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Madonna news - June 2023
← May 2023 | July 2023 →
Madonna's friends wish her a good recovery
Source: Social media - 29 June 2023Many of Madonna's friends reacted to her health scare.
Her friend and A League of their Own co-star Rosie O'Donnell gave a hopeful update on Instagram, saying "she's feeling good".
Longtime gal pal Debi Mazar sent her a Get Well message, while informing the fans that "Madonna is on the mend & home resting!"
Monte Pittman, her loyal guitarist of the past 20+ years, sends M his love and wishes her 'the quickest recovery'.
Jonas Akerlund, who directed several of Madonna's music videos, calls her his "artmother" and wishes her well.
Actrice and comedian Kathy Griffin took to TikTok to defend Madonna against ageist and mysogynist comments following her illness.
The Weeknd, who recently collaborated with M on the track Popular, sent his prayers in his Insta stories.
Actress Rita Wilson wrote: "Sending Madonna my prayers for a speedy recovery".
Rosanna Arquette, who co-starred with Madonna in the 1985 movie Desperately Seeking Susan, wrote: "Sending her love and good light vibrations for a good recovery."
Actress and musician Zooey Dechanel posted "Hope she feels better very soon!".
Many other friends, celebrities and collaborators also took to their social media to send their best wishes to Madonna.
Madonna discharged from hospital, now recovering at home
Source: BBC - 29 June 2023Madonna has been discharged from hospital and is home and feeling better after an intensive care stay, the BBC understands.
News of her ill health was shared by her manager, who said she had suffered a "serious bacterial infection".
The 64-year-old was due to begin a seven-month world tour in the coming weeks, but has had to postpone it.
She was taken to her New York home in a private ambulance, a source told CNN, adding: "She's in the clear."
It is not known what initially caused Madonna's infection, but doctors said it became extremely serious and required treatment in intensive care.
Infections can develop into a life-threatening condition called sepsis or blood poisoning.
Madonna, who is very private about health matters, was in the final stages of rehearsals ahead of her extensive world tour.
Madonna hospitalized with bacterial infection, tour 'paused'
Source: Instagram - 28 June 2023Madonna has been hospitalized with a bacterial infection, her manager Guy Oseary announced on Instagram today. Certain media outlets report that she was found unresponsive in her residence on Saturday, after which she was rushed to hospital and intubated overnight. After several days in the intensive care, her health is now improving. She is expected to make a full recovery. Her daughter Lola was by her side throughout the entire ordeal.
However, with the launch of her Celebration Tour only 17 days away (the kick-off was scheduled for July 15 in Vancouver), it is certain to have a major impact on the tour schedule. Oseary has already mentioned that the tour is currently 'paused' and that there will be a new start date and a number of rescheduled tour dates. More details to follow soon.
We wish Madonna a speedy recovery and keep our fingers crossed that the impact on the tour remains limited.
Vulgar debuts on the charts
Source: Forbes - 22 June 2023Last week, Madonna made a triumphant return to a number of Billboard charts as she and her collaborators The Weeknd and Playboy Carti sent their tune 'Popular' to various rankings. Now, just days later, she's back on a handful of tallies—some different, some the same—with another new release.
The superstar joined fellow singer Sam Smith on the new song 'Vulgar,' a dark electronic affair all about how bad and, well, vulgar the two Grammy winners are. While the track didn't reach the Hot 100 like 'Popular,' it did find its way to several other lists, bringing Madonna back to some charts she's known well in the past.
'Vulgar' arrives at No. 16 on this week's Digital Song Sales chart, marking Madonna's third hit this year and her second in two weeks, as 'Popular' opened at No. 3 last frame.
The same track narrowly misses out on becoming Madonna's fifth top 10 on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, which focuses exclusively on dance and electronic cuts. Madonna is primarily known for her output in these genres, but much of her work predates this list, resulting in fewer placements than some might expect. This week, 'Vulgar' arrives at No. 11, though it could climb in the coming weeks if Madonna and Smith promote the track or release a music video.
'Vulgar' performs best on the Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart, which ranks the bestselling tunes that can be labeled as either dance or electronic. Madonna and Smith's collaboration skyrockets to No. 1 on this particular chart. While the track didn't sell well enough to reach the Hot 100, it garnered enough purchases from fans of both stars to dominate this ranking. This achievement serves as a surefire sign that 'Vulgar' is, at the very least, a genre-specific hit.
