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Madonna news - July 2013
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Second trailer for Secret Project
Source: Madonna - 30 July 2013Madonna's debut album turns 30!
27 July 2013 
A stunning 30 years have passed since Madonna unleashed her debut album onto the world. Though the working title was 'Lucky Star', the vinyl album that hit stores on July 27th, 1983, was eponymously titled 'Madonna'. It had to introduce the world to the star behind the previously released dance hits Everybody and Burning Up.
The debut single, which was produced by DJ Mark Kamins, celebrated its 30th anniversary last year when the MDNA Tour stopped by San Jose. Madonna wrote the other album tracks with Warner producer Reggie Lucas. But Madonna wasn't happy with the result and had different concepts in mind, so she asked her friend Jellybean to remix and rearrang the tracks, which led to the known end result.
The album reached #8 in the Billboard 200 and spend a total of 168 weeks on the chart. By October 2000, it was certified 5 times Platinum in the US. In other countries, the album reached #6 (UK), #8 (France) and #10 (Australia). Worldwide it would sell over 8 million copies.
The third single Holiday, written by Curtis Hudson and Lisa Stevens, followed 3 months after the album release. While it reached only #16 on the Billboard 100, it held on to the #1 spot of the Dance Chart for 5 consecutive weeks, establishing her as a dance artist.
Two other singles followed in 1984: Borderline, which became her first single to be certified Gold, and Lucky Star, the first track she wrote herself as a signed artist, which was the first of 16 consecutive singles to crack the Top 5 of the Billboard chart.
In 1985 the album was re-issued under the name 'The First Album', with different artwork. That summer, the 5 singles were promoted on the Virgin Tour. Holiday became a tour staple, making it onto every tour setlist, except for the Confessions Tour (it was added for Sticky 2009 and was an impromptu singalong for the American leg of MDNA).
The other singles took turns appearing on the tours: Everybody as closer at the Girlie Show; Burning Up and Borderline re-invented guitar rock anthems at respectively the Re-Invention Tour and the Sticky & Sweet Tour; and Lucky Star in a fantastic Stuart Price remix at the Confessions Tour.
Everybody
Burning Up
Lucky Star
Borderline
Madonna jets into Ireland to attend David Collins' funeral
Source: Independent - 25 July 2013Madonna travelled to Dublin Tuesday to grieve her close friend, the late interior architect David Collins.
Mr Collins' funeral was held Tuesday at St. Patrick's Church in Monkstown.
Madonna was just one of the many famous faces who travelled to mourn his loss, with BBC star Graham Norton also among the congregation.
Mr Collins was diagnosed just three weeks ago with skin cancer.
An insider explained: "She was wearing a black dress, accompanied by one bodyguard and two female assistants. She brought a beautiful bouquet of flowers for the mass and then exited through the back door by the rectory and immediately hopped into a car with blacked out windows."
Other celebrity mourners included designer Louise Kennedy and RTE presenter Brendan Courtney.
Mr Collins was an A-list interior designer, famed for designing some of the world's most famous restaurants and buildings, including Claridge's, The Connaught's bar, Harrods and Nobu.
He studied architecture at DIT Bolton Street before moving on to interior design, a career option which happened by chance one day when he had left a secure job. When he moved to London soon after his studies, he set up the David Collins Studio, an institution synonymous with elegant style. Jimmy Choo, Alexander McQueen and Bergdorf Goodman all hired him for innovative concepts in store.
His death made headlines last week and has left the fashion world in mourning.
Madonna and Paul McCartney sign Amnesty International letter for Pussy Riot's release
Source: ContactMusic - 25 July 2013 
Madonna, Sir Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono and Bruce Springsteen are among the stars who have teamed up with Amnesty International officials to call for the release of two jailed members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot .
More than 100 top musicians, including Adele, U2, Radiohead, Patti Smith, Sting and Ke$ha, have signed an open letter addressed to Russian authorities, urging them to set Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alekhina free.
In the letter, the celebrity activists claim the impact of the punk rockers' "shockingly unjust trial and imprisonment has spread far and wide", especially among their "fellow artists, musicians and citizens around the world".
Tolokonnikova and Alekhina were sentenced to serve two years behind bars last August (12), after they were found guilty of hooliganism for organising a protest concert in a Moscow church in February, 2012.
They were denied parole earlier this year (13), but both have appealed the rulings and hearings are set for later this week (begs22Jul13).
A third member of the group, Yekaterina Samutsevich, was also convicted for her part in the gig, but her sentence was suspended last October (12) and she was released.
