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Madonna news - Aug. 2019
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Tour kick-off postponed to September 17
Source: Madonna.com - 26 Aug. 2019Shows of September 12 & 14 postponed to October
Show of September 15 cancelled
As a result of the highly specialized production elements being delayed, Live Nation has confirmed that the first 3 concerts of Madonna’s Madame X Tour – a series of rare and intimate performances – have been delayed and that the tour will now start on Tuesday, September 17th at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House.
The shows previously scheduled for September 12th and 14th at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House have been rescheduled to October 10th and 12th respectively. Tickets for the September 12th performance will be honored at the October 10th event. Tickets for the previously scheduled September 14th concert will be honored at the October 12th show. Refunds for either date if required will available via the original ticket purchase link accessed either via desktop or mobile. Unfortunately, due to scheduling limitations and venue availability, the show previously scheduled for September 15th is cancelled and refunds will be automatically issued to fans with tickets to this show.
Statement from Madonna:
"Madame ❌ Is a perfectionist and wants to give you the most unique, magical, and musical experience. She underestimated the amount of time it would take to bring this kind of intimate theatrical experience to you and wants it to be perfect!!!
Thank you so much for your understanding."
Fans requiring additional information may contact Ticketmaster as follows:
- Customer Support Info: help.ticketmaster.com
- E-mail: https://www.ticketmaster.com/h/contact-form.html
- Phone: 800-653-8000
Ticketmaster Fan Support Hours (local time)
Mon - Fri: 9 AM - 9 PM / Sat: 9 AM - 8 PM / Sun: 9 AM - 6 PM
Two Lisbon concerts added to kick off European tour
Source: Madonna.com - 26 Aug. 2019With six Lisbon shows completely sold out and to satisfy additional fan demand, Live Nation and Everything is New have just confirmed that an additional 2 shows – January 12 and 14th have been added to the line-up at the Lisbon Coliseum. These two new dates become the first shows on the European tour in 2020 and are followed by shows in Lisbon on January 16, 18, 19, 21, 22 and 23 before heading to London where Madame X plays 15 concerts at the prestigious Palladium followed by 12 Paris performances at the Grand Rex.
Tickets for the additional Madame X concerts January 12 and 14 at the Lisbon Coliseum will go on sale Saturday, August 31st at 10am at https://everythingisnew.pt. ICON is Madonna's official fan club and Lifetime Legacy members of ICON will be eligible for a special presale starting Wed. August 28th (10am) through Thursday, August 29th (5pm).
Tickets for these very special Madame X performances are available at €75.00 - €300.00 (plus applicable service fees). Fans may also access Ticket & Hotel packages which include great ticket locations, exclusive merchandise, hotel accommodations and more.
The full tour schedule can be found here.
Madonna earns 48th no. 1 on Dance Club Songs chart with 'I Rise'
Source: Billboard - 25 Aug. 2019"It is always an honor to work with Madonna," remixer Tracy Young tells Billboard.
Madonna earns her record-extending 48th No. 1 on Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart (dated Aug. 31), as "I Rise" ascends 2-1.
The chart, and all rankings dated Aug. 31, will refresh on Billboard.com on Tuesday, Aug. 27.
With 48 toppers on Dance Club Songs, which measures reports submitted by a national sample of club DJs and which launched as a national survey in the Billboard issue dated Aug. 28, 1976, Madonna outpaces runner-up Rihanna (33 No. 1s), while Beyoncé and Janet Jackson follow with 22 and 20, respectively.
"Rise" is the second leader from Madonna's album Madame X, following "Medellín" with Maluma. The song led the June 29-dated Dance Club Songs chart, while Madame X launched as Madonna's ninth No. 1 on the Billboard 200 the same week.
"Rise" marks Madonna's eighth consecutive Dance Club Songs No. 1, her longest such streak. (Katy Perry holds the record with 18 straight No. 1s in 2009-17.) Twice before, Madonna managed seven straight No. 1s, first with "Causing a Commotion," from the Who's That Girl soundtrack (1987), through "Justify My Love," from her first greatest hits opus, The Immaculate Collection (1991), and then with Ray of Light's "Nothing Really Matters" (1999) through Music's "Impressive Instant" (2001). Madonna's current run began with "Give Me All Your Luvin'," featuring Nicki Minaj and M.I.A., from her 2012 set MDNA.
