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Madonna news - July 2022
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Madonna talks about Guy Oseary, her biopic and going on tour again
Source: Variety - 31 July 2022Madonna became close with the man she calls her "ride or die" in the same way that most people bond: through late nights out, long conversations — and no small amount of mischief.
In an interview with Variety, the pop icon opens up about her unconventional relationship with Variety's 2022 Music Mogul of the Year Guy Oseary, that extends from partner-in-crime, at least in their early days in Miami, to trusted business partner and source of "calm wisdom."
"I was always the adventurous, crazy one," Madonna says. "As soon as Guy would get a little look of fear in his eyes, I'd think it was a good idea. I would use him as a weathervane." However, that dynamic only crystallized over time. When the hitmaker first met Oseary, just 18 at the time, they were both unapologetic troublemakers. "As the years went by, he took on a more of a parental role," Madonna reveals.
"I want to go on tour again, I'm a creature of the stage."
Oseary urged the notorious workaholic to rest more and spend wisely. Occasionally, Madonna heeded his advice. More often than not, she remained unswayed — such as the time Oseary suggested the superstar tone down on the elaborate staging of her tours. "He would try to get me to do less production because then I would have less overhead and make more money," Madonna says. "He was always the voice of reason."
While Oseary is now "the old man in the house in Benedict Canyon" according to his most famous charge, Madonna's fearlessness has rubbed off on him in perhaps unexpected ways. Like his forays into the world of cryptocurrency and NFTs. "He's always been the man behind the artist taking the risk," she says. "Now he's taking risks. He reminds me on a regular basis that he's essentially invested all this money in the crypto world." (Amusingly, their close bond didn't guarantee Madonna the NFT ape she wanted from the Oseary-repped Bored Ape Yacht Club.)
As Oseary settled down, started a family, and rose in prominence as a manager, producer and investor, Madonna has learned, somewhat begrudgingly, to share her dear friend. "I'm not happy sharing him with apes. Cryptocurrency, Ethereum, U2, Anthony Kiedis, his four children and wife," she jokes. "Why did all these people have to show up?"
Read on for more from the endlessly quotable multi-hyphenate.
How has Guy evolved over the years?
He's changed a lot since I met him. When I met Guy, he was 18 years old. My first reaction to him was that he had a lot of opinions. But then, as I got to know him, I realized that he had good taste in music and recognized talent. We just became friends. I would get his advice about people I was dating and he was always going after supermodels that were breaking his heart.
In business, was he good cop to your bad cop?
More or less. I was always the adventurous, crazy one. As soon as Guy would get a little look of fear in his eyes, I'd think it was a good idea. I would use him as a weathervane. But that didn't happen right away. We were on even ground and then, as the years went by, he took on a more of a parental role. He was always very practical. When I would go on tour, he would try to get me to do less production because then I would have less overhead and make more money. He was always the voice of reason and I was the mischievous one pushing the envelope.
Guy says that your risk taking rubbed off on him as a businessman.
He's always been the man behind the artist taking the risk. Now he's taking risks. He reminds me on a regular basis that he's essentially invested all this money in the crypto world.
Which brings us to Bored Ape #3756.
I was so pissed off that I didn't get the one I wanted. Once I get my mind around something then that's what I'm going to have. But I learned quickly that wanting 32 musicians on stage in a small theater is not the same as wanting an ape with a leather motorcycle cap and multicolored teeth.
That's the one you wanted?
Yeah and I didn't get it. Even though I was told that it was inspired by me, and modeled after me. It was bought by a woman who is a fan of mine. I was like, "She should just sell it to me!" She was gonna sell it to me, but it was way, way too expensive. I can't afford my own ape.
Do you share everything with Guy?
To a point. Once he got married, he created his own universe. Obviously, I had him all to myself and now I have to share him with his wife, which really pisses me off. I'm kidding! Before that a lot of pretty girls came and went — he's gonna kill me for saying all of this — but then he settled down with a really nice girl. I was like, "God dammit. Now I have competition!" And then he started managing other artists, which really pushed me over the edge.
You have an unconventional relationship.
Like I said, before it was just me and Guy. We did everything together. I remember the tour where he went, "I can't do this anymore." It was for MDNA. I never settled down in a conventional way. I have a very unconventional family. I call myself a citizen of the world and my family unit moves with me.
He couldn't be on the road all the time?
It probably had to do with him wanting to grow a business, but also having a family. Now he's the old man in the house in Benedict Canyon. Is that where he lives? One of those canyons. I've only been to his house 3,000 times. But he has a lot of practical, calm wisdom that I do not have, so we still have a good dynamic. It's just shifted.
What are your plans for music going forward?