Kylie on a Madonna collab: "Of course, I would!"
Source: NME - 20 June 2023Kylie Minogue has spoken out about a potential collaboration with Madonna.
During an interview at the annual KTUphoria festival in New York, Minogue was asked if she was thinking of taking part in any collaborations in the future, and if she'd be open to working with another queen of pop, Madonna.
"I would. Of course, I would!" she confirmed while chatting backstage at the festival. "She's going on tour. I don't have Madonna's number but if I was in town and she was in town it would be amazing. The building would probably fall down. We'd need to send out warnings!"
She also shared how the 'Material Girl' singer inspired her as a teen, admitting that she would be "dancing around [her] bedroom to Madonna" when she was 16 years old.
Check out the fragment at the 6'30 mark below.
As 'Popular' charts, Madonna has Hot 100 hits in 5 decades
Source: Billboard - 14 June 2023Back by "Popular" demand: Madonna joins Cher as the only women to have debuted on the Hot 100 in five separate decades.
Madonna joins exclusive company in having hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart in five distinct decades, as 'Popular,' with The Weeknd and Playboi Carti, debuts on the June 17-dated list.
With the entrance, Madonna has debuted songs on the Hot 100 in the 1980s, '90s, 2000s, '10s and now '20s.
Among women, Madonna joins Cher as the only women to have debuted titles on the Hot 100 in five separate decades, with Cher's history on the chart spanning the '60s through the '00s.
(Brenda Lee is the only other woman to have appeared on the Hot 100 in five distinct decades; she debuted songs in the '50s, '60s and '70s, while her chestnut "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" has re-entered annually in the '10s and '20s.)
'Popular' debuts on the Hot 100 at No. 43 with 10.1 million official streams, 2 million airplay audience impressions and 4,000 sold in the United States in its first week (June 2-8), according to Luminate.
The song, released June 2 on HBO/XO/Republic Records, is from the new HBO drama The Idol, which premiered June 4 and stars The Weeknd, Lily-Rose Depp and Dan Levy, among others.
"Madonna … Madge. She's the ultimate co-sign for this song, for this album and for this TV show," The Weeknd beamed to Apple Music 1's Zane Lowe on June 2.
Here's a look at the elite artists that have appeared on the Hot 100 in five or more decades. One has done so in seven decades – Elvis Presley – while four have in six decades: the Isley Brothers, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney and Frank Sinatra. (All acts below designated with an asterisk expanded their chart histories to a fifth decade each via seasonal songs' or other revived titles' re-entries or debuts).
Acts With Hot 100 Hits in Seven Decades:
Elvis Presley (1950s-'80s; 2000s-'20s)
Acts With Hot 100 Hits in Six Decades:
Michael Jackson ('70s-'20s)
Paul McCartney ('70s-'20s)
*Frank Sinatra ('50s-'80s; '10s-'20s)
The Isley Brothers ('50s-'00s)
Acts With Hot 100 Hits in Five Decades:
Madonna ('80s-'20s)
Ozzy Osbourne ('80s-'20s)
*Eagles ('70s-'00s; '20s)
*Fleetwood Mac ('70s-'00s; '20s)
Elton John ('70s-'00s; '20s)
*Chuck Berry ('50-'70s; '10s-'20s)
*Perry Como ('50-'70s; '10s-'20s)
*Brenda Lee ('50-'70s; '10s-'20s)
*Andy Williams ('50-'70s; '10s-'20s)
*Prince ('70s-'10s)
Cher ('60s-'00s)
The Rolling Stones ('60s-'00s)
Santana ('60s-'00s)
Stevie Wonder ('60s-'00s)
Ray Charles ('50s-'90s)
Smokey Robinson ('50s-'90s)
The only acts each to debut titles on the Hot 100 in at least five separate decades are the Isley Brothers, Elvis Presley (six each), Cher, Michael Jackson, Elton John, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Smokey Robinson, the Rolling Stones, Santana, Frank Sinatra and Stevie Wonder (five each).