"Rise" was first remixed by Miami-based DJ Tracy Young, who has remixed a plethora of other Madonna tracks, including No. 1s "Music," "Hung Up" and "4 Minutes" (featuring Justin Timberlake and Timbaland). Young's remix also propelled "Rise" onto the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart (where it spent two weeks at No. 37 in July), marking Madonna's first visit since "Living for Love" (No. 25, March 2015).
"Even after 20 plus years of creative collaboration, it is always an honor to work with Madonna," Young tells Billboard. "When I heard the original version of 'I Rise,' I immediately had the vision to create tempo for the inspirational song and connect the message of empowerment to the LGBTQ+ community, especially in celebration with the 50th anniversary of Pride. I asked Madonna if she'd let me remix it and she said yes, which was exciting. It always feels amazing when something I produce is well-received, and that will never be a feeling that gets old."
"I Rise" was also remixed for clubs by DJLW, Thomas Gold, Daybreakers and others.
In celebration of Madonna's newest No. 1, here's an updated look at her Dance Club Songs leaders. (Of note, at various points before Feb. 23, 1991, full albums were allowed to chart, which allowed for a full remix album of Madonna's, You Can Dance, to reign. Plus, for titles that spent multiple weeks at No. 1, total frames in the lead are noted in parentheses.)
Madonna's 48 Dance Club Songs No. 1s
1983, "Holiday"/"Lucky Star" (five weeks at No. 1)
1984, "Like a Virgin" (four)
1985, "Material Girl"
1985, "Angel"/"Into the Groove"
1987, "Open Your Heart"
1987, "Causing a Commotion (Remix)"
1988, You Can Dance (LP Cuts)
1989, "Like a Prayer" (two)
1989, "Express Yourself" (three)
1990, "Keep It Together"
1990, "Vogue" (two)
1991, "Justify My Love" (two)
1992, "Erotica"
1993, "Deeper and Deeper"
1993, "Fever"
1994, "Secret" (two)
1995, "Bedtime Story"
1997, "Don't Cry for Me Argentina"
1998, "Frozen" (two)
1998, "Ray of Light" (four)
1999, "Nothing Really Matters" (two)
1999, "Beautiful Stranger" (two)
2000, "American Pie"
2000, "Music" (five)
2001, "Don't Tell Me"
2001, "What It Feels Like for a Girl"
2001, "Impressive Instant" (two)
2002, "Die Another Day" (two)
2003, "American Life"
2003, "Hollywood"
2003, "Me Against the Music," Britney Spears feat. Madonna (two)
2004, "Nothing Fails"
2004, "Love Profusion"
2005, "Hung Up" (four)
2006, "Sorry" (two)
2006, "Get Together"
2006, "Jump" (two)
2008, "4 Minutes," Madonna feat. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland (two)
2008, "Give It 2 Me"
2009, "Celebration"
2012, "Give Me All Your Luvin'," Madonna feat. Nicki Minaj & M.I.A.
2012, "Girl Gone Wild"
2012, "Turn Up the Radio"
2015, "Living for Love"
2015, "Ghosttown"
2015, "Bitch I'm Madonna," Madonna feat. Nicki Minaj
2019, "Medellín," Madonna & Maluma
2019, "I Rise"
Emmanuel Adjei on the Dark Ballet of music videos
Source: Shots - 21 Aug. 2019Off the back off two showstopping promos for Madonna, David Knight speaks to the Amsterdam-based director about his ability to craft films with depth and imagery that burns in the memory.
Emmanuel Adjei was at home in Amsterdam last December when he received a bolt out of the blue: an invitation to listen to Madonna's just-recorded, top secret new album. And the lady herself wanted to meet him.
It took a moment to realise that he was being offered very privileged access. "I didn't know that when she releases an album she usually works with two or three directors, maximum," he says. In fact, Madonna wanted him to hear her 14th studio album Madame X, select the track (or tracks) that he wanted to work on. No competitive pitching at all.