Many of the artists who added their signatures to the Amnesty International campaign have previously voiced their support for the feminist rockers, with Madonna, MCCartney and Ono paying tribute to the women during concerts.
Madonna flies in for pal's funeral
Source: The Sun - 21 July 2013MADONNA will take a grim journey to the funeral of one of her closest pals this week.
The Material Girl was heartbroken when she heard her interior designer friend DAVID COLLINS had died – just three weeks after he was diagnosed with skin cancer.
David designed the interiors of some of Madge's favourite London haunts, including Claridge's – as well as the inside of her homes. Madonna arrived in the UK on Friday – two days after David's death – and walked through Heathrow airport dressed entirely in black.
She's planning to head to Ireland this week for Dubliner David's funeral.
A pal said: “Madonna is beside herself with grief.
"David was one of her closest pals for years – she adored him.
"They'd often have a laugh around London, driving around together. She can't believe he died just three weeks after his diagnosis."
Madge's last post on her Instagram account was a photo of red roses with the message: "In memory of David Collins.
“He was a great talent and a good and loyal friend for 17 years! God bless him and may he RIP."
David's family have asked mourners to donate to the Macmillan cancer charity instead of sending flowers. They have set up the David Collins Tribute Fund for contributions.
Warner to re-release Like A Prayer for 25th anniversary?
Source: Examiner - 15 July 2013Today, it was announced that Madonna is going to re-release her 1989 classic album Like a Prayer. Even though a date hasn't been set, Madonna finally agreed with Warner Brothers to celebrate the album's 25th year anniversary.
The re-released album will have a couple of never before heard tracks that didn't make it to the final album. There will also be a "Like a Prayer" app that contains many things Madonna fans will go crazy for, including a scene from the Like a Prayer video where she jumps off a diving board at UCLA and belly flops in a pool. The main camera missed the shot, but one of the low quality video assist cameras got it. The app will also feature footage of Madonna in the studio with producer Patrick Leonard.
It is believed that Warner Brothers is trying to make an agreement with Pepsi in order to re-release the "Like a Prayer" commercial, which was banned because of the controversial video. Madonna is also allegedly preparing to perform the whole Like a Prayer album at a couple of concerts next year. Are you excited, Madonna fans?
~ This was only 'announced' in The Examiner, there's no official confirmation at this point.
Madonna, Guy Ritchie reunite to celebrate Rocco's Bar Mitzvah
Source: US Magazine - 14 July 2013One big happy family! Madonna and ex-husband Guy Ritchie didn't end their marriage on the best terms in 2008, but any bitterness that may have once existed between the two appears to be gone now. The former couple reunited on Friday, July 12, and Saturday, July 13, to celebrate son Rocco 's bar mitzvah, and a source tells Us Weekly it was a joyful occasion for all.
The actual bar mitzvah ceremony took place on Saturday at the Kabbalah Centre in New York City, but the entire family gathered one night earlier at the Centre for a little pre-party. Madonna and Ritchie were very cordial and looked "so proud" of Rocco, the onlooker says of the singer and her director ex, who welcomed their only biological child together in August 2000.
Madonna -- also mom to daughter Lourdes , 16, David Banda , and Mercy James -- was married to Ritchie for eight years. (He was her second husband; she divorced actor Sean Penn in 1989.) Both have since moved on; Madonna is currently dating dancer Brahim Zaibat , while Ritchie has two kids with fiancee Jacqui Ainsley .
Speaking about his marriage to the pop icon with Details magazine in 2011, the British director said it was like living a "soap opera" at times. But he's glad he went through it.
"I enjoyed my first marriage. It's definitely not something I regret. The experience was ultimately very positive," he said. "I love the kids that came out of it, and I could see no other route to take."
Madonna and Lourdes Leon strike a pose in a selfie
Source: Hello Magazine - 13 July 2013Lourdes Leon , Madonna 's eldest daughter, gave her fans an insight into her close relationship with her mother in a photograph she posted on her Material Girl blog.
Lourdes, 16, took the selfie on a night out, and is seen posing alongside Madonna who looks like she could be her daughter's friend or sister.
The international pop sensation, dressed in a dark, strappy top and sporting a branded cap, pouts at the camera and leans in towards her daughter, while Lourdes beams away in a bright, red top.
The photo was taken earlier this month at Macy's fireworks celebration for 4 July in New York City, but was only uploaded on Thursday to Lourdes' blog.
Later on in the post, Lourdes posts another photo of the fireworks display and goes on to give advice about summer clothing.