Notably, Jackson and McCartney have been visitors to the Hot 100 in seven distinct decades each, additionally considering their runs in groups in the '60s: Jackson, thanks to the Jackson 5, and McCartney, via the Beatles.
The Queen of Pop adds her 58th Hot 100 hit, the seventh-most among women since the chart began with the survey dated Aug. 4, 1958. (It was a historic month for music; along with the Hot 100's bow, Madonna was born Aug. 16, 1958, and Jackson, Aug. 29.) Taylor Swift leads all women with 190 Hot 100 entries, followed by Nicki Minaj (129), Beyoncé (81), Aretha Franklin, Ariana Grande (73 each) and Rihanna (63). (Madonna breaks out of a tie with Miley Cyrus, who has logged 57 appearances.)
Madonna boasts her highest Hot 100 rank since 2012, when "Give Me All Your Luvin'," featuring Minaj and M.I.A., hit No. 10, becoming her then-record 38th top 10. (Drake and Swift now have the only higher top 10 totals: 68 and 40, respectively.)
Concurrently, "Popular" debuts at No. 6 on Billboard's Hot R&B Songs chart, marking Madonna's first appearance since the survey originated in 2012. On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, it opens at No. 14, becoming her first entry since 1995. She claims her second-highest-charting Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs hit, after only 'Like a Virgin' (No. 9, 1985). She has also reached the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs top 20 with 'Vogue' (No. 16, 1990), 'Into the Groove' (No. 19, 1985) and 'Like a Prayer' (No. 20, 1989).
Meanwhile, Madonna has released new songs in consecutive weeks. Following the June 2 arrival of 'Popular,' her team-up with Sam Smith, 'Vulgar,' was released June 9. The tracks follow Madonna's March 20 tease that she was working on new music with fellow pop titan Max Martin.
Listen now to the 3 songs from Christine and the Queens with Madonna
9 June 2023After 'Popular' with The Weeknd, and 'Vulgar' with Sam Smith, there's yet another collaboration release this week. French band Christine and the Queens have released their latest album Paranoia, Angels, True Love today. Madonna fans will remember lead singer Redcar from his appearance as Unapologetic Bitch during one of the Rebel Heart shows in Paris.
On the new album, Madonna appears on 3 songs: Angels Crying In My Bed, I Met An Angel, and Lick The Light Out.
During an interview with BBC, Redcar spoke about how the collaboration came about:
Madonna represents Big Eye, a mysterious character who appears throughout the album.
When discussing this character with producer Mike Dean, who previously worked with Madonna on Rebel Heart, singer Redcar asked: "What is the most emblematic female voice we have in the pop landscape?", and both soon got to Madonna.
"We did a very risky FaceTime when I explained the whole concept and I was like, 'Do you want to be an actress in this weird musical? To be exactly also the great actress you are?' Because she's multifaceted. She's not even enclosed in one person.
"And she said, 'Yes!' I think because she was enticed by the insanity of the whole thing. She was like, 'You're crazy. I'll do it!'
"I sent her lines that I wrote because she's embodying the character of Big Eye, a very ambivalent 'being of light'. We don't really know if it's AI, a true angel, or maybe my mum?," Chris adds.
"Or if it's maybe me. She's has this voice that encloses all of the others and she's piercing through in the record to just give the wisdom we need.
"She sent me the lines and she delivered in such a perfect way. So I had the emotions of a stage director having the best, best performer to direct, and she delivered in exactly the right way.
"I'm truly joyful that she trusted me enough to give me this impeccable piece of theatre. And also, any time she wants me to just do something for her, I'll be of service all my life."
Read the lyrics here: Angels Crying In My Bed - I Met An Angel - Lick The Light Out
Listen to 'Vulgar' now
Source: YouTube - 9 June 2023Sam Smith and Madonna have dropped their eagerly anticipated collaboration track 'Vulgar' today. The result is a short but fiery single full of expletives and eastern vibes, bringing the 'absolutely no regrets' message that Madonna and, more recently, Sam Smith have build their career on. You can read the lyrics here.
Here is what Variety had to say:
Madonna was a perfect person to introduce Smith and Petras before they performed the song at the Grammys: "Are you ready for some controversy?" she began, before continuing, "If they call you shocking, scandalous, troublesome, problematic, provocative or dangerous, you are definitely onto something."