"You're sitting next to Madonna. How do you convince a pop icon like her, with so much experience, to go with your ideas?"
At their subsequent meeting, Madonna praised the distinctiveness of his work. "She said there weren't many artists or directors at my stage of their career who have their own language, that's true to themselves. It was a great start, but at the same time very intimidating! You're sitting next to Madonna. How do you convince a pop icon like her, with so much experience, to go with your ideas?"
In fact, Madonna recognised that Adjei's work was comparable to many excellent directors, just before they worked with her – the likes of David Fincher, Chris Cunningham, and Jonas Akerlund, to name a few. Like them, Adjei has made outstanding films that are ample evidence of his talent, in his case for Dutch-Iranian singer Sevdaliza.
In particular there is his remarkable video for Sevdaliza's song Shahmaran, a visually extravagant epic that combines ancient mythology and black consciousness with sci-fi blockbuster VFX. This has scooped numerous awards since its release last year, including nods at the UKMVAs, Kinsale Sharks, and a Silver in Music Video Of The Year at the shots Awards 2018.
Adjei, signed to Compulsory in the UK, Directors Bureau in the US, Dreamers in Paris and Halal in Amsterdam, had also directed a smattering of ads, including for Hugo Boss, and short films. Now, after that initial surprise of being courted by the Queen of Pop, Adjei has gone on to direct two of Madonna's most talked-about music videos in years.
Firstly, the video for Dark Ballet, released in June, is a visceral and harrowing recreation of the trial and execution of Joan Of Arc, and a highly charged allegory about the evils of discrimination and repression, distinguished by the inspired casting of gay male rapper and activist Mykki Blanco as Joan.
Then there's Batuka, a video which showcases Madonna's collaboration with the Portuguese Orchestre Batukadeiras, a multi-generational group of women who keep alive the traditional call-and-response style of music said to have originated in Cape Verde by the first slaves being transported to America. A video that begins in narrative fashion, introducing the Batukadeiras, becomes an authentic document of a real event, as Madonna performs with the women on a Portuguese clifftop.
These videos for Madonna confirm Adjei's skill in creating images that burn in the memory: in Dark Ballet it is the agonised face of Mykki as Joan of Arc, being burned at the stake, and the solitary portrait shot of Madonna in the video; in Batuka, it is the faces of the members of the Batukadeiras, looking out to sea, and eventually seeing ghostly slave ships sailing away in the distance. It follows Shahmaran, which is full of these memorable images, culminating in the appearance of Sevdaliza, like a reclining Cleopatra-like queen, in a surreal futuristic museum-cum-palace.
"Fine art is now like a reference library for me. I always have that in the back of my head."
Adjei's work has a painterly quality that is at least partly explained by his background. Born 30 years ago in Amsterdam of Ghanian parents, who had emigrated to the Netherlands a few years earlier, he went to art school in Amsterdam, where he began making his first experimental shorts, before studying Film as a postgraduate.
"I was always fascinated by the Dutch masters," he says "I think I was brought up with that as part of my culture - a combination of that, and my African upbringing." Initially planning to be a painter before focussing on directing, he continues: "Fine art is now like a reference library for me. I always have that in the back of my head."
![Adjei on the set of Dark Ballet [photo credit Riccardo T. Castano]](img/emmanuel-adjei-dark-ballet-video.jpg)
After studying, his first real practical filmmaking education came from making low-budget videos for Dutch hiphop artists such as Gers Pardoel and Fakkelbrigade. "[I was] experimenting and feeling the medium, doing a lot of production design and also styling," he explains, "It was a good moment for me to learn to work with a team."
That also led him to Sevdaliza. When he saw her show in Amsterdam by chance, and found the first version of Shahmaran online, he reached out to suggest they collaborate. "She was different, singing in English. There weren't a lot of Dutch artists that were thinking on that scale. She made me raise my sights."
(...)