Instead of wearing high-waisted cut off shorts that "create an awkward wedgie and impair your breathing most of the time", the young fashionista recommends loose dresses.
"If you go to a thrift store and find really long old lady dresses, just chop the dresses with some scissors (my mother hates this) and you're comfy all day," she writes.
"If you are a girl like myself who doesn't sit like a lady naturally," she adds, "or if your dress comes up with the wind, just break out the black mini bike shorts underneath the dress. Who doesn't love bike shorts?"
Lourdes has learnt from the best and is well-voiced to give style advice, since the launch of her junior clothing label Material Girl with the help of her mother.
The trend-setting duo recently hired Rita Ora as the face of the US label, and exclusive shots from Material Girl's Fall 2013 campaign were released earlier this month. In the photos, Rita is seen gallivanting around the streets of London, posing next to iconic landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and Big Ben.
Following her appointment of Material Girl's face for the back-to-school season, Madonna and Lourdes admitted that they were extremely excited to have the Brit talent representing their label.
"Rita is a talented beauty but what really drew us to her is the confidence she oozes through her music and her unique sense of style," they said in a statement.
"On stage or off, in photos or in the street – she's a magnet! This is what the Material Girl brand is all about," they explained.
Bulgarian-American Millionaire to Fly in Space with Madonna
Source: Novinite - 4 July 2013Bulgarian-born US millionaire Shefket Chapadzhiev is among the space travelers who will fly with the "Spaceship 2" shuttle.
The billionaire Sir Richard Branson certified the place reserved for Chapadziev with a special letter. The Bulgarian millionaire will be joined in the spacewalk by Madonna, the Monitor daily reported.
A ticket for the flight of "Virgin Galactic" is worth USD 200 000 dollars and a lot of showbiz stars have already secured their expensive places. Teen idol Justin Bieber is the newest VIP tourist. The Canadian will be accompanied by his agent Scooter Braun.
"Congratulations! See you there," Branson wrote on Bieber's Twitter. "Let's shoot a video in space," the singer replied.
Brahim launches own fashion label
Source: ContactMusic - 4 July 2013Madonna's dancer boyfriend Brahim Zaibat has designed his own fashion line called Defend, which features a gun as the logo.
Madonna 's boyfriend has launched a clothing line.
Brahim Zaibat has designed his own fashion line called Defend, featuring drawings of an AK47 rifle as the logo, and the 'Material Girl' singer was recently spotted wearing a hooded jumper in support of her man's controversial new brand.
It has been claimed the dancer is serious about learning more about the industry as he wants to secure a career in fashion when his dancing days are over.
A source told The Sun newspaper: ''Brahim knows dancing jobs won't last forever and wants a successful business and to be taken seriously as a designer.''
The 54-year-old popstar, who also produces her own fashion label Material Girl with her daughter Lourdes Leon , is believed to have funded the brand and has even introduced Brahim to members of the fashion elite.
The insider added: ''Madonna has lots of connections in the fashion world so has introduced him to people like her designer friend Ricardo Tisci.''
Rihanna, Chris Brown and Zachary Quinto have all worn the jumpers in a bid to publicise the new line.
Madonna started dating Brahim in September 2010 after he performed a hip-hop routine at the launch of her clothing range at Macy's in New York.
Meanwhile, the singer recently enlisted Roc Nation signer Rita Ora to become the face of her own clothing label.
Madonna flirts with controversy again by donning chainmail burka mask
Source: Metro - 4 July 2013She is the queen of controversy – and Madonna has been at it again by dressing up as a Muslim woman in chainmail.
The Material Girl, 54, has been sharing images – apparently from a Harper's Bazaar US photoshoot – of her latest looks.
And she has been embracing Islamic culture for her newest fashion direction.
Posing in a metal chain niqab mask, the star said: ‘The Revolution of Love is on…Inshallah' with an image on her official Facebook page – ‘Inshallah' being Arabic for ‘God willing'.
She also posted a snap of herself with gold metal grills on her teeth and biting down hard on a sword or knife.
‘Live by the sword… For @harpersbazaarus' she said in the accompanying text, suggesting she is shooting for the American fashion bible.
While the full extent of the project is yet to be revealed – and a cover shoot for a major magazine being completed generally a couple of months before it hits newsstands – it could be revealed the singer is about to unveil a major new project.
For the past few months Madge has been teasing a ‘Secret Project' in collaboration with world-famous photographer and director Steven Klein – is the secret about to be revealed?
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