I'm just looking for interesting, fun ways to rerelease my catalog and introduce my music to a new generation. I'm focused on that and I've been writing a screenplay for my film for the last couple of years. The whole thing with "Frozen" was so fun, but I woke up one day and went, "I'm sick of living in the past!" I want to go on tour again, I'm a creature of the stage. That is my happy place.
Would you miss Guy on tour?
I'm always happy to see him. In my opinion, he doesn't come around enough. I wish he would come around more. I'm not happy sharing him with apes. crypto currency, Ethereum, U2, Anthony Kiedis, his four children and wife. Why did all these people have to show up?
Guy says you shot down any consideration of selling your song catalog. Why?
Because they're my songs. Ownership is everything isn't it? I mean, that's why he's buying apes.
Where are you at with the biopic?
I have a very long script that is really hard for me to make shorter. I've been whittling away at it, but it's like hacking off my limbs.
Why did you decide to make the film?
I've had an extraordinary life, I must make an extraordinary film. It was also a preemptive strike because a lot of people were trying to make movies about me. Mostly misogynistic men. So I put my foot in the door and said, "No one's going to tell my story, but me."
Madonna makes history with 2022 VMA nomination
Source: Parade - 27 July 2022The 2022 Video Music Awards, aka the VMAs, will return to celebrate the biggest names in music on Sunday, August 28, and yesterday, MTV revealed the artists whose videos have had enough of an impact on the music culture over the past year to have earned themselves a nomination—or seven!
Jack Harlow, Kendrick Lamar and Lil Nas X lead this year's nominations with seven each, closely followed by Doja Cat and Harry Styles with six each, and Billie Eilish, Drake, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and The Weeknd with five each.
Madonna, who reigns as the most awarded artist in MTV history with 20 wins, becomes the only artist to be nominated in each of the VMAs five decades as she earns her 69th nomination for "Madame X."
What makes the VMAs different from shows like the Grammys is that fans vote for their favorite artists by visiting vote.mtv.com through Friday, August 19, 2022.
Madame X gets nominated for Best Longform Video at 2022 VMA - vote now
Source: MTV - 26 July 2022MTV has announced the nominations for the 2022 Video Music Awards.
Madonna's Madame X has been nominated in the category Best Longform Video. Other nominees include Billie Eilish, Foo Fighters, Kacey Musgraves, Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift.
You can now cast up to 10 votes per day: www.mtv.com/vma/vote/best-longform-video
The VMAs will be broadcast on August 28.
Madonna's net worth proves she is the original Material Girl
Source: Cosmopolitan - 25 July 2022When you're only referred to as one name, of course you've reached icon status. Of course, this was true for Madonna, the Queen of Pop, eons ago. The legendary international singer and performer is synonymous with the entertainment industry, and she's made an absurd amount of money throughout her illustrious career. So, of course, it's time that we go into her extremely deep pockets to see what her coins are *really* talking about.
FIRST THING'S FIRST: HER RENOWNED MUSIC
Madonna has 14 solo studio albums, with her first one, Madonna, being released in 1984. According to Guinness World Records, Madonna sold roughly 335 million albums and singles since her start to March 2015. So, it's quite literally no surprise to anyone then thatGuinness reportedMadonna as being the best-selling female recording artist e-v-e-r. The only folks who beat her? Oh, just other icons Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley and The Beatles.
SHE MADE MORE THAN $408 MILLION OFF OF ONE TOUR
In 2008, Madonna kicked off the Sticky & Sweet tour in the United Kingdom. Just over a year later, the tour ended and Madonna had made history: The tour was the highest grossing tour ever by a female artist. More than 12 years later, and no one else has even come close to touching this.
Madonna has had several nine-figure tours, with her others bringing in more than $124 million, $194 million, $305 million and nearly $170 million in 2003, 2006, 2012, and 2015, respectively.
HER SONGS HAVE BEEN REMIXED AND SAMPLED MORE THAN 324 TIMES
This is just *another* world record Madonna has broken, according to Guinness. And if you know a thing or two about music, you know that (1) sampling music is a huge nod of flattery and undeniable impact, and (2) it costs a pretty penny to be able to get someone else's music to use it for your own. And given the fact that this is MADONNA's music, oh, you know it wasn't cheap.
OH, AND THEN THERE'S HER ROBUST ACTING CAREER
Madonna has starred in a slew of major motion pictures, with perhaps her most noteworthy being A League of Their Own, and Evita, which earned her the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy. She was paid $1 million for her role in the movie, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Her highest movie payday actually came three years prior when she cashed out on $2.5 million for her role in Body of Evidence. Plus, because she's a total badass, she negotiated and was able to keep the character's full wardrobe too. Boss things.
DID WE MENTION SHE'S A *BUSINESSWOMAN*?
