madonna's debut concert in the UAE are leaving no stones unturned as the pop queen prepares to wow more than 50,000 fans over two nights on June 3 and 4 in Abu Dhabi.
Flash Entertainment announced on Wednesday it was doing 'extensive refurbishment work' to the newly named du Arena (formerly Yas Arena), to enhance every aspect of the venue for the MDNA Tour, one of the biggest it has hosted.
"This is one of the most significant events in the history of regional live entertainment. With over 50,000 people coming to Yas Island to enjoy the concerts and cross-Island parties, we really felt now was the time to enhance the venue and focus on every little detail, from parking and entrances, to walkways and sight lines," said Flash Entertainment's Mira Sadek in a statement.
"Since March, work has been constant and we're sure people are going to appreciate the changes."
Cooling domes, misting machines
Keeping the June weather in mind, multiple cooling domes and misting machines will be installed around the venue and water sold at special prices, Flash said, advising fans to wear light clothing.
Grass has been relayed, gravel removed and tarmac walkways laid down throughout the arena, it added. A central public plaza area featuring merchandise, retail and entertainment has also been installed along with multiple new entrances.
Airconditioned lounges
VIP ticket holders will get dedicated walkways, air conditioned lounges, food and beverage and a dedicated DJ playing in the lounge before Madonna takes to the stage.
Madonna's cantilever stage, at 23 x 54 metres, is of a size and scale never before seen in the UAE, Flash said. It includes a catwalk, a complex pyrotechnic and lighting system with giant LED screens mounted at the back.
Tickets still available
The tickets to Madonna's June 3rd concert in Abu Dhabi were snapped up at supersonic speed, but there's still some ray of hope left. Organiser Flash Entertainment has announced that tickets for the Queen of Pop's second UAE date; — June 4 — are still available, starting at Dh495.
One of this region's biggest pop-acts ever, Madonna's concert is tipped to attracts fans from all across the globe.
Tickets priced at Dh495 (general admission standing), Dh695 (Grand stand: reserved seating), Dh 1,095 (Golden circle: standing close to the stage) and Dh2,295 (VIP Hospitality package including private entrance and golden circle ticket) are available at www.thinkflash.ae or at Virgin Megastore outlets in Mall of the Emirates, The Dubai Mall and Abu Dhabi Mall. Travel packages are also available at www.etihadairways.com.
Madonna: "I'm not as in-control as people think"
Source: Telegraph India - 18 May 2012No one knows how to grab attention and keep it too, like the original queen of pop, Madonna. Yes, she's done it again with her latest album MDNA produced by Interscope Records that has debuted at Number One across global music charts, including India, within a week of its release. It has spawned hits like Give Me All Your Lovin' featuring M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj and Girl Gone Wild, the songs she made famous during her stellar act at the Superbowl Halftime this year.
A t2 chat, via email, with the 53-year-old Material Girl.
Congratulations on your chartbusting 12th studio album and for surpassing Elvis Presley for having the most Number One albums ever. How does that feel?
Yeah, it feels great and it's amazing when your music and record is loved by all. Fans have been really supportive throughout.
Take us through the theme and music of MDNA
On this album there are up-tempo dance tracks and a few ballads as well. The song Some Girls shows an almost masculine funk swagger, while I'm A Sinner indulges in jangly guitars and retro-splashed pop percussion. Delicate pieces of music would be the deliciously romantic Falling Free and the gently percussive Masterpiece. So, every song stands out as it gives you a different feel and vibe.
How involved were you in the album that you also co-produced?
I was very involved as I was very eager to get back to making music. I worked with Benny Benassi for this album and when you work with someone for the first time you always have to find the common ground with them and then figure stuff out.
I've worked with William Orbit before, and something very magical happens when I work with him. Martin Solveig is very much like me — he is extremely organised, extremely methodical. We are both mutually obsessed with Alain Delon, which is how the song Beautiful Killer came about. He accessed the ironic side of me; the love of language and the love of the rhythm of language.
What prompted so many collaborations on the album including Nicki Minaj and M.I.A?
The album is definitely collaborative and like I said, I value inputs from others and for everything, I'm collaborating at all times. I am not totally in charge, but it's more direct and it's more simplistic. Well, Nicki and M.I.A. are full of energy, really cool and have their own strengths.
You've always reinvented your music and your image over time. Define the Madonna we're looking at right now and her music.
I think I'm a person who has great qualities a leader would have, but I'm not sure if I'm ever going to be totally on top of things or as in-control as people perceive I am or covet me to be. My music has definitely evolved and I've tried to make a different album. I didn't want to sound like everybody else.
Which album/song of yours do you hold closest to heart?
It's difficult for me to choose one album or song but yes, from this album, the song Gang Bang is my favourite. It has a lot of layers — it has grief, a heartbreak and humour.
Who among the younger crop of singers do you find most promising?
I think Adele is definitely the most promising artiste; she's very talented and simply brilliant.
What about your acting career? When do we get to see you in a movie again?
I've directed my first film (W.E) and at present my album MDNA is what I'm focusing on. I'm going on tour and very busy preparing for it. Maybe when I finish my tour I'll think about my acting career.
