Madonna: The Golden Age - page 2

09-02-2008 08:15

He said of the new album: "It's kind of like 'Holiday' with an R'n'B groove."

Timberlake flew over to London last month to film the video with Madonna and fans are now waiting on tender-hooks for its release to see what phase she is about to enter.

This is the woman who went from the perky 80s pop of 'Holiday' to the darker strains of 'Frozen'; starred as Andrew Lloyd Webber's leading lady in 'Evita' the movie; re-released Don McLean's 'American Pie' and strutted in a skimpy leotard for the video of her disco-inspired track 'Hung Up'.

Whatever Madonna touches turns to gold, and attracting criticism only seems to gain her work more credibility.

Controversy is Madonna's most powerful weapon in her quest to remain ruler of the pop charts.

Since she first arrived on the scene this Catholic-raised wild child has made headlines that propelled her into the public eye thanks to the taboos she shamelessly commits.

Madonna burst onto the scene in 1982 with an "I don't care" attitude that rebellious teens gazed up at with open-mouthed worship and laid the foundations for her rule-breaking idol status.

After the tantalising innuendo of 'Like A Virgin' came the Catholic symbols in her raunchy 'Like A Prayer' video which sent the church into uproar in the late 80s, and that was only just the beginning.

In 1992 Madonna released her brazen coffee table book 'Sex' to coincide with her new album 'Erotica'. The book featured softcore pornographic pictures of the star simulating a number of acts including lesbianism, homosexuality, sadomasochism, anilingus, and rape.

A year later, during her 'Girlie Show World Tour', Madonna caused outrage in Puerto Rico when she rubbed the island's flag between her legs while dressed as a dominatrix and surrounded by topless dancers.

The reputation of the tour even lead to Orthodox Jews protesting against her first ever performance in Israel.

Over the years Madonna has continued to shock, and even dragged her 'protégée' princess of pop Britney Spears in on the act along with Christina Aguilera when she kissed them both live on stage at the 2003 MTV Music Awards.

But Madonna's image has never been about a woman flaunting her body and sexuality for the benefit of men. This was a woman saying, "I like sex, I enjoy it, I want it and I'm going to take it." She was the embodiment of women taking the power for themselves in the 80s. Madonna is not a feminist. She does not want to become a man to gain masculine power. She wants to be a woman AND be in control.

This could be why poor Guy Richie, her husband, is painted as so pathetic by the media. It has always been assumed that in any relationship she has Madonna wears the trousers, plus the pointy-busted corset and everything else.

But the ever-mischievous Madonna has only seized upon this image of her marriage.

Last year, she was pictured leaving London's Claridge's hotel after celebrating Guy's 39th birthday carrying a purple strap-on dildo and wearing a naughty smile on her face.

During her 2006 'Confessions Tour' Madonna again caused tremendous upset among religious circles when she staged a mock crucifixion during her show and performed on the cross, wearing a crown of thorns, evoking the image of Jesus.

The singer shunned her Catholic roots long ago, but as with many lapsed-Catholic artists it can be argued that the religion's influence is ever prevailing.

She is now a follower of the Kabbalah. The a mystical off-shoot of Judaism in now very fashionable among A-List celebrities but many would argue that is thanks to Madonna putting it in the spotlight.

With her ever-evolving music keeping her at the top of the charts and her notorious reputation ensuring she is always gabbing headlines, Madonna is a highly lucrative artist.

She has recently came top of Forbes.com's Cash Queens of Music list, after she raked in $72 million between June 2006 and June 2007 alone.

The 'Hung Up' singer's personal fortune was boosted by her successful 'Confessions Tour', which generated a staggering $260 million worldwide.

Madonna also benefited financially from working with high street fashion chain H+M, general record sales and her deal with US broadcaster NBC for the rights to air her concert from London's Wembley Arena.

And after Live Nation secured her with their new $120 million deal she is a great loss to Warner Bros. Her new contract with Live Nation is for 10 years, but seeing as she has been a chart topper for 26 years and is still going strong, she is bound to deliver yet more hits in the next decade.

The latest money-maker for the bottle-blonde sex symbol is fronting Sunsilk hair care's new 'Life Can't Wait' advertising campaign for an whopping $10 million.

A 30 second commercial, which launched at the American Super Bowl (03.02.08), also features Shakira and Marilyn Monroe and uses the slogan "Some girls can't wait to make life happen. Their hair tells their story".

And Madonna's hair has taken as many forms as her music over the years. She is almost as famous for her physical image as she is for her work. A renowned health freak the once curvaceous and buxom beauty is now a lean, mean, muscle-bound machine thanks to a strict diet and an extreme yoga and workout regime.

On top of the strong scrutiny upon her appearance and lifestyle, Madonna attracted even more attention on her private life in 2006 when she visited Malawi and came home with a young boy, David Banda. The two-year-old's adoption has now been formalised and he is part of the family along with along with 11-year-old Lourdes, the daughter of her former fitness trainer Carlos Leon, and Guy and Madonna's seven-year-old son Rocco.

There is no doubt that Madonna manages to cause controversy in everything she does but this only serves to boost her thriving career.

She may be in her 50th year, but Madonna is certainly one to put the 'Frisky' into the 'Frisky fifties'.

Even though she conquered the charts long ago, Madonna's reign is still almighty and it will be a long time yet before the queen of pop is toppled.

By Albertina Lloyd