Between securing deals with numerous brands for collaborations—from Pepsi to H&M to Dolce & Gabbana—writing children's books, starting an entertainment company in 1992, and launching an international skincare line, Madonna has truly done it all. And it all made her a load of cash.
SO, WHAT IS MADONNA'S OFFICIAL NET WORTH?
Ahem, that would be just a h-e-f-t-y $850 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. I mean, I'm not shocked, but DAMN. And honestly, we just scratched the surface of all of Madonna's assets. Sheesh! Not too shabby for a girl who came to New York in the late '70s (fresh out of dropping out of college) with only $30 to her name.
Madonna covers the first edition of L’Officiel Ibiza Magazine
Source: Designscene - 18 July 2022L'Officiel Ibiza and Riccardo Tisci team up to celebrate Madonna and the island of Ibiza
The one and only Madonna is the cover star of L'OFFICIEL Ibiza first edition wearing a full Burberry look, captured by fashion photographer Ricardo Gomes. In charge of Artwork & Collage was Portis Wasp. The issue honors Madonna's influence on culture and music and her hit La Isla Bonita which came out in 1987. For the story, magazine collaborated with Riccardo Tisci to use his own words to celebrate both the enduring friendship with pop superstar and the island of Ibiza.
An Immaculate Collection of details about Madonna's self-written biopic
Source: Vulture - 4 July 2022Madonna once said, Life is a mystery, but her in-the-works biopic is anything but. The project (which cast its lucky star, Julia Garner, last month) has been an extremely public affair from the beginning, when Madonna streamed writing sessions with Diablo Cody on Instagram Live. That means its drama has been equally public — for example, when Cody departed the film. But like Madame X herself, the project has danced onward. Given that it's currently in preproduction, the movie is not likely to be released for years. Time goes by so slowly! In the meantime, let's get into the groove and run through what we know about the movie.
Since when are they making a Madonna biopic?
Madonna first posted about her screenwriting adventures with Cody, whose credits include Juno and the Jagged Little Pill musical, on Instagram in August 2020. In September, she got true blue and confirmed the film was a biopic. Not only that, but Madonna revealed she already had studio backing from Universal and power-producer Amy Pascal.
So who's involved?
Madonna, for starters. It's her material, girl! And she's not just cowriting — she's directing the movie, Variety reported. (Not like a virgin, either, if you remember that she previously helmed 2008's Filth and Wisdom and 2011's W.E.) Despite starting the project with Madonna, Cody won't see it through; she departed the project sometime in early 2021. The Sun reported that working with Madonna, well, pushed her to the borderline, but Entertainment Weekly later reported that Cody had finished a draft of the screenplay. In March, The Hollywood Reporter claimed Erin Cressida Wilson, who adapted The Girl on the Train, had stepped in as co-writer.
Early reports thought Julia Garner would play Madonna after Madonna herself seemed to open her heart to the Ozark star by following her on Instagram. Still, the film had an extremely high-pressure audition process, per THR, with Florence Pugh, Alexa Demie, Sky Ferreira, and Bebe Rexha all striking poses for Madonna. In the end, it was Garner, with Variety reporting she had been offered the role. Madonna spoke to Julia Fox, whom she'd been spotted with multiple times, about playing her friend Debi Mazar, EW reported.
And what is the film actually about?
As Madonna expressed herself in a statement, the movie follows "the incredible journey that life has taken me on as an artist, a musician, a dancer — a human being, trying to make her way in this world." ("The focus of this film will always be music," she added, although we have to assume she doesn't specifically mean her 2000 album.) In other words, as fans have gleaned from those Instagram writing sessions, it's about her career rise. Madonna has teased scenes about her early avant-garde days in New York writing Like a Prayer. THR reported that the script currently ends around the 1990 Blond Ambition Tour while noting that could change. Oh, and it's currently called Little Sparrow, as Madonna revealed in a bathroom photoshoot with the screenplay in February.
What are the other films about Madonna?
While we're talking Blond Ambition, we'd be remiss not to celebrate Madonna's many tour documentaries. There's 1991's Truth or Dare focused on that tour, 2005's I'm Going to Tell You a Secret about the Re-Invention Tour, and 2021's Madame X.
Blond Ambition also happens to be the title of another once-planned Universal biopic; the script, by Elyse Hollander, topped the 2016 Black List of notoriously unproduced films before it was acquired by Universal in 2017 — with director Brett Ratner attached. Madonna, though, wasn't crazy about the idea and trashed it on Instagram. "Only I can tell my story. 📚," she wrote. "Anyone else who tries is a charlatan and a fool. 🤡." Evan Rachel Wood, who's playing Madonna in the Weird Al biopic Weird, is in trouble deep.
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