And then came Madonna. Adjei says that they bonded at that initial meeting and "from beginning to end we texted a lot and we called a lot." He chose to work on Dark Ballet and Batuka, attracted by the cinematic nature of Dark Ballet, and the cultural opportunity of celebrating the music of the Batuka.
"Retelling the story of Joan of Arc wasn't really the challenge," he says of Dark Ballet. It was really about trying to find the language that fits a track that's so bombastic. She mentioned that she wanted to work with Mykki Blanco, who she'd met in Lisbon. I realized that it would be cool to use Mykki for Dark Ballet because he's like a modern-day Joan."
"I do understand the idea of being judged, as a person of colour."
As with Shahmaran, the lead in Dark Ballet is an African-American male, battling forces of repression. Does Adjei, as a black director, identify with the symbol of Mykki as Joan, cruelly punished for standing up to Power? "Not on a personal level, but I do understand the idea of being judged, as a person of colour. I think that's something I have dealt with and I'm still dealing with. I guess that's one of the reasons why I felt entitled to tell this story."
Dark Ballet was rigorously scripted and storyboarded, to tell Joan's harrowing story, and integrate the required VFX work. But when shooting started, he discovered how he needed to be flexible in order to accommodate the creative needs of a superstar, and her hugely demanding schedule. He says that the final version of Dark Ballet is therefore less ambiguous and metaphysical than he planned to make. "Madonna's version is 'this is Joan, this is what she fought for, this is what people need to know'," he says. "That was very interesting to experience: someone who is very direct in their message."
And in Batuka the original idea to have Madonna and the Batukadeiras in different scenes, and then coming together, connecting through the song's call-and-response structure, was jettisoned on set. "Hearing those voices of these Batukadeiras together with Madonna made me feel empowered to make a video for this track," says Adjei. "And we realised that shooting them apart would change the dynamic of the track. Madonna said: 'I feel that we have to be together from beginning to the end. We have to tell our stories, we have to rejoice, we have to suffer at the same time, in the same room.'"
"If you're not flexible, especially when you're working with someone like Madonna, then you won't be able to survive."
Consequently, we get to see a relatively unguarded version of Madonna in the Batuka video, making it one of the most documentary-like videos that she has ever made, but without sacrificing the visual craft that Adjei brings to every project. "One of the reasons why it feels so genuine was because she was reconnecting with these women," Adjei confirms. "I instinctively thought we had to capture those moments."
Now starting to reflect upon the experience – which was undoubtedly tense at times – Adjei says everything he has learned will stand him in good stead for the future.
"I've learned so much from making both videos," he says. "But I guess the main experience was to listen, and adapt. If you're not flexible, especially when you're working with someone like Madonna, then you won't be able to survive. But you still need to be persistent in your vision.
"I feel that both our voices are very clear in both projects."
Madonna celebrates 61st birthday in style as she downs shots to kick off three-night celebration
Source: Metro - 18 Aug. 2019Madonna has proven that age is just a number as she celebrated her 61st birthday in ultimate style – all while donning an army general costume.
Because why not?
Our Material Girl proved she's definitely still got it as she rocked the costume, downed shots, and danced the night away during a three-night celebration for her big day.
The Like A Prayer singer, who recently showed off her sweet daughters dressing up in her clothes, took to Instagram to show fans the wild night.
Madge can be seen necking a shot like a pro, being surprised with birthday donuts that spell out 'Happy Birthday Madame X', and throwing some shapes while the crowd chanted for her.
You couldn't ever say she does things by halves. 'This is the beginning of three marvellous nights of celebration and it all starts with donuts,' the star reflected in the video.
She wrote in the caption: 'Madame ❌ is a birthday Girl………………… Grateful to the Universe for all that she has received ! 🎉🎂🍾🌈 🙏🏼. #donuts #madamex #birthday#rehearsals.' She's really in love with those donuts and we can't even blame her.
In another snap, she rocks a 'four star general' costume, with fishnets and shades and it feels a little like we've just had a religious experience.
Despite her wild night out, Madame X clearly knows that the hustle never stops as she shared behind the scenes clips from rehearsals for her tour and teased some choreography from the show.