You will embark on your MDNA tour soon. Is India on the list?
I believe India is not on the list, but I would really love to perform in India sometime.
New tour rehearsal pictures
Source: Facebook - 18 May 2012Guy Oseary has made some new pictures of the MDNA Tour rehearsals, which were shared over the past few days on Madonna's social media.
Rocco teaches Madonna to breakdance
Source: Monsters and Critics - 18 May 2012Madonna's son Rocco is teaching her how to breakdance.
The 53-year-old pop superstar has mastered numerous dance moves throughout her four-decade spanning career but she is struggling to copy Rocco's street-inspired shapes.
When asked if she teaches her 11-year-old son to breakdance, she replied: 'No, he shows them to me. But I'm pretty bad. My son loves breakdance!'
Madonna admits her kids - Rocco, Lourdes, 15, David, six, and Mercy, seven - keep her up-to-date on current music trends and she is a big fan of Dubstep.
She revealed: 'I love dubstep. My children have a very good taste. My children play new music to me.I play music from the 80s to them as well. For example Kurtis Blow. B-Boy music!'
As well as playing 80s music to her children, the 'Girl Gone Wild' singer has also introduced her brood to iconic French musician Edith Piaf.
She said: 'I play soundtracks to them. And stuff from the past, like Edith Piaf. We help each other mutually when it comes to music.'
'La Vie en Rose' singer Edith - who shot to fame in the 40s and 50s - is considered one of France's most culturally important figures and she had a turbulent personal life which saw her battle morphine and alcohol addictions.
Bang Bang demo
14 May 2012An early demo of Gang Bang - when it was still called Bang Bang - has surfaced online. This version features lyrics from the final track, but in addition many other lines as well. It was produced solely by William Orbit. It must've been the influence of the other collaborators that leaded to the album version. What do you think? Give us your opinion on our Facebook page.
UPDATE: the video has been taken down for copyrights. William Orbit reacted on Facebook: "Not happy that 'Bang Bang Boom' leaked (version with Madonna vocals not the Priscilla vocals). And I know who did it."
Remark on earning reports
Source: Huffington Post - 11 May 2012The Huffington Post (and eagerly copied by many other news sites) are reporting how Madonna is expected to "earn $500 million in 2012". In the article (read here) they then state the expected revenues of the MDNA Tour ticket sales, merchandising, Truth or Dare fragrance, Smirnoff deal, TV & DVD rights and the Material Girl clothing line.
What all these sources fail to mention is that it's absolutely absurd to think all these revenues go directly to Madonna herself. While she will be greatly rewarded for her hard work, one must first deduct production costs, marketing costs, dancers must be paid, as well as musicians, directors, designers, etc. That's the difference between 'earning' and 'netting'. Everybody knows Madonna will get her money from all these deals, it's her job after all, but it will be a percentage of those $500 million.
Don't believe everything you read online.
Argentina added to tour schedule
Source: Madonna.com - 3 May 2012 Argentina! We are happy to announce that Madonna's MDNA Tour is to stop at Buenos Aires' River Plate Stadium on December 13 and at Cordoba's Estadio Kempes on December 22!
A devoted fan club pre-sale for both shows will start at 10am local time for Legacy members (11am for Live Pass members) on May 7th.
Public on-sale will start May 12 at 12:01AM local time for Internet sales and at 10AM local time for Phones, Outlets and Box Office.
Come join the party!
On the cover of a magazine: Vanity Fair Italia
Source: Madonna.com - 3 May 2012
Madonna is the cover girl of Vanity Fair Italy, May 9th issue, which is to hit local newsstands tomorrow.
In addition to the stunning shot used for the cover, the magazine also includes a 8-page article and more photos taken during the making of her "Truth or Dare" fragrance campaign.
Colombian show sold out
Source: ChatterBusy - 2 May 2012 Madonna’s November concert in Medellin sold out in less than a week according to Radio Caracol report.
Colombians craved to watch the Queen of Pop on her first tour date in Colombia and the last 2,000 tickets sold out in less than half an hour.
The spokesman for Ocesa Colombia, the event company putting on the concert, stated it was a dream come true for Colombians to bring Madonna to their country and credited Medellin's mayor Anibal Gaviria for making the event possible.
It has to be mentioned that the concert has promised to bring a large influx of tourists to the city with hotels in Medellin already 80% booked for the night of the concert.
Although most (55%) of ticket buyers were in Medellin, many out-of-towners bought tickets for Madonna's only stop in Colombia on her six-city tour of Latin America.
34% of ticket buyers were in Bogata and Cundinamarca, another 4% were in the Valle del Cauca department, and the remaining 7% were from elsewhere in Colombia and neighboring countries.
Pictures of production rehearsals
Source: Madonna.com - 2 May 2012New pictures were posted on Madonna's official social media, showing Madonna at work on the first day of production rehearsals.
On the second picture you can clearly see the pit area (dubbed 'The Golden Triangle') in front of the stage. Next to Madonna you can see a guitarist (Monte with a beard?) and a violinist.
The third picture includes Kalakan (left of Madonna), the Basque trio that was already rumoured to be on the MDNA Tour. They will be delivering backing vocals for several tracks on tour.
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