The following day, the pair recorded 'Vulgar' with much of the same team that made 'Unholy': producers by Ilya, Cirkut, Omer Fedi, Ryan Tedder, Jimmy Napes, Smith and Lauren D'elia, Madonna's vocal producer and engineer.
While the song essentially continues the theme of her speech — one of Smith's lyrics says, "You know you're beautiful when they call you vulgar" — and has a Middle Eastern melody reminiscent of 'Unholy,' otherwise it's new terrain for both: They're rapping the verses over a lurching rhythm reminiscent of Beyonce's 'Cozy,' and Madonna's self-referential lines are hilarious:
"Boy, get down on your knees because I am Madonna
If you fuck with Sam tonight, you're fucking with me
So watch what you say or I'll split your banana."
Billboard wrote:
'Vulgar,' out now (Friday, June 9) via Capitol Records, is a pulsating dance anthem aimed at taking back the titular adjective for your own pleasure. Each of the pair offers their own breathless, spoken-word interpretations of fierce indulgence of the song's verses, with Smith proudly proclaiming that "you know you're beautiful when they call you 'vulgar.'"
On the track's chaotic chorus, the bass and beat picks up as a swirl of strings play an entrancing melody to lure listeners even further in. As if to accentuate the point, as the song comes to a close, Madonna accosts the listener: "Do you know how to spell my name? B-I-T-C-H," she snarls. "Go f–k yourself, you heard me, b—h, say our f–king names!"
Meanwhile, Vulture added:
Sam Smith is back from getting hot at the body shop and they've called in back-up. In the first verse of their new single, 'Vulgar,' Smith says (because it's really more says than sings on this song), "All black in stripper heels, mood like Madonna." It's a dance-inspired track about having a bad-bitch attitude and feeling your oats, so Madonna is the perfect point of comparison.
But on the next verse, Madonna herself taps in and says, "If you fuck with Sam tonight, you're fucking with me." This actually deflates much of Smith's verse-one 'tude. Suddenly, the song isn't a sensual "fuck the haters" empowerment anthem for Smith. It's Lydia Tár confronting her daughter's bully in the schoolyard, saying, "I'm Petra's father." If anything, it's not vulgar; it's wholesome! Either way, trust by the end of the summer that the slinky Bollywood violin hook from this song will have worked its way into your ears for life.
And Slant Magazine reacts raving:
Released during Pride Month, and on 6/9 no less—'Vulgar' is very much a transgressive, capital-S statement. One that, unlike 'Popular,' isn't spit-shined for mass consumption.
Collaboration with The Weeknd may be exactly what her career needs right now
Source: Forbes - 9 June 2023Madonna, the iconic Queen of Pop, is currently in the middle of a remarkably fruitful period in her career. With a new song released in collaboration with The Weeknd for his TV show The Idol, and her brand new single 'Vulgar' featuring Sam Smith, as well as various collaborations with indie musician Christine and the Queens, Madonna is once again showing that she is nowhere near done with her reign.
For any artist, releasing new music is always a wise decision, and Madonna's choice to team up with The Weeknd will quickly prove to be a smart move. The highly anticipated song, titled 'Popular,' is expected to debut on the Hot 100 chart in the coming days. If it does make it to the competitive tally, it will mark Madonna's return to the chart after a lengthy hiatus. While she was once a regular presence on the ranking, her recent releases failed to gain traction. Now, with the inclusion of The Weeknd and rapper Playboi Carti, it is highly likely that the trio will appear on the list very soon.
The success of 'Popular' may also serve as a reminder to listeners about Madonna's extensive musical catalog. Younger music lovers who may not have followed her work closely for some time might rediscover her through her collaborations with contemporary, chart-topping acts like The Weeknd and Carti. This strategic partnership has the potential to not only boost Madonna's sales and streaming figures but also attract a new generation of fans. It might also rekindle the interest of older fans who have drifted away over the years.
Recently, Madonna shared pictures of herself in the studio with super producer and hitmaker Max Martin, hinting at the possibility of more new music on the horizon. While details about her upcoming projects remain undisclosed, the success of 'Popular' would undoubtedly create a favorable environment for Madonna to release her future work and set herself up for continued success in her next musical chapter.