And that comes just days after she blew our minds by throwing a few mind-bending stretches our way.
Madonna drops 'I Rise' remix package featuring edits from Thomas Gold, Offer Nissim & more
Source: Billboard - 18 Aug. 2019Madonna is extending her career-long penchant for turning her album tracks into full-on club bangers through the hands of savvy remixers with a new batch of edits of her track "I Rise."
Today (Aug. 16), "I Rise" gets six edits in styles ranging from big room to disco, with reworks from DJLW, DJ Kue, Offer Nissim, Thomas Gold, Daybreakers, and DJ Irene & The Alliance. Whether you want something for a dance party in your living or a real-deal mainstage banger, there's something here that will inspire you to rise up those arms in the air.
The final song on Madonna's June LP Madame X, the original "I Rise" samples gun control activist Emma Gonzalez. In a statement released around the album, Madonna called the track "a way of giving a voice to all marginalized people who feel they don't have the opportunity to speak their mind. This year is the 50th anniversary of Pride and I hope this song encourages all individuals to be who they are, to speak their minds and to love themselves."
Find the remixes on Spotify, Youtube, iTunes and other digital music platforms.
Madonna to perform 2 Citi Sound Vault shows in Brooklyn & Philadelphia
Source: Billboard - 13 Aug. 2019In the midst of her wildly popular Madame X Tour, Madonna is giving fans more opportunities to see her live. The icon announced on Monday (Aug. 12) that she will be performing two intimate shows as part of Citi Sound Vault.
She will be heading to the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House on Sept. 18, where she will also be playing from Sept. 12 to Oct. 7. Additionally, she will take over the Met in Philadelphia on Dec. 10, where she will continue to play through Dec. 11.
Citi cardmembers will be able to purchase tickets on Tuesday (Aug. 13) at 10 a.m. EST here.
Other major artists who have taken part in the Citi Sound Vault shows this year include Pink, Muse and Chris Stapleton, among others.
See Madonna's announcement below.
Madonna is first female with 100M views on videos from 4 different decades
Source: Tonedeaf - 04 Aug. 2019Madonna, the iconic pop star of almost every decade since she began music, has officially become the first female artist to reach 100 million views on music videos from 4 different decades.
In case you're wondering what exactly those videos are, we will be breaking down all four videos, which reached pinnacles of success in their time.
The videos are:
80s: 'La Isla Bonita'
90s: 'Vogue'
00s: 'Hung Up'
10s: 'Bitch I'm Madonna'
That's 40 years of hits, not even including songs such as 'Like a Virgin', 'Into the Groove' or 'Ray of Light', which were all extremely successful for their time.
Now let's explore what exactly made these hits bring in the views as well as they did.
80s: 'La Isla Bonita'
A classic in South America and a timeless hit all over the world, 'La Isla Bonita' from Madonna's album True Blue still sounds as good as it did in the 80s.
The instrumental for this song was originally offered up to the talents of Michael Jackson, but was rejected.
Madonna accepted the instrumental, then wrote the lyrics and the melody for the classic hit. It currently sits at 105 Million views on YouTube.
90s: 'Vogue'
With 'Vogue' only just recently hitting 100 Million views, Madonna was able to break the records for female artists. The only person who has broken these records before is Michael Jackson, with five decades in a row under his belt.
'Vogue' is endlessly iconic, from the black and white video to the song itself, which paid homage to black LGBTQIA history, hearkening back to the ball scene and culture, which is still prominent today.
00's: 'Hung Up'
Time goes by so slowly for those who wait. This video has actually almost hit 200 million views, and it isn't a surprise, it's a song that is dearly beloved by both young and old audiences.
With a fantastic sample from 'Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)', Madonna managed to create a dancefloor hit that is still enjoyed to this day.
10s: 'Bitch I'm Madonna'
Often misheard as "Bitch i'm a donut", this song has smashed 300 million views on YouTube. It definitely isn't one of Madonna's best songs, but if features production from Diplo and SOPHIE, which is pretty incredible.
It also has a pretty sweet feature from Nicki Minaj to boot, which always helps with racking up views.
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