The attention garnered by Madonna through 'Popular' and its potential chart success will extend beyond the music realm. The song itself could be considered for nominations at prestigious award shows such as the Grammys or Emmys, depending on its utilization and submission. Additionally, the headlines and social media buzz surrounding Madonna's recent collaborations may contribute to increased ticket sales for her upcoming tour—not that she likely needs any help in that department.
Tokischa calls Madonna during live interview
Source: NationWorldNews - 8 June 2023Megastar Madonna has revealed that she maintains a professional and personal relationship with Dominican rapper Tokisha, who has taken the urban style world by storm in recent months with her mischievousness, irreverence and sensuality in music.
And the friendship between the two singers was confirmed last Monday when the "Queen of Pop" interrupted the interpreter of "ËSTILAZO" in an interview with the Spanish television program "La Resistencia" with a phone call.
Tokisha realized that the American singer was calling her when she was searching for her cell phone from her small bag.
"I thought you were going to call me," Madonna said as the urban exponent answered the call, for which she apologized.
After answering the call, presenter David Broncano, like the audience, was surprised and began cheering for "the Queen".
"Am I interrupting something?" questioned the "Hung Up" singer, to which the Dominican replied that, on the contrary, he was more than welcome to stay online amid his participation in the popular program broadcast by Spanish Channel Movistar.
Broncano, who was still confused, asked to speak to him. However, the artist decided to sing a few verses from "La Isla Bonita", which made the audience go wild.
"Are you being nice to my friend?" Madonna asked the host of "The Resistance", to which he replied in English, that "I'm treating her like a queen."
"She is a queen," he said.
However, when Broncano asked her if she knew about the program, she replied that "I've heard about it, but you never invited me."
However, the presenter took the opportunity to invite the "Queen of Pop" to the night's event, saying she was very interested.
The Weeknd wants to make an album with Madonna
Source: People - 2 June 2023Who wants an album from The Weeknd and Madonna?
The pair released their new collaboration, 'Popular' with Playboi Carti from HBO's The Idol, on Friday, and The Weeknd spoke to Apple Music's Zane Lowe in a new interview about how he wants to co-produce an album with the "Like a Virgin" superstar.
"I mean, the thing is, I've always wanted to work with her. I've always wanted to write and produce a Madonna album... well, co-produce with her, of course ... because she's a visionary and she has such a singular vision," said the "Blinding Lights" performer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye.
The Weeknd, 33, continued, "I just want to come into her world and create a classic Madonna album. That was always my dream. So this can be... Hopefully this is the appetizer for that."
"Popular" marks the second single from The Idol Vol. 1, the soundtrack to the controversial HBO series co-created by The Weeknd, Sam Levinson and Reza Fahim, which premieres June 4.
The new song's lyrics seem to mirror the show's theme of fame and its pitfalls, as The Weeknd sings, "Beggin' on her knees to be popular / That's her dream, to be popular / Kill anyone to be popular / Sell her soul to be popular."
"I'm proud of it. I'm definitely proud of it. Me and Carti had this... I mean, we've jammed out before," he explained to Lowe of the song's creative process. "We've had a different version of this song prior. So I've had these vocals for a while and I've kind of just worked around it, and then kept it in the tuck. But now it felt like it was time."
The Weeknd added, "I've been producing the song for a while. And then Madonna, Madge. She's the ultimate co-sign for this song, for this album, and for this TV show. And you'll hear more of her in the show as well too. She is the ultimate pop star."
While this is their first time working together, Madonna previously owned a house that was once The Weeknd's — and she sold it just a year later!
Listen to 'Popular' now
Source: YouTube - 2 June 2023'Popular' is now available on all streaming platforms. The song by The Weeknd features Madonna as well as Playboi Carti, and is part of the soundtrack for the HBO series The Idol.
Both the series plot and the song talk about a singer in the limelight, a topic obviously familiar for Madonna. Her verse seems to reflect what she has portrayed earlier in her Drowned World music video.
I know that you see me, time's gone by
Spend my whole life runnin' from your flashin' lights
Try to own it but I'm alright
You can't take my soul without a fuckin